Cape Mendocino, CA

Tuesday began innocently enough.  The fog in Eureka finally lifted, the Coast Guard reported the bar calm with 1-3 ft. chop in the center and a 10 knot north wind.  We cast off at 1000 and motored under sunny skies turning south for Bodega Bay, a 30-hour sail.  The rolling hills, towering cliffs and headlands were beautiful, the first landscape that we had seen since we began this fog-shrouded cruise.  The brilliant blue water sparkled and we soaked up the sun in the cockpit.  This is the California we were expecting. 

Cape Mendocino has a wicked reputation of being the major navigational challenge of the Pacific Coast south of Alaska.  There is a reef to be avoided and strong NW winds to contend with.  There is turbulent and rough water. 

Much to our delight, we were experiencing a different Cape. We high-fived our luck as we motored in a light breeze at 7 knots with 2-4 ft. following seas and the jib raised.  Off of Punta Gorda at 1600, we were being pushed briskly south in a fresh north breeze of 16-18 knots with 4-6 ft. seas.  With winds increasing off of Spanish Hill at 1730, we began to feel overpowered.  We decided to reduce sail by first raising the trysail and then furling the jib.  With both of us working feverishly pulling, grinding and tailing, the boat lunging and heeling, the roller furl jammed.  Ken went forward to check the line.  We tried again to no avail.  We decided to unfurl the jib.  With it slapping and cracking loudly, we rolled it in on our third attempt and then reefed the trysail.  By now, we were in a near gale with 30 knot winds.  The flag flapped furiously while 10 ft. seas, whipped into frothy foam, spit at us as we climbed and slid down the crested waves.  Tethered to the jacklines in the cockpit, we regained our composure and agreed that the ride was exhilarating…but a bit much.

By 2100, the wind had returned to a gentle breeze of 9 knots.  At 0200, we turned on the engine and motored in light air.  At noon on Wednesday, we were still motoring in the same light conditions, still hoping to reach Bodega Bay before sunset. 

Wind is inconsistent.  High winds can occur in little pockets and when you sail into one there is no escaping.  You have to go through it.  It’s like driving your car through the car wash. When you enter, stuff is squirted at you, slapped at you and blown at you and when you emerge out the other end you think, 'there now, that’s better'.