Necessity is in Catalina Island
Necessity
Eva and Jan Fr. Mack
Fri 12 Nov 2010 16:40
We have moved considerably on our way to San Diego.
Santa Barbara was really nice. It does have a wine district like Napa, but this one seems more centered around small villages. In short, it feels less like industry. Places like Los Olivos and Solvang are deservedly famous, Solvang being the closest you can get to a Danish village outside Denmark. Where else can you get Danish pastries with the wine? It really was well done. We went there with our Japanese friends Sylvia and Ken. (Sylvia is actually German-Danish-Japanese so it was particularly appropriate.) Thanks to some really bad navigation we also found a very beautiful mountain pass with a tremendous view of the coast.
The next day it was off to Ventura, only 20 miles down the coast. It is a very good, artificial harbor with an exceptionally nice yacht club. From another boat we also new that Ventura Yacht Club was the home port of Pelican Express. We last saw this beautiful Sundeer 60 somewhere in Indonesia.
The Ventura Yach Club really made us feel welcome. The club members seemed like a big family, and it was good to be included if only for a short stay. It was particularly nice to meet Jean Crew on Pelican. A pity though that Bill was away on business.
We do have a slip waiting in San Diego, so we left Venture a little earlier than we actually wanted. Catalina Island is on the way, so here we are. Catalina Harbor is a very good anchorage. We came in 10 minutes before dark last night, and as yet we know nothing about how it is ashore.
jfm 12.11.10