"I Sea Blues" ~ Tripp & Grayce Cruise North: Port San Luis / Avila Beach - Sept 29

Transiting in the darkness is not my favorite thing to do especially when one knows you’re going around a well documented, ‘dangerous’ point. In addition, losing the port engine for a time did not sit well but I kept my panic assuaged and my eyes fixed on the radar. Seas were bumpy with 10 kt winds and daylight didn’t come for another two and a half hours. Life seems better when the sun rises; however, before long the fog rolled in and we we were in the thick of it. On a positive note, the seas are calmer when you’re covered in a blanket of fog.

Fog finally clearing

The journey was six and a half hours, our longest to date. Arrival into Port San Luis was challenging as we could not see 20 yards in front of us. Tripp had our fog horn blasting every two minutes and we knew that several boats passed us within 300 yards but we didn’t see them except on radar. The veil lifted slightly and we were able to see some boats moored to bouys. I had the boat hook at the ready and grabbed a line to secure I Sea Blues.

Port San Luis is a commercial area. The pier is not user friendly! They have one loading dock but you can’t tie up there. One has to secure their dinghy forward and aft and then climb up a 20’ vertical rebar ladder to the pier. Er… thanks but not for this girl! Tripp was a gentleman and dropped me off at the loading dock and then had to secure

the dinghy forward and aft and climb the ladder.

Thursday found us hoofing it into town, we were told it was only a mile but it was actually two. Lunch at Custom House and wine tasting rooms were an afternoon well spent. Our friends, Melissa and Jason, from Seal and Pismo Beach met us and we enjoyed a fab dinner at Ocean Grill. We didn’t expect to be out so late and hadn’t left lights on the boat. Not only was it hard to find the dinghy, it had gone under the pier, but we were challenged in finding ISB. It is laughable after the fact but when it’s pitch black and foggy, you can’t see a thing in front of you. We went to two other boats before we finally found ours. We are a mile off shore and on one of the last moorings by the breakwater. We learned to turn our cockpit lights on before leaving the boat for the day.

A week doesn’t go by without boating issues and Friday night found us driving our dinghy home and having issues with the propeller. (it ‘spun out’) Tripp says that means that the rubber bushing inside the propeller is slipping and it won’t turn any faster than idle speed no matter how fast you rev the engine. A new prop was ordered. <<sigh>>

Working on propeller

Donna, from Victoria, was in the area and met us for lunch in Pismo and we spent a lovely afternoon back in Avila. Always wonderful to meet up with friends from near and far.

Jim and Dena from Seal Beach, own a timeshare in Avila Beach and were generous in giving us four of their nights. Wahoo! Real showers and the ability to do laundry had me very excited. We thoroughly enjoyed our nights at San Luis Bay Inn and all of the amenities that it offered. Thank you so much J & D!
Also, Jason and Melissa lent us their jeep for several days. We loaded it up to bring stuff, (ie: a month’s worth of laundry) to the Inn. Moreover, it allowed us the opportunity to reprovision at the Costco in San Luis Obispo and to explore the delightful town enjoying a lunch at SLO Brew. Our second to last day in Avila found us on another wine tasting adventure in the Edna Valley. We managed to leave a dent in the supply at Sextant, Baileyana (which includes Tangent & Truth Myth), Kynsi and last but not least, Saucelito Canyon. We DO love our wine tasting and so appreciated our tour guides, Jason & Melissa, that day. So many vineyards… so little time!

Pismo Beach - Jason, Melissa & Darla

Having fun at Baileyana

As we get ready to leave for Morro Bay we had to refill with water and refuel ISB so that we can make the long hike around Big Sur to Monterey. That’s a few days off yet though. Did I mention earlier that the pier in Port San Luis is not user friendly?? Not only the dock for getting water but the fuel pier is a menace to one’s boat.