Ocean Echo 1: 2010

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

San Diego Cal., USA to Ensenada MEX. - 2010

Dear friends

I wish you all Happy Holidays - Merry Christmas and all the best in 2011.
At this moment Ocean Echo 1 is tied to the dock at marina Baja Naval in Ensenada Mexico. I have cleared into Mexico couple of days ago after an easy over night motor sail from San Diego Cal.. Dolphins visited again during the night several times. Ensenada harbor has been closed day after I arrived due to higher winds. Hopefully it will be re-open tomorrow, to allow me to continue on the way south to warmer destinations. I am eager to get moving after spending last 5 weeks in S. Diego harbor, waiting for important documents/shipments. The only pictures available for upload at this time are from San Diego and Ensenada.
I have visited S. Diego's Sea World, but it was little disappointing to see, what they have turn it into since my last visit many years ago. It used to be the best marine park and aquarium in the World. It is now Disney and Universal Studios style tourist attraction, which is quite different from the old days.
San Diego is a nice city and I enjoyed staying there. I would like to thank to San Diego Yacht Club for helping me out with some issues and reciprocal privileges. SDYC has nice facilities including tennis courts, swimming pool, whirl pool, sauna, gym, ham radio - HF station and upscale clubhouse. Silver Gate YC was also very helpful. I have spent 6 days at S.D. harbor police dock, which is the best deal in the town for short-term moorage.
Entering Mexico is a little different and it takes some time to learn, how everything works. City of Ensenada is a contrast to San Diego, but people are friendly. It requires some adjustment in dealing with situation without knowing much Spanish.
My next leg is Baja California peninsula down to Cabo San Lucas and Sea of Cortez. I am planning to sail towards Puerto Vallarta, since La Paz and Mazatlan seem to be cooler this year due to La Nina weather pattern.

Maintaining this blog could by complicated time to time, because Internet signal/connection for uploading pictures, will not be as good/fast as it is in large cities/communities. Please, excuse my poor writing skills and grammar. Google translate does good job converting text to other languages.
I hope, that you will find something interesting in this blog – enjoy.

Jara (JJ) Holcman sv. Ocean Echo 1

Seaport Village - San Diego

Embarcadero hotel/marina - S D

Convention Center - S D

SloJo - S D

Sunrise - Downtown, S D

San Diego Yacht Club

Merry Christmas - Boat parade, S D

Sea World - S D

Ensenada - Mexico

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Long Beach, L.A. to San Diego, Cal. - 2010

Dear friends

I am writing these lines from San Diego, my last port in US. I have sailed (motored) from Long Beach, L.A. to Avalon at Santa Catalina Island (25 miles). Avalon is very interesting town with a special character. Quite need and different from other places along the coast. Avalon harbour is packed full with paid buoys, which run $35 per night. They offer 7 days tie up for price of 2 nights, this time of year (low season). Most of the bays and anchorages around S. Catalina Isl. are full of paid buoys, which makes anchoring difficult in deep water (over 100 feet deep). Twenty two million people live in area between L.A. and S. Diego. High summer season is very busy at S. Catalina Isl.
I have sailed (motored) around most of the S. Catalina Island (20 miles long). An other nice place was a Two Harbors with 2 opposite bays on each side of the island. It is a half mile walk between Isthmus Cove and Catalina Harbor. Several yacht clubs have an outstations near this small, quiet community. S. Catalina Isl. is not as scenic as S. Cruz Isl., but Avalon and Isthmus Cove are worth visiting.
My next sail over night was from Two Harbors to San Diego. Dolphins came along several times during the night to say Hi. My first stop in S. Diego was at Mission Bay, which allows anchoring for 3 nights. Dredging work in Mission B. started just when I was leaving.
S. Diego main harbour is not too far from Mission Bay. First stop has to be made at harbor police dock to get registered and obtain anchoring permit. Longer term anchoring is allowed only at one anchorage near downtown and airport. Other 3 anchorages are only allowed for 3 nights, mostly during the weekend.
San Diego is an interesting city with a lot of attractions, which include America's Cup sailboats - Stars & Stripes and Oracle. Transit system is good. It offers inexpensive day pass for buses and trolley, which runs to Mexican border. I enjoyed visiting many areas. Coronado and Glorietta Bay are nice. One of good attractions is a Sea World, which I plan to re-visit before I leave.
S. Diego harbour is a home port to aircraft carriers, navy airforce, coast guard base and commercial shipping. It is a largest naval base on West Coast of USA. Moorage costs are quite high in S. Diego.
Sailing down the west coast of US is definitely interesting and enjoyable. People have been very helpful and friendly. My next writing will be from Mexico in a few weeks.

Maintaining this blog could by complicated time to time, because Internet signal/connection for uploading pictures, will not be as good/fast as it is in large cities/communities. Please, excuse my poor writing skills and grammar. Google translate does good job converting text to other languages.
I hope, that you will find something interesting in this blog – enjoy.

Jara (JJ) Holcman sv. Ocean Echo 1