Harbor Cruise on Valentines Day

It's Valentines Day and we went for a harbor cruise with Victoria and Elena. It was supposed to rain this weekend so we didn't really plan on going sailing. Victoria and Elena visitied a private school in Ojai yesterday and spent the night with us. They had to return for the airport in the early afternoon so we didn't really have much time for a sail. I headed down to the boat an hour earlier and finished sealing the new electric sockets that I installed last weekend.

When the crew arrived we ate lunch and motored through Channel Islands Harbor and back. It was a beautiful clear day and we got to test the autopilot for the first time. Everything worked great!















One the way back I spotted a nice Islander Freeport 36 which just might be my next boat. They're well built and have lots of headroom!

Some recent photos

We've spent quite a bit of time down at the boat this winter - unfortunately most of it has been at the slip! Not that that's a bad thing - we love our marina, and especially D-Dock, which has the most awesomest of awesome boaters we've ever met. We love hanging out with the D-Dock crowd!

But it has been a rather cold and, some weekends, rainy winter, which has not been very conducive to actually taking Julianne out. Still, we have made it to Santa Cruz a couple of times, and done a few day-sails. Here's sunset over Anacapa, looking from the stern of Julianne at Smugglers in Santa Cruz:















A view of Smuggler's Cove, Santa Cruz:















I'd gone hoop-netting the night before we left, and ended up with two nice-sized lobsters and a HUGE rock crab. Here they are, ready to be cooked up for dinner...and then, on the plate in front of Charlie:















On the way home we encountered a pod of dolphins. I couldn't get too many decent shots (they move so fast!), but I got a few:

































The night of the annual Parade of Lights was horrendously windy, and FREEZING cold! Still, our entire dock pulled out all the stops in decorating our boats, and D-Dock ended up glowing brighter than the Las Vegas Strip!















Naturally we won the harbor-wide contest for the best-decorated dock, rewarding us with a catered dock party (to be held in March). We celebrated with a party of our own at the clubhouse:















...followed by a frigid night of watching the lit-up boats from other docks go sailing by:















Here's a shot of our new brass bell, mounted in the galley so I can call the skipper and crew to dinner:

We've been enjoying the boat!

It's been several months since we've posted anything... so I thought it would be good to give an update. We've been using the Julianne pretty regularly and have made a number of incremental improvements to her. We've done a number of daysails with friends and a couple of over night trips to Santa Cruz Island. Julianne has proven to be a comfortable and confidence inspiring boat!

Our new brass ships clock and "comfortmeter" are functional and beautiful. They balance out the brass ships bell and gas light that we acquired last summer.







We also replaced the remaining two broken original equipment solar vents with new ones. The vent above the head sink is solar with battery backup which enables it to run continuously day and night. The constant air flow keeps the boat smelling nice and fresh.



Yesterday I installed an Autohelm tiller pilot. It fit nicely just above the cockpit coaming with a clean and unobtrusive brass socket mount. I routed the wires through a new deck fitting and out of the way down to the main electrical panel. The tiller pilot will make Julianne a lot easier to handle single or short handed... especially during our longer trips to the Channel Islands.

First Overnight Trip to the Islands

We finally took Julianne to Santa Cruz Island for an overnight trip. We loaded up on Friday night and slept on the boat in the slip, then got up early so we could get to Smuggler's Cove by lunch time. There was a pretty thick marine layer, and the sea appeared gun-metal gray. The wind was too light to sail, so we powered the whole way. We did raise the main about 1/2 way there when the wind kicked up slightly, which helped to increase our speed to 5+ knots. On the way we saw several huge container ships - a busy day in the channel. We also had a lively encounter with a large pod of porpoises, at least a hundred strong. They swam up to us and played dodgeball with our bow, until veering off.

We anchored in about 17 feet of water over a sandy bottom, at the SW end of the cove. We had a nice lunch of fruit, cheese & crackers, followed by a short nap in the cockpit.

Then we tried out the dingy, rowing onto a rocky beach. Getting onto the beach was fun - we rode a wave right up. After a short hike and walk along the beach, we attempted to get the dingy back off the shore, timing in between sets of waves. Our timing was a little off, though, as we got good and swamped several times when waves broke on us. But we got through. Back at the boat, I donned some snorkeling gear and checked out the bottom of the boat and a huge school of sardines, while Charlie did some cleaning of the transom. The sun did break out, so it was a lovely day.




























Dinner was a hot pot of veggie chili over rice, and a couple of coronas. It was a full moon on a cloudless night, and it was very romantic to see the moon framed by the rigging off the stern. We learned that we love the look of the cabin at night, with all of its wood warmly lit by our brass lanterns.
















Sunday was Charlie's birthday - Happy birthday Charlie! We slept in and had a leisurely breakfast, then pulled up anchor and headed home. Wind was too light to sail for the first 40 min, then it picked up, so we cut the engine and raised the sails. We were maintaining 4 1/2 to 6 knots on a beam reach for several hours. When we were about parallel with oil platform Gina we had to adjust our heading to a broad reach, and we set the sails wing on wing for about the last hour. Ten minutes out of the jetty we powered up the motor. We didn't see any porpoises on the trip home, and I napped for a big chunk of it.

We're planning our next trip to Santa Cruz, a two-nigher, for Oct. 3-5, to celebrate our 24th anniversary. Lobster season will have just started, so we'll be bringing our scuba gear. Should be great!

The Brightwork is Done

After several weeks of work, Dennis, our brightwork guy who seems to know everyone in the entire harbor, finished varnishing our brightwork. He did a great job! Here are a few shots - I'll add more later.

Here's one of the handrails BEFORE & AFTER:


Here's the wood around the compass BEFORE & AFTER:



Here's the tiller BEFORE & AFTER:

Elena Goes for a Sail

On August 2nd Elena, Julia & Dean's half-sister who lives in Berkeley, came down to stay with us for a few days, and we took her out for a sail. It was a nice day, although the wind was very light, and it was a bit overcast. But we went out for a sail anyway, and were treated to the sight of some of the Tall Ships, which are huge, classic wooden sailing vessels in the style of the schooners of yore, having a race off the coast. It was actually quite impressive to see one of those vast ships emerge from the mist. Here are a few shots of that day - Elena with Julia & Scott, Elena taking the helm, and one of the tall ships in the distance.

Christening Ceremony

On July 26 we held the official Christening Ceremony for Julianne. We invited a few friends down, plied them with food and champagne, and formally introduced Julianne to the Gods of the Sea. Here are a few pictures from that auspicious occasion. I'd put together a ceremony drawing from a number of sources that called out to various important Gods (Neptune, Poseidon, the Gods of the Wind, etc.) and involved pouring quite a bit of champagne around. Charlie also had a bottle specially-designed for boat christenings, netted and scored so that it will break when you smash it on the bow.




As our friends watched from the dock, I read the prepared ceremony, tossed champagne in all directions, and then at the appropriate moment, Charlie whacked that bottle on the bow. Nuthin happened - the bottle didn't break. Whack - He tried again...nuthin. "SLAM that sucker!" I cried! He tried again...still no luck. Finally, after several tries, it smashed with a satisfactory splash. And now, Julianne is official.

Here is a complete transcript of the Christening Ceremony:

Ancient maritime tradition holds that a proper christening ceremony ensures good fortune to the lady and her crew throughout the life of the vessel. There are two important steps of this ceremony: the naming of the ship, and the christening. I’m going to ask you all to participate in this important ceremony by speaking and sipping wherever you see “All”.

So first, the naming. According to legend, each and every vessel is recorded by name in the Ledger of the Deep and is known personally to Poseidon, or Neptune, the god of the sea. Tonight we are here to formally add Julianne’s name to this ledger, and to ask the gods of the winds and the sea to protect her and keep her, and us, safe.

We will start by invoking the god of the sea:

Oh mighty and great ruler of the seas and oceans, to whom all ships and we who venture upon your vast domain are required to pay homage, we implore you in your graciousness to take unto your records and recollection this worthy vessel hereafter and for all time known as Julianne, guarding her with your mighty arm and trident and ensuring her of safe and rapid passage throughout her journeys within your realm.

In appreciation of your munificence, dispensation and in honor of your greatness, we offer these libations to your majesty and your court.

(At this point, one glass of Champagne is poured into the sea from West to East.)

All: “TO THE GREAT RULER OF THE SEAS!” (Everybody take a sip.)

The next step in the renaming ceremony is to appease the gods of the winds. This will assure us of fair winds and smooth seas. And so I speak this next section to these gods:

Oh mighty rulers of the winds, through whose power our frail vessels traverse the wild and faceless deep, we implore you to grant this worthy vessel Julianne the benefits and pleasures of your bounty, ensuring us of your gentle ministration according to our needs.

(Facing north, pour a generous libation of Champagne into a Champagne flute and fling to the North while intoning:) Great Boreas, exalted ruler of the North Wind, grant us permission to use your mighty powers in the pursuit of our lawful endeavors, ever sparing us the overwhelming scourge of your frigid breath.

(Facing west, pour the same amount of Champagne and fling to the West while intoning:) Great Zephyrus, exalted ruler of the West Wind, grant us permission to use your mighty powers in the pursuit of our lawful endeavors, ever sparing us the overwhelming scourge of your wild breath.

(Facing east, repeat and fling to the East.) Great Eurus, exalted ruler of the East Wind, grant us permission to use your mighty powers in the pursuit of our lawful endeavors, ever sparing us the overwhelming scourge of your mighty breath.

(Facing south, repeat, flinging to the South.) Great Notus, exalted ruler of the South Wind, grant us permission to use your mighty powers in the pursuit of our lawful endeavors, ever sparing us the overwhelming scourge of your scalding breath.

All: “TO THE MIGHTY RULERS OF THE WINDS!” (Everybody take a sip.)

And now, the final step – the christening. No longer speaking to the gods, we are now speaking to the ships and sailors who have come before us, and to the sea itself.

For thousands of years, we have gone to sea. We have crafted vessels to carry us and we have called them by name. These ships nurture and care for us through perilous seas, and so we affectionately call them “she.” To them we toast, and ask to celebrate Julianne.

All: “TO THE SHIPS OF OLD…TO THE SEA!” (Everybody take a sip.)

The moods of the sea are many, from tranquil to violent. Many sailors have ventured across the mighty sea, some never to return. To these sailors, we ask you to give our ship the strength to carry on.

All: “TO THE SAILORS BEFORE US...TO THE SEA!” (Everybody take another sip.)

Today we come to christen this lady Julianne, and send her to sea to be cared for, and to care for the Clark family. We ask the ships and sailors of old, and the sea, to accept Julianne, to help her through her passages, and allow her to return with her crew safely.

All: “TO THE SHIPS AND SAILORS OF OLD...TO THE SEA...TO JULIANNE!” (A last, long sip by all.)

And now we christen our ship JULIANNE!