As we pulled in the channel island marina, there were two things that were sticking in my mind. 1. How could someone be so rude as to put crab pots right at the harbor entrance. 2. OMG those are pretty big breakers coming across the entrance. As I watched the WindCharmer make a sharp coma bout to avoid being carried into the rocks at the starboard side of the harbor entry .
That was not the side to be on, I stayed on the side of the harbor entrance were the patrol boat hung out. Slowly we watch and slowed and slipped through the entrance. I am learning just because there is a safe harbor does not mean you can always just sail in.
We made it in without incident , yay. After tieing up at the fuel dock, grabbing some gas, checking we came to rest in a nice looking , but not for the money it cost marina, with you buy wifi. But it did have hot water, and it w quiet and stable. We were down in the far end of the marina, I call it the ghetto, were the closed business and closing soon and the dye hard of the Water front. It was not dirty or anything, just more run down. It did have within walking distance, super, market, hardware store, a dollar store and a WM store. And some other misc shop, but this is our taste of heaven. A real promise land.
The next couple of days were rest and restocking…
Due to weather it was voted that we stay in place. However I thought we could do better, and after some chatting with a sponsoring friend, I got in touch with the local yacht clubs. Anacapa YC is my friends club, he had also invited me to go the as his guest for Hawaiian night dinner. I also contacted the channel island YC. I was pleasantly surprised when they both got in touch with me. AYC checked in to a space for me and the WindCharmer, and came back with an offer, the docking with CIYC worked out to be more convenient, and cheaper than were we were. They ladies were happy having a nearby laundry, and very nice bathrooms. When the ladies are happy, everyone is happy.
LZ and I took up the Hawaiian dinner offer and walked over to my friend, Chris Tucker’s club. He stopped by to visit in Morrow Bay and made some suggestions about who , what and where of Oxnard. these were his old stomping grounds. We arrived to the AYC and people were already enjoying happy hour. We were offered drinks after introducing ourselves, we were expected, everyone was very nice. We felt comfortable and the food was good enough for me to have seconds!!…then dessert. pineapple cream pie…..yummmmmmmmm!
Did I say something before about the promise land…hallauyah !
We had a nice visit and a few people after the “visitors” intros came over to chat for a while, and someone brought us another drink. That was our night cap. We had a pleasant although cool evening walk back how. Feeling, comfortable, buzzed, and grateful for the connections. Life is good in the promise-land…we are cruisers.
Meanwhile the next day, we did minor boat stuff and thought about the next step and relaxed. As it turned out we spent the next four days there at the dock in front of the CIYC. With the great bathrooms, and not just because the ones in the main harbor that we paid more for we’re Spartan. The CIYC ‘s were just that good. We never got a reciprocal from the CYC but being placed in front of their club with bathroom use was huge in our book.
We ended staying a couple longer than planned due to weather reports. But it was far from unpleasant, oh, and we had free wifi, unlike we’re we paid more for less. 
Yet, as we knew travel time came and at 7:00am one chilly morning, we were off on another step south. This one really felt like getting close to home. I used to hang out in Venice Beach a lot, so being in Marina Del Rey, was really cool man, and filled me with groovy vibes.
Hey Zen! Nice Anacapa YC report. Heading there in a few days. Can we say we know you? I’m giving a half hour talk about the comic book at their Friday dinner. Who knew a half hour was so long? Cheers
By: cynxing on January 22, 2013
at 1:44 pm