October 18, 2013  Catalina Island, California

We’ve spent the last few days in the Channel Islands off of the Los Angeles area coastline.  We decided we would rather make our way down the Channel Islands than along the busy ports and cities such as Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Santa Barbara, Long Beach, etc. 

We left Cojo Anchorage on Tuesday morning after a somewhat rolly night at anchor.  The crossing to the most northern island in the chain, San Miguel, was very peaceful and warm.   Pelicans and seagulls were everywhere and a dozen seals jumped right out of the water like dolphins as they passed our bow, possibly avoiding a whale I had seen closer to the shore. 

Seals moving fast across Falcon VII's bow

 
There was only one other sailboat at anchor when we arrived in the remote and beautiful anchorage at Cuyler Harbor.  Hills and cliffs, sand dunes and sandy beaches greeted us, along with a heard of quiet sea lions lined up sun tanning along the rocky shoreline below the rugged hill. 

San Miguel Island - very sand dune like and remote

Unfortunately, because of the US Government shutdown we were not able to get a park permit to go to shore so we enjoyed the quiet afternoon and evening in tropical conditions, trying to keep ourselves and the boat cool.

Sunrise over San Miguel Island

 The next morning we awoke at dawn and motored out beyond Prince Island bound for Scorpion Anchorage on Santa Cruz Island.  Each of the Channel Islands has its own charm and write-ups in our cruising guide showed dozens of anchorages, some well protected and some exposed.  Though we left with the intention of making it to Scorpion Anchorage, the famous Santa Ana winds, which whip down the mainland canyons to the east as the day heats up, started blowing 25 knot winds on our bow within a couple of hours.  Jim spotted Forney Cove at the west end of the Island, a place where we could anchor and wait for the wind to change direction or die down.  The winds around the island were hot!  We anchored below a dry rolling hillside and wide expanse of sandy beach in a breezy but protected anchorage for the afternoon then left near 4:00 p.m. with a change of plans. 

The hills of Santa Cruz Island

Sunset as we head out for a night passage to Avalon

We decided to make a night passage to Avalon City on Catalina Island, aware that the full moon would help to brighten our way.  Catalina Island was the largest of the Channel Islands at about 30 miles across and one of the most southern in the group.  The evening sunset was spectacular as was the array of stars that shone brightly above us.  We flew the spinnaker gently for a few hours before motoring the rest of the way in flat calm conditions more like BC’s Gulf Islands than the exposed Channel Islands. Throughout the night the sparkling lights of big cities on the California mainland reminded us that civilization was not that far away.  I watched the full moon slowly sink below West End Point as the pink sky showed promise of another clear day over the mainland.

We arrived at Avalon City just after sunrise to be greeted by their harbour patrol who assigned us a mooring ball in the tight, compact harbour where no fewer than 250 buoys took up all available room.  After tying to the mooring we went to shore immediately and had a huge delicious breakfast in Joe’s Diner looking out at the public pier where you could explore the undersea world in a ‘submarine’, rent snorkels or small powerboats or eat takeout food.   We even spotted a couple of buffalo statues in ‘town’, a tribute to the herds of buffalo that roamed the central part of the island for many years. Avalon is famous for the beautiful 1929 casino built at Casino Point.  Though no longer operated as a casino, tours were available for $30 a person (so we passed on it) and you could watch first run movies in the evening for $15 a person (we passed on it too).

World famous Catalina Casino at Avalon

Jim enjoying an ice cream cone and the view part way up the long set of stairs

Spotting Falcon amongst all the yachts

We wandered around Avalon’s sleepy, deserted waterfront square then strolled along a few streets, surprised at how many vacation rental cottages were everywhere. Boutique shops and tourist stores, fine dining restaurants and ice cream outlets lined the main square with a few more visible in the initial two blocks or so heading away from the water.  It’s hard to imagine how busy it must be in the heat of the summer!  Small wood-sided cottages and adobe type plaster houses were tightly packed with porches only a few inches from the sidewalks and no grass anywhere.

Avalon from the top of the hill

Old coach used as a tour bus winding around the coastline

 The more expensive hillside homes were far larger and ornate, with outstanding views of the harbour.  Outdoor spaces often featured lounging areas, dining tables and even outdoor kitchens.  Clearly the inhabitants spent a fair amount of time enjoying the outdoor spaces when it was too hot to be inside.   The locals used mostly golf carts to get around and the back alleys were so narrow that only golf carts could go down them.   Some were customized and others full of ‘stuff’ just like cars.  There were a few regular cars but golf carts outnumbered those 10 to 1.

Back alleys only wide enough for a golf card

Clean, tidy streets with no lawns anywhere

After a mid-morning snooze we headed for shore again to lounge on the sandy beach and use the public showers housed in an old cliff-side tiled building.  We paid $3 a shower but for an extra $2 we could have had towels, soap and shampoo provided!  Not sure who owned the facilities but a wizened man in tee shirt and shorts ran the shower building, collecting money and cleaning up afterwards.  Next, we found delicious ice cream cones to enjoy while we started a more extensive walk up hundreds of steps and around a hilltop road where views of Avalon were outstanding. 

For our friends at Turkey Head Sailing Association

One terraced, stretched hilltop home was only half finished and had clearly been that way for years – probably a result of the 2008 stock market crash.  We walked along Crescent Avenue (we used to live on Crescent Road) then spotted Olive Street (Mom’s name) before hiking up towards a canyon where more of the immigrant locals lived in cramped apartments and multi-family houses with numerous additions. 

For my mom, Olive

Typical older housing for the workers

Bird of Paradise flowers abound in the warm climate

Most of the housing had plumbing pipes attached outside and washers/dryers on porches or decks.  No need to worry about frozen pipes in these climates!  Many of the newer homes featured colourful tiles embedded in the plaster and gardens full of bird of paradise flowers, bougainvillea, plumaria, and cacti.

By dusk we found our way back down to the waterfront where a fall festival was in full swing. The festival information spoke of children bringing community together and many of the small covered kiosks were run by kids, parents and teachers.  There was face painting, a live band playing, bales of hay laid out as  festival seating, displays of a proposed garden to be built at the elementary school but maintained by the students, organic baked goods and many ethnic food stalls set up with lots families milling around.  It was wonderful to be there and see the support for the local community and the happy children dancing to the music and picking out their pumpkins. 

The band entertaining the crowd

This adorable little girl was looking for her pumpkin on the pumpkin patch beach

Well attended local festival with families everywhere enjoying the warm evening

I saw one grandmother pushing an enormous pumpkin in the baby stroller while mom carried the infant in her arms!  All too soon it was time to head back to Falcon for dinner and to catch up with friends and family via the internet.

With some sadness, we left Avalon in the morning because we didn’t want to spend another $39 for a mooring buoy and friends were anchored at Cat Bay three hours away.  We left under perfectly calm conditions and were anchored again at Cat Harbour before lunch time.  Cat Harbour was on one side of Catalina, at the narrowest part of the island, kind of shaped like a lopsided bowtie.  After anchoring, Jim quickly headed to shore for a little exploration and came back to fetch me, excited to show me around.  On the other side of a 10 minute walk to the other side of the island sat the areas referred to as Two Harbours.  At the top of the ramp, just up a small hill to the left was a covered picnic area and…a buffalo, who had wandered down from the hills for a drink from the large galvanized trough.  Another first for me!  Buffalos were imported in the 50’s and there was quite a herd in the mountains but most were eventually taken away to large ranches in Wyoming and Montana with just a few left on Catalina Island. We hiked along a narrow path, wandering by loads of cacti and very dry grasses before continuing along the red dusty road, which was in the bottom of the valley between many rolling hills.  Towards the ‘other side’ was a small community with tiny older 40’s cottages and staff housing for those working at the little resort, which had been there since the 1940’s.

Tall ship at anchor near Falcon VII

View of Two Harbour's 'main road'

Nicest looking palm we had seen

Cacti in flower - these cacti were like weeds  - they were everywhere

Two Harbours was the site of a cruisers weekend rendezvous featuring speakers, booths, a potluck and experts available to chat about a variety of subjects.  We took in a few of the talks and socialized with our friends Margaret and David from Heart and Soul.  Last time we saw them was their departure day from Sidney at the end of August!  It was great to catch up on their travels and just hang out.

Two Harbours was also the ferry terminal for the Catalina Express, bringing dozens of partiers and campers and over for the weekend.  Camping was…an interesting concept for some.  They arrived with coolers and rolling suitcases, paying to have a shuttle take their supplies to the campground.  Two Harbours resort also offered rentals for those who were not equipped – everything from bundles of firewood and gallon containers of water could be purchased, as could a ‘smore’ package which included firewood and enough ingredients to make 11 smores!  Tents were even available for a fee.  The ferry was over $70 per adult and the minimum per person to camp was $21 per night.  Cabins were $50 per night plus $21 per person.  Clearly camping on Catalina was not a cheap endeavour!!!

In addition to the camping opportunities the area had three older painted outdoor stage areas with picnic tables set up in front of each, beach areas and a restaurant/saloon building.  There was a one room school house and a yacht club (no near the water).  The saloon was primarily an outdoor bar with plenty of outdoor seating and picnic umbrellas everywhere.  On the weekend the bar was open long before lunch and by 11:00 Sunday morning more than half the seats were occupied with many having a drink already or a beer and breakfast.

The saloon served great food but expensive drinks!

In addition to the talks and potluck the resort had a live band playing both Friday and Saturday night.  The four of us sat at a table front and centre, listening to awesome 70’s music performed by the very talented three piece rock band who called themselves the Drunken Skunks.  The band was hired to play from 6:00 pm until 10:00 pm and we danced both Friday and Saturday evenings away, reliving our youth, until the late hour of 9:00 or so!  Each evening we walked back to Cat Bay’s dinghy dock under a full moon displaying shadows as bright as the midday sun’s.  No flashlights required!

Sunday was overcast and cloudy.  Many of the cruisers were leaving, including our friends from Victoria – David and Margaret.  Though we were sorry to see them go we knew we would connect in San Diego or Ensenada.  We did go to Two Harbours during the day but the place was almost deserted.  After a picnic lunch we spent the rest of the day just enjoying the anchorage. 

On Monday morning we were happy to see clear skies because we wanted to go for a hike to see the views from the top of one of the mountains around Cat Bay.  We took off towards 11:30 a.m. and headed for the dinghy dock and from there we backtracked along the shoreline to a sort of goat path that started up the mountain.  It was a steep climb that forced us to rest from time to time but the views were getting better and better. 

The anchorage was a long way away!

This helicopter dropped of a family and their luggage - the rich don't take the ferry!

About half way up there was clear evidence of a shift in the ground with large gaps and crevices visible and entire areas along the edge where the ground have given away.  We realized that a wrong step could be fatal and very carefully made our way up and up and up the steep slope.  After another hour we eventually made it to the summit still huffing and puffing but we were rewarded with spectacular vistas in all directions. 

We made it!

Check out that view!

Not quite an aerial view but this shows Cat Harbour and Two Harbours from the top

When we caught our breath and chuckled because there was a red dirt road running along the top ridge of the hills to the summit, which we could have easily taken instead!  As it appeared far safer than the route we had just gone up, we decided to walk along the ridge then descend closer to Two Harbours. 

Falcon VII is down there somewhere...

The road at the top of the ridge, a much easier walk back for sure!

Wound barbed wire sign put there as a joke

There was a wire fence near the cliff face which had become a ‘wall’ where people could write their names or whatever they wanted in left over barbed wire.  We took a photo of the ‘beach access’ sign because it was so creative.  After a good 45 minutes we found a path leading down towards the community and eventually came out at the bottom hungry but unscathed. 

Woodpecker hard at work along the winding roadway

Same tall ship cruising off of Two Harbors

There it is - the 'hill' we climbed to the top

Being Monday, the resort was all but closed up so we headed back to Falcon to have an early dinner and recover from our expedition.  All in all we really enjoyed Cat Bay and Catalina Island and will remember it fondly.

October 15, 2013  Cojo Harbour, California

Back in March 2013 I attended a ladies sailing seminar in Victoria and one of the speakers talked of Morro Bay and how much she loved it.  A large feature dividing the coastline and Morro Bay’s bar entrance was massive Morro Rock, visible for miles as it was about ¼ mile wide and about 1500 feet high.

Morro Rock at the entrance to Morro Bay

The sea otters are very used to people.  These two had wrapped themselves in kelp.

 I was curious about the town and really wanted to visit.  After our night passage we arrived at the Morro Bay Bar at slack tide mid-morning.  We crossed the bar easily then headed down the narrow channel dividing Morro Bay from the sand dune spit.  Within minutes we spotted fellow cruisers Alison and Randall from Tregoning.  We waved and chatted across our boats for a while before tying to a large mooring buoy owned by the Morro Bay Yacht Club. We had to pay $25 to use it for a night but that gave us use of their club showers and an invitation to their Friday night happy hour.  Jim and I explored the waterfront and discovered that it was mostly made up to small hotels, candy stores, small cafes and tee shirt shops.  Though nice there was nothing particularly special about it.  We wandered up into town proper, which was very 60’s and ordinary.  We did enjoy the club happy hour, though, which gave us a chance to catch up with Alison and Randall and Randall’s sister, Martha, along with another couple of cruisers heading south.   The club members made us feel very welcome and insisted that we help ourselves to their pulled pork potluck, fruit and snacks.  Eventually it was time to head back to Falcon and catch up on sleep before grocery shopping in the morning.

Using our amazing Ipad we located the large Anderson’s grocery store a mile away and walked there with the intention of taking a taxi back after provisioning.   What we didn’t realize was that Morro Bay is too small to have its own taxi company!  The clerk at the service counter just looked at us blankly when we asked her to call us a cab to get back to the harbour.  A woman making a photocopy beside us quickly rattled off the phone number of a county cab company but then offered us a ride herself instead.  We followed her to her large SUV, chatting away as we walked.   Our kind driver, Sue, worked in the emergency ward at local hospital a few miles away, having moved from Texas a number of years before. She was delighted to help us out and most curious about our seagoing lifestyle.  We thanked her a bunch of times as we hauled our groceries to the curb near the 3 hour dock where Falcon awaited us.  Once the groceries were stored we pushed off, waving good byes to yacht club members on their dock as well as Alison and Randall.  We motored across the bar and turned south for San Luis Obispo Bay, a short 23 miles away.

We sailed most of the way to San Luis Obispo Bay with building seas and I was glad when we finally arrived and tucked in around the point in a bit of shelter.

San Luis Obispo Bay - looking north with Falcon second boat from the right

The pier

Avila - the pier runs above the beach

San Luis Obispo Bay featured the quintessential California quarter mile long pier, white sandy beaches with lifeguards and brightly coloured buildings visible from the anchorage.  On Sunday, which was also my birthday, we decided to take a day ‘off’ and celebrate by hanging out in the resort town of Avila at the base of the long pier.  Originally we were going to take the dinghy to the pier where we would have to tie it to a mooring buoy then climb up a ladder to the top of the pier but then we found out they had a free water taxi service for cruisers.  Phil arrived in the large inflatable ‘taxi’ at 11:00 to fetch us and take us to the pier – to the underside of the pier.  We arrived at a small platform down at ocean level where we had to reach over and climb up a ladder then up a few flights of metal mesh stairs to the top of the pier.  As we walked towards ‘town’ we were passed by a group of well-toned young women power walking and chatting, grandparents with their little blond haired grandson, a Mexican family that spoke no English and a young fit couple in their speedo bathing suits running along the pier in bare feet!  It seemed everyone liked the pier. 

When we got to the town we discovered that Avila was a planned resort area just over 20 years old.  The previous incarnation of Avila was demolished so that they could remediate the polluted soil that the buildings were built on.  The newer version featured colourful heritage style boutique stores, beachside bars with live entertainment day and evening and casual sidewalk restaurants.   A block away a small stream meandered towards a golf course and well used playground with lots of young families making use of the picnic tables, swings and slides.  Up a hill ½ a mile away was a sprawling pink stucco resort that we had noticed from anchor lit up grandly the night before.   We enjoyed a walk along the sandy beach, taking off our sandals and feeling the fine warm sand between our toes.  I rolled up my jeans to my knees and paddled my feet. 

California lifeguard in October

Paddling my feet on my birthday - Falcon at anchor to the left

Never before have I done that on my birthday!  Here it was mid October and there were two lifeguards on the beach, just like the old Baywatch tv series, but not much activity for them to worry about.  We enjoyed our sandy stroll from end to end and all the people we saw. A fellow about our age was making a huge sand sculpture of a three dimensional owl; another was sun tanning and reading his newspaper. We spotted a young family where both parents were talking on their ‘devices’ while the kids made sand castles then passed another couple walking barefoot carrying their authentic looking cowboy boots.  They all paled in comparison to the young athletic tanned 20’s something man doing pushups on the beach in his rather tiger stripped speedo!  A very eclectic mix for sure!

Avila Beach was just what we needed – an enjoyable day of soaking up the sun, feasting on a birthday brownie and leisurely reading the local newspaper at an outdoor cafe table.   Our buddy, Phil, picked us up mid afternoon and returned us to Falcon just before our young friend, Francis, rowed over to say hi.  I did a few chores and worked on re-arranging stored food during the afternoon while Jim entertained Francis. 

Francis in his sailing dinghy.  This was taken when we saw him in Monterey.

We made sure to invite him to join us for supper, knowing his limited finances.  Francis is a very interesting 23 year old and we admire him for taking his 34’ sailboat to Mexico without an engine, radio or radar.  He does have charts and a GPS and feels that’s all he needs.  He is very intelligent, has quite a bit of worldly experience behind him and is an adventurer at heart, as we are.   The stars shone brightly as he rowed back to his floating home, Loon.

On Monday, Thanksgiving Day, we left San Luis Obispo mid morning and motored for part of the day until a gentle wind from behind allowed us to sail to Cojo Anchorage 56 miles away.  Before  Cojo Anchorage we had to get around Point Conception.  We had heard from other cruisers about Point Conception and the high possibility of encountering bigger winds and waves off of it.  I was anxious as we made out its shape in the distant haze but the winds were very manageable as we approached it.  En route we passed by a  1960’s military missile site and the first of many offshore oil rigs.  With a gentle wind from the west we could actually smell oil in the air! 

Our first oil rig

We chatted on the radio with another cruiser from Pelagia and he told us that this area of the coast is known for oily bubbles naturally popping on the surface giving off the gaseous odor.  Even the beaches get a naturally oily film from time to time.  Point Conception was kind to us and we had a leisurely sail around it and into the anchorage, which was extremely open and exposed.  The wind picked up considerably around the point with us anchoring in 25 knots of wind.  Most unusual for us!  Fortunately it dropped just before dusk when we had a spectacular clear pink sunset just as a squadron of pelicans flew over the point and landed in the water near us. 

Pt. Cojo - taken once we were around it

In the distance we could hear, then see, a passenger train chugging down the coast.  Wisps of spray from surf charged along the beach as waves rolled in and the remote rugged shoreline revealed just how exposed the area could be with two sailboat hulls piled up against the cliff near the shoreline.  We knew we hooked the anchor well and felt relatively comfortable in the slight roll during the evening.  We looked forward to the following day when we would leave the coastline and head west for the Channel Islands 25 miles away.

Sunset once the wind had dropped at Cojo Anchorage

October 10, 2013 Monterey, California

We awoke early last Saturday morning to an unusual easterly wind blowing down the channel between Alameda and Oaklands.   The air was shrouded in smoke – not smog - because of a fire in the Stockton area and you could smell it in the air since the day before. As the sun made its appearance we motored past the freight shipping terminals, making our way around a massive freighter being positioned in the channel by two powerful tugs.  The sparkling sun reflected off the hi-rise windows of downtown San Fransisco as we headed towards the Golden Gate Bridge and back into the open ocean after two terrific weeks in the Bay area.  We left knowing we would definitely return in the future, probably by land.

Leaving Alameda - passing a freighter at sunrise

Good bye San Fransisco

The warm easterly wind made sailing south easy and enjoyable and we were in Half Moon Bay, a small resort town, by early afternoon. 

Jim chillaxin

We dinghied into the marina and strolled around under the hot sun then spent the afternoon reading in the cockpit, swatting the swarms of kelp flies that plagued us.  Jim was driven down below for relief while I covered myself with mosquito netting, determined not to let them ‘beat’ me!  We left early the following morning, taking a few of the pesky flies south with us.

We motored in calm conditions for towards Monterey, finally putting up the head sail for an hour before arriving.  We anchored in front of a sandy beach next to Loon, single handed by Francis, whom we had met in San Fransisco while anchored in Aquatic Park.  We were lulled to sleep by the gentle waves and woke early under sunny, warm skies again.  By 10:30 we were on our way into the harbour to explore Monterey, being met at the dock by Cameron, our other single handing friend.  We hadn’t seen Cameron since Eureka so we had lots to catch up on over lunch.   Not only was Cameron at the docks but hundreds of loud, large sea lions were also there. 

Monterey Harbour

Vocal sea lions lounging in the sun

Monterey coastline

In fact they had their own special dock where they lay side by side and on top of each other sunning themselves.  We quickly found out how annoyingly loud a mass of sea lions can be as the grunted, howled, and growled at each other around the clock, just a fact of life for those at the marina!  Anyway the harbour master gave us well laid out maps, showed us where the expensive restaurants were and told us where he would eat himself.  With Cameron guiding us (he had been there 3 days) we wandered down the main part of town until we found a great little café that specialized in Mexican fare and huge breakfasts.  Monterey seemed to be a conference centre town with many upscale conference hotels and spas spread over the few blocks of downtown and along the waterfront.  Designer stores, jewellery stores, wine tasting stores and a Trader Joe’s rounded out the area.

We took an afternoon walk along ameandering waterfront bike and pedestrian pathway wound through park-like squares and along the shoreline.  We passed families picnicking, buskers playing guitars, visitors on 4 person surries (2 side by side seats front and back pedalled like a bike) exploring the area, a group of young mom’s jogging with babies in strollers and business people with brief cases.  Clearly the walkway was very popular and the preferred way to get around the area. Along the walkway, a mile south west of town was Cannery Row.  Cannery Row was originally the area of the largest sardine processing plants in all of California.  A hundred years ago it was a thriving port with many Asians, Mexicans, Philippino’s and Russians making up the massive work force needed to move, clean, pack, seal, and ship the sardines, often working long hours in damp, cold and crowded factory-like conditions.  Near the original Cannery Row three small cabins had been restored showing a glimpse at the living quarters for the single cannery workers.  The city has done a great job of identifying places of significance with murals, statues, information boards and old enlarged photographs.  Monterey, and especially Cannery Row, were highly featured in movies of the 40’s and 50’s and stars like James Dean and Marilyn Monroe spent time there along with many other famous movie stars looking for a getaway. Now Cannery Row is a mix of upscale boutiques, expensive hotels and spas, bike rentals, pricey restaurants, lots of antique and novelty stores.

We decided to rent bicycles the next day and had a wonderful time exploring the coastline south of Monterey where such famous communities as Carmel and Pebble Beach were located to the south.  The bikes gave us much more freedom than just walking and we enjoyed looking at the rugged coastline, breaking waves and sand dunes that went on for miles and miles. 

high wind and waves along the coastline

Seabirds don't mind the wind and waves

A sand castle competition on the beach at Monterey

We ate our packed lunch on a log at a beach park then rode back inland via numerous well manicured gold courses.  We stopped in the scenic Pacific Grove a few blocks away from the water then meandered back towards Cannery Row.  We didn’t make it quite as far as Carmel or Pebble Beach but close!  By the time we walked back to the harbour we had ridden about 13 miles and walked 6 miles in two days.

The next day we made our way back along the waterfront and Cannery Row to the world famous Monterey Aquarium.  It was an expensive day with admission costs running $35 per person plus lunch in their seaside cafeteria but well worth it.  Seeing the massive indoor living kelp forest, standing with just glass between us and octopuses, sharks, tuna, squid, jelly fish, sardines, mackerel, hundreds of other types of sea life, water foul, sea birds and crustaceans was amazing.

Kelp forest at Monterey Aquarium

Octopus

great viewing

There is a fish in there... well camouflaged

 



 



stingray

 

The blue painted background presented well in both photographs and videos and we took lots of both!

jellies come in all sizes and shapes

This one lit up with, about the size of a light bulb.  Amazing!

 



sardines swirling around in a school

Art made out of discarded plastic - a graphic picture of waste

The artist created a huge wall of discarded plastic to make a point! Point taken!

 

 By mid afternoon we wandered back to Falcon to prepare for an overnight passage to Morro Bay, 105 miles to the south.  We headed out near 6:00 p.m. only to encounter massive 15 foot swells just outside the harbour and almost no wind to sail by.  Jim realized that it would be an extremely uncomfortable night so we quickly turned around and headed back towards the beach and anchored instead.  Flexibility is key and not having deadlines works well for us.  We rested on Thursday and pulled up the anchor just before dusk.  We had no wind but no swells either and motored calmly through the night.  We each took 3 hour watches, sleeping in between. I even made popcorn to munch on during my 4:00 a.m – 7:00 a.m. watch. Though we couldn’t sail, the repaired autohelm made the night passage all the better.