Islas ~ Prisoners Wind and Yellowbanks Calm

Trading that "corner window office with decent pay" for "The Dirt Pit" has it's rewards.
Such as sneaking out on a Friday afternoon at 1:00 pm.
Which means at the harbor entrance by 1:10 pm.
Used to be I would get the ok to sneak out at 3:30 or 4:00, which was followed by a 10 or 15 minute drive home.
Then the clomp down the dock in insurance duds.
The clomp onto the deck and scramble to change from skirt and blouse to shorts and t-shirt as El Jefe backed out of the slip.
The Dirt Pit has it's advantages.
Sneak out.
Actually walk out and wish the few remaining Dirt Pitters a good weekend.
Skip across the yard and down the ramp.
Onto boat.
Let me take that back.
Un-tie remaining two docklines, then get onto boat.
Already in shorts and t-shirt, so no scramble to change.
Back out.
On way.
To islands.

And on last Friday?
Right through the Santa Barbara to King Harbor Race Fleet.

Spinnakers everywhere!

Luckily there was a nice gap between a two large groups.
So no getting in the way or stealing wind.



Then into Prisoners way, way, way before dark.
Thanks again to The Dirt Pit.
Anchoring.
Drinks and dinnering on "Shining Star".

Then getting wind into the anchorage early on Saturday.

White caps by 9:00 am.

What the....?

So as soon as "Shining Star" received their ice delivery, we headed down island.

Headsail out.

And out of there!

To calm.

Warm.

And flat.

Perfection at the end of the island!

And more friends...

I mentioned friends, right?

Which meant assisting Dave and Cherryl empty a few bottles of champagne.

Jim looking at Dave's electrical system.

Petting the cat.

And hora feliz on "Meerkat"!

With "Bodihisattva", "Sweet Lorraine" and of course "Shinola" "Shining Star".

We watched giant thunderheads form miles away over the mainland.

While pretending to be in Mexico...

And woke up to a tropical sky on Sunday!

Quite beautiful.

And Mexico like.

A lazy morning turned into the inevitable.

We had to head home...

Pulled anchor and after hearing the weather reports of boats in the channel, decided to keep the reef in the main.

Good thing!

We had 15-20 all the way into our slip.

The 15 is fine, but 20 inside the harbor while trying to furl, drop, get fenders and docklines out can be a little crazy.

But it made for a two hour sail from San Pedro Point to the whistle bouy!