17 August 2009 -- Log of the Wasserschloss

[Joseph W Baker]

This Tuesday started out like most mornings in San Diego with the marine layer hanging above the harbor giving a gray start to the day... but by 11 am the majority of the overcast had burned off and the clear blue San Diego sky shone through!

On this day, I took 5 Couchsurfers out on the boat with myself and Judy. We had crew from Australia, France, and a number of different cities in the United States. The wind was out of the Northeast and it made for a great sail from Fiddler's Cove to the Coronado Bridge! But true to form at the bridge the wind shifted to the North and we ended up tacking from the Eastern side of the bridge and then beat our way up past the USS Midway. It was interesting with my "rookie"crew as none of them had sailed before, but Michel, our Couchsurfer from France had served in the Navy so he was willing to pitch in even though with his limited understanding of English sailing terms. Even with the rookie crew after a few tacks they were working together like they had been together for years instead of coming together that morning from three different continents!

We sailed down the channel and turned to the West and Southwest with the wind off of our Starboard side and made good way under a single tack towards the entrance of the harbor. Along the way we encountered seals on the various bouys well within the harbor. Normally we would not see seals until we were past Ballast Point.

We turned the Wasserschloss back towards Fiddler's Cove at 15:30 near the Western entrance to Shelter Island and sailed at a reach with the wind off our Port side until we reached the Aircraft Carrier Docks, where we shifted to wing on wing for the return sail down the channel with the wind to our stern. The sail home was quick making 5 knots or more down the harbor under sail.

Just before the bridge I took the whisker pole down and shifted the sails in preparation for sailing on a broad reach to Fiddler's Cove. Wasserschloss transited the distance from the bridge to the entrance at Fiddler's Cove in good order and a relatively short time.

We stowed the sails and fired up the old Atomic Four and motored to our slip with no problems, easing into the slip nice and sweet. All and all it was a great sail with lovely people from all over the world. I am sure I will do another soon.