Rolling up to Channel Islands Harbor this morning

Good morning – Beetle is out and about on the big pond, trundling along San Pedro Channel, Palo Verdes (not sure about the spelling) 15 miles off the starboard beam, wind is light at 4-6 knots and seas are 2-3 feet from the west. Cats are harnessed up and doing their usual behavior – one on deck under the dodger and the other hiding under the aft bunk bedding.

Had good fortune yesterday with Keith’s engine belt – turns out that one of my spare belts did fit and that is installed now. The clearance around the raw water pump body and the big frame Balmar alternator and the engine manifold is minimal and it kind of takes exactly the correct length belt to get a fit without hitting equipment. The belt I gave him is 5mm longer than the old one that broke, so he’s going to look for exactly the right belt but in the meantime he has a motor and all is good.

I went for a third dive at Indian Rock yesterday afternoon and came across a good size Bat Ray laying on the sand and working his fins to create a suction against the sand that uprooted material and exposed animals underneath – presumably that was lunch for him. A bunch of small fishes were clustered just aft of the Bat Ray and were feeding on anything that the ray unearthed that he didn’t eat. Interesting to watch for a bit, then the ray noticed me and he headed off.

In the early evening Keith swung by with his wife after meeting her up at the ferry landing, and they invited Kristen and I over for sundowners on their boat. Most pleasant, traded good stories, a most pleasant evening. Then back to Beetle to finish stowing the boat for the 54 mile run today up to Channel Islands Harbor. The visit to Emerald Bay was a good success!

Forecast is for light and variable this morning, possibly going to 10 knots from the west this afternoon. The sea is flat enough without much wind wave chop that we might spot some Blue Shark fins, that would be fun. Currently the tuna lure is back in the water, we’re powering along and getting a nice little push from the current.

– rob