Heavy Channel Crossing

DAY 1DEPARTURE
I've sailed solo a few times, but this is the first time on the Black Pearl. I'm going from Santa Barbara to the Channel Islands, for 10 days.

Leaving the harbor around 12:30pm, the horizon is rough like a saw's teeth: a sure sign of heavy winds and seas. I decide to sail conservatively, with a reefed main and a working jib - a small duo of canvas. Nevertheless, within 20 minutes the Pearl is cruising at 6+ knots, according to the brand new handheld GPS. Not bad for a poorly cleaned hull - and she's handling nicely.



DETERIORATING CONDITIONS
The sky above is clear, but in the distance a fog bank is shifting about, which aren't the best conditions to cross the shipping lanes. The windswell increases, the boat heels over and bounces around, the sea spray flying in bursts into the cockpit drenching me. The tiller autopilot is malfunctioning, so I scramble into the cabin to grab my foul weather gear, and return to the helm before the boat gets off course. It's tough to put on the pants with the boat heeling at 20 degrees and one hand on the tiller.





The clouds darken and the grey turbulence is a bit wild; as the boat gets tossed about, I brace myself with my feet and arms, and we stay on course at 160 degrees, aiming for the east end of Santa Cruz Island. After about three hours of hard work, with just 5 miles to go, it appears the worst of it has passed; I get comfortable and bring the cushions back into the cockpit, not imagining what is about to come.


ROGUE WAVES WASHES ABOARD
Just then a rogue wave overtakes our stern quarter and heels us way over, knocking off my lifesling and 2 cushions, while donating a few gallons of salt water to the cockpit. I try to pull the lifesling back aboard, but the pathetic line snaps. Good thing the lifesling wasn't being used for real. I turn around and attempt a "man-overboard" drill under sail to recover the lost items but the vessel is overpowered; dealing solo with the jib and mainsail is more than I can handle, and I fail after 4 tries.

Meanwhile the jib sheets keep catching on deck hardware, especially the shroud fittings, which forces me to go to the foredeck in precarious conditions, and eventually it snags and rips off the brand new $40 ventilator I installed 2 days prior. At this stage I decide to cut my losses and move on before more damage is done.

THE EAST END OF SANTA CRUZ ISLAND
The Pearl reaches the east end of the island 4.5 hours after leaving the harbor, 23 nautical miles as the seagull flies, but our erratic meandering course was more similar to a snake's. I'm haggard and tired but as soon as we round the point it's hot and glassy, which rejuvenates me. The outboard motor is put in gear and we soon reach Yellowbanks anchorage. I clean up the crushed bananas, and I'm asleep before it's even dark.

Note: When I returned to Santa Barbara at the end of the trip my friends were worried because of the "huge thunderstorm" the day that I left. I didn't hear any thunder but the wind sure was strong...