The wind wasn't even threatening to make an appearance; yet we had the itch to move so we weighed anchor around 1pm and motored in glassy seas with the silver tarp half-sheltering us from the scorching sun. We hugged the coast chugging along at 3 knots to save gas, and checked China Harbor to see if there were any waves; there were none. On we motored to Potato Harbor, which is a scenic potato shaped cove, quite large but rather exposed to the prevailing North West swell and wind. However this being an ultra calm day we tried our luck there.
The others hiked off to watch the sunset from the top of the mountain while I hunkered down and watched the boat, increasingly concerned as a regular windswell emerged from the NW. Was this an indication of a stronger wind ready to howl, or the fickle night sweats of a dark ocean? We had been a bit arrogant about anchoring so close the rocks and now I regretted it. The worry subsided though, as the wind remained a steady but light breeze, pitching the boat considerably like a seesaw, but thanks to the bow & stern anchor setup we were not rolling at all, and were able to sleep fine.
Later, I was to find out that my friend was aboard his 38 foot Islander sailboat hanging on for dear life as a strong wind was sweeping down the canyons at Smuggler's Cove, on the other side of the island. How strange - we were in the windward side of the island, and experienced only shifty light airs, while my friend was on the leeward side, protected one would imagine, but getting blown by offshore winds. This is apparently a result of the Venturi Effect that increases the velocity of the wind as it travels up the mountain and then blows down the other side.
Anchored at Potato Harbor
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