The Millennial Falcon, Freedom 33 CK, owned and skippered by Doug, is moving south. Doug departed Vallejo, CA, sailed to Pillar Point, then Monterey and waited for a weather window for sailing south to Morro Bay. I helped Doug plan the time and route for proceeding to Santa Barbara. Stephanie and I drove to Morro Bay Tuesday where we met up with Doug. Weather window was going to be open for only a short time - getting wind speed and direction and acceptable swell to leave Morro Bay was difficult - Doug and I departed Morro Bay Wednesday 0730, with Stephanie driving on ahead to Santa Barbara, about 110 nm south. We arrived 30 hrs later having rounded Pts Arguello and Conception. Doug’s 33CK is a remarkable boat - after motoring for 2 hrs (electric motor) with no breeze, we spent hrs sailing at 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 kts+ boat speed - with TWS from 14-22, most of which was 19-20– much of that was wing on wing. We’d hit some great higher speeds surfing down the swells in the fine NW breeze - Swells were 6-8’ but at about 12 sec apart so pretty good…Truly fantastic sailing. We rounded Pt Conception at 2000 hrs, hours ahead of schedule and calculated we’d be in Santa Barbara by 0100 - BUT (a big BUT here) the breeze completely disappeared as soon as we got into the Santa Barbara channel 25 miles from port. We bobbed about for hours but eventually (1130 hrs ) made it! We wish Doug the best as he voyages south! Pic is Doug with Falcon at Morro Bay.
The 33 Cat Ketch is an awesome off-wind sailing boat, despite its unfashionably high displacement, and comfortable in a seaway, too!
Fabulous trip, though I bet there were a few thoughts about diesel advantages in the last few hours.
Gerald
“ I bet there were a few thoughts about diesel advantages in the last few hours.” 
Even with no power with dead air all was good - Doug is a good seaman, we were calm and used that time to rest while trying to avoid those pesky oil platforms strewn about everywhere out there!
I grew up in Newport Beach, morning fog was pretty much a daily thing. In high school we used to go out in the middle of the football field and smoke cigarettes (quit many many years ago, thank God). Visibility was about 30 or 40 feet so we operated in a secret cone of visibility, I mean you could not see the boundaries of the field from center line, it was thick.
Did you run into any fog after you rounded the Point?
Hi Mike and Happy New Year to you, yours, and all looking on— no fog at all. We went from 25 kts breeze gusting to over 30, rounded the point, and wind died completely - in like 10 minutes
Nice.
I can imagine working through those rigs in fog would be a bracing adventure in daylight… at night… several steps above bracing.
I wonder if they have a fixed AIS or some such for those of us without radar?
Right! I didn’t see any AIS but they’re on the charts clear enough and they’re quite lit up! With no engine power at all and zero wind we drifted slowly by - very close to two of them. Fog would be a pucker factor for true. Doug didn’t have radar. I’m always amazed at the completely different weather system there is below Santa Barbara as compared with north of Cape Conception/ Cape Arguelo.
Oh yea, charts. I need to go back to school.
Sounds like it was a very cool trip.