Empress to End Tie in Mission Bay

On October 14, 2011, Dave Grundies, Howard Walker, and John Penhune moved Empress from Shelter Cove Marina in San Diego harbor to an end tie in Marina Village Marina in Mission Bay. Our trip was unexpectedly challenging due to dense fog in San Diego harbor that reduced visibility to 100-200 feet. We crawled along at 4-5 knots blowing our air horn, listening for other horns, watching for boats with lookouts, radar, and AIS, and listening for calls from Navy ships on channel 16.

The move to Mission Bay will reduce the travel time to Catalina by about two and one-half hours, which will allow the Penhune family and our friends to spend more time in both Avalon and at the Fourth of July Yacht Club in the Isthmus. Having an end tie will allow Empress to come and go much more easily than our old slip that was tricky to exit in windy conditions. The Google Earth image below shows the new location of Empress and the photo shows Empress tied up at her new berth.

Location of Empress in Mission Bay

Empress at her End Tie in Mission Bay

Best Kisser!

Marcellite showed Lola in the "Boat Dog" show at the Isthmus and they won first prize in the "Best Kisser" category! The show was great fun with entries both from Isthmus locals many of whose dogs had elaborate costumes and dogs from boats that were more simply decked out.

Marcellite and Lola with their Medal

Empress in Fourth of July Cove

Early this morning, the harbor master said we had to move to Fourth of July Cove, closer to the Isthmus. The mooring lines were terribly fouled and it took the harbor master some time to clear them. We now are comfortably moored and plan to take Lola, our English Bulldog, for another walk ashore. Apparently there is going to be a "boat dog" show at the Isthmus tomorrow and several people told us enthusiastically to enter Lola.

Windjammer Seen from the Bow of Empress

Empress in Cherry Cove

After a week in Avalon, Marcellite Penhune, her mother Marcellite Faust, and John Penhune took Empress to the Isthmus at the north end of Catalina where the harbor master gave us a mooring in Cherry Cove. We put the tender in the water, had lunch in the harborside restaurant, and then walked over to Cat Harbor on the West side of the Isthmus.

Empress in Cherry Cove

Empress in Avalon

On Thursday, June 16, 2011, two-year-old Matthew Klein, Marcellite Penhune, her mother, Marcellite Faust, John Penhune, and Lola, the English bulldog, took Empress from Alamitos Bay to Avalon harbor on Catalina. The trip was uneventful, thanks to emergency repairs of one of the shifter/throttle linkages by Patrick Murray the previous day, after John had to return Empress to Alamitos Bay on one engine.

Empress in Avalon Harbor

Marcellite Klein, Matthew's, mother joined the Empress crew via the fast ferry from Dana Point on Friday, June 17. We all are enjoying touring the harbor in the Empress tender and walking around Avalon. The Penhunes, their daughter, Marcellite Klein, and Marcellite Faust have been coming to Avalon on various boats for many years, but for two-year-old Matthew everything was a new adventure.

Empress in Alamitos Bay

On May 31, 2011, Jim Penhune and John Penhune took Empress from San Diego to Alamitos Bay at the south end of Long Beach harbor. The trip took about 12 hours going up sea and up swell at about 7 knots. The day was warm, the weather was good, and the trip was uneventful. Marcellite Penhune drove up to meet us and bring us back to La Jolla. We all had dinner at the Crab Shack close to where Empress is tied up. Jim had a mixed plate of Dungeness and Alaskan King crab, while Marcellite and John went for their favorite, whole Dungeness crab.

Empress in Alamitos Bay Marina

Alamitos Bay is an artificially developed harbor with several interior islands collectively called Naples. There are several yacht clubs and lots of good restaurants - similar to Newport Beach, but smaller and much less frequented by tourists. After about two weeks in Alamitos Bay, we plan to take Empress to Catalina, which is a short trip across the channel - about 4 hours at about 7 knots.

Empress Returns to San Diego

Empress returned to San Diego from Portland, Oregon, about a year ago. She now is berthed at Shelter Cove Marina on Shelter Island near the San Diego Yacht Club where the Penhunes are members.

Empress at Shelter Cove Marina

The trip south from Portland to Alamitos Bay south of Long Beach, California, was an easy one for our crew of five - Fred and Lynne Voosen, Jim Penhune, and Marcellite and John Penhune. We had to wait overnight just inside the Columbia River bar, because the Coast Guard had closed the bar due to high seas. However, once we exited the Columbia in the morning, the trip south was pleasant with light winds and following seas, even around Point Conception. We stopped for fuel and overnight rest at Crescent City, California - home of the Pelican Bay maximum-security prison. Sad to report, most of the docks and many of the boats in Crescent City harbor later were destroyed or damaged by the tsunami caused by the very strong earthquake in Japan.