For most of the night we sailed in the area under the Catalina’s. The navy was not shooting and thus we could take the straight route. By 05.30 we were in the open waters of the North Pacific and sailed North along the coast of California, at an average distance of 30 miles. This for a specific reason as there are numerous marine sanctuaries along the coast. Monterey Bay, the Farallones and Cordell Bank, just to name a few. Ships are requested to stay out of them if they do not need to be there. To comply we have put our courses a bit further out and that brings the distance to the shore up to 30 miles. It also means that we do not see very much of the coast line. Right in the beginning of my Holland America career, when these sanctuary’s were not there yet or there were no specific rules that governed the area’s, the captains laid their courses closer to the shore and I even remember one occasion that we went close enough to see the Golden Gate bridge in the distance, without going to San Francisco. But that is long time in the past and now we sail more out in the open.
San Francisco VTS system. We stay well outside the purple circle. (diagram courtesy of USCG SFO)
Sailing close past the entrance of San Francisco bay would be an impossibility now anyway as the whole area is now covered by a Vessel Traffic Separation Scheme that is closely watched over by the USCG. There are reporting points for in and out bound vessels and those not calling at San Francisco are required to stay well away from the area. There are three approaches to the Bay and thus also three exits. To the Northwest, to the Southwest and to the South (mainly for coastal traffic). Those three marine highways come together at the pilot station area and from there ships sail into the bay. By calling in at set points, traffic control can advise the in and outbound ships about what and whom to expect while in one of the lanes.
In the past ships would converge from the whole 180o half circle from sea side towards the pilot station and that could create at times harrowing situations. Throw into the equation a few super tankers and you have a more than a harrowing situation on your hands. Plus the area is famous for its “low hanging clouds” and does not help the situation either. So now everything is much better regulated and the traffic flows nicely separated. Still the USCG control does come across interesting situations when ships give a totally alternative interpretation to the rules.
By 17.00 hrs we were passing this area but we were far enough to the West not to be bothered by any traffic. During the day we enjoyed a lot of wildlife sightings. Breeching humpbacks, dipping Minke’s, floating sea lions, back pedaling otters (did not know they went that far from shore) but very few birds. I think we were just too far from shore. Or the wind still weather made it difficult to float on the wind.
Then the fun started, fun that I had been afraid for with this wind still weather. A large, white woolly cloud descended over the ship by 20.30 hrs. The wind started to pick up a little and this little bit of cold northerly breeze over warmer waters created what looked from a distance like billowing smoke from a large campfire. Soon we were engulfed in it. It will last a while before it will clear, most likely not until early tomorrow morning when the wind will pick up in velocity.
Good reason for me to go to bed early. Now we are coming to the season with a lot of “low hanging clouds” and other standby’s, I cannot do all the call outs myself anymore so it is being split up with the chief officer. In principle he is doing 6 – 12 and me 12 -6 and following that works better for the running of his deck department. I do not work set times, so I can stay in bed during the hours that the chief should be out and about chasing up his sailors. Only when there are critical standbys such as Seymour Narrows etc. then we tweak this routine a little bit.
Tomorrow will be our 2nd sea day and it should be colder and windier than today, first as we are going north and secondly with the northerly inflow more cold air is coming to the South.
May 16, 2012 at 6:26 pm
Back in the 1960s-1970s stick general cargo ship ‘Nam days we used to return to San Francisco with Retrograde – broken military vehicles and equipment – loaded in ‘Nam. Army stuff we mostly discharged in San Francisco but also delivered stuff from the other military branches and commands down the California coast. SeeBee stuff – mostly construction machinery @ Port Hueneme, Marine Corp and Navy @ Camp Pendleton, and Navy Supply in San Diego.
We always came down the coast close enough to ogle beach users with binoculars.
I was told that there is a fast eastern Pacific current that runs from Canada to Mexico southbound close to the shore?
Then a slower northbound current, then outside of that another, slower, southbound current?
Anyway we would then retrace our steps sailing north so far offshore land was just a line on the horizon, stopping to load shiny new cargo at California coastal military installations. We topped off our cargo at Oakland Army Terminal before sailing back to ‘Nam.
Greg Hayden