5am departure SB. Shooting stars before dawn. Gorgeous! Clear night, not cold, no wind.

Motor at bearing 130 for San Pedro pt, Santa Cruz island, at 1700RPM, 6 knots. Radar and all systems operational.

6:15am sunrise glory.

7:30am cross container ship. Anxiety in the crew. Captain acknowledges miscalculation, looks like ship is slower than usual- maybe 15knots, reduced speed in channel for whale safety?

Extremely calm channel conditions. Not a cloud or waft of fog entire crossing. Lovely.

8:45am. San Pedro point.

10am. Arrive at south bluff. Chest to head high, glassy and hot. Visiblity 30ft at least. Far fewer people than expected. Everyone is nuts about how good the conditions are.

5:30pm. Leave for Yellowbanks, note kelp bed is smaller than normal, check other spots then anchor near Ross’ 36ft Catalina, Corsair.

Pasta dinner by Lucas — culinary extravaganza with Pinot noir and Shiraz and excessive silliness and monkey business, heightened by a pitch black night visit to Corsair, and a return with them to chill on the nets and watch the Perseus meteor shower. “oh!” “ah!” all night long…