m/v SCRIMSHAW: SWAN SONG

Tayana 47/48

El Tiburon will be forever in our hearts.

You can click on the sveltiburon.blogspot on the right under "Favorite Blogs".

These pictures of our last trip as sailors are bittersweet and always make me wonder, did we make the move to a powerboat too soon? "El Tib", like so many of our finest experiences, was a "Sweet Moment in Time". We poured our blood, sweat, and tears into El Tiburon. We loved her as a revered family member. She took good care of us in lousy seas, delivered us safely to distant and sunny ports, and helped introduce us to lifetime cruising friends. As we move forward, we are confident that SCRIMSHAW will lead us to happy new horizons filled with wonder and awe and new friends. The top of the "To Do List" is the Aurora Borealis. Admittedly, it may take us a couple of years to wander this far north.

No Regrets. Ever.

Our last sail aboard El Tib from Morro Bay to Catalina

An early morning departure to San Diego

Are we really going to the "Darkside"?
An unsavory term used by sailors for sailors that transition to powerboats.

Arrival in Point Loma. El Tiburon's Swan Song.

Darrell and I have each been sailing over fifty years. Together we have owned and loved 17 boats. I have crossed seas, traveled to distant anchorages, and logged nearly 20,000 Bluewater miles. Darrell earned his Captain's license sailing up and down the California coast in all kinds of conditions, and has delivered El Tiburon safely home to California three times from Mexico. Our transition from sail to power was not decided lightly, nor without tears. We will always be sailors at heart. We had admired Grand Banks for years, trawlers are often a retired sailor's choice. Built strong and sturdy, with pleasing lines, Grand Banks are well-respected trawlers known for their ability to take good care of captain and crew at sea. We had hoped to find our new boat and start our latest adventure in the Pacific Northwest, or perhaps in Annapolis or Florida, but instead our home was awaiting us in Sausalito. She was an easy choice, well-maintained with efficient and economical twin 135 Lehmans, she called to us. We named her before we found her. We had previously agreed that when the time came to trade sail for power, our vessel would be named SCRIMSHAW.

Not the real deal, but close enough. This is sketched on Mother of Pearl.

Scrimshaw is nautical art form, often depicting whalers stories of the sea, engraved on the ivory teeth of sperm whales. I have been drawn to whaler's cravings since I first visited Nantucket in 1980 when I sailed from Morro Bay to the East Coast. During that trip I also visited the seaport of Mystic, and spotted a bristol wooden sailboat glistening with fresh varnish. Her name, Scrimshaw, was painted in gold lettering and carved into her stern. Years later, albeit, prematurely, Darrell and I made an offer on a really cool navy blue trawler bearing the name, Scrimshaw, on the east coast. Alas, it was not in the cards, and the deal fell through, but the name remained in our hearts, tucked away for the right time. The right time is now for two sentimental dreamers. For us, "SCRIMSHAW" evokes images of splendid yachts, large whaling ships, mermaids, and romantic, but often brutal, sea stories like Herman Melville's "Moby Dick".

SCRIMSHAW is a Grand Banks 42' Trawler

She has secure walk-around decks, increasing safety at sea.

A comfy back porch with matching teak chairs, and snazzy

bridge deck canvas sets our girl apart from other Grand Banks.

Note the mast for the steadying sail!

Life Aboard SCRIMSHAW is good, very good, but it took us a while to adjust from sailing to motoring around aboard a stinkpot. My eye is still drawn to the beautiful sleek lines of sailboats. I miss the quiet as the hull slices through the water. I miss the gentleness of smooth sailing in 12 knots of wind. Nevertheless, I am a committed powerboater. That doesn't mean a small sailing vessel is not in our future. We've already been looking. Life aboard a powerboat is a whole lot easier! Especially in winter's cold wet rain. Big windows (a dreaded feature on a cruising sailboat) let in plenty of light and lift my mood. Downstairs Scrimshaw has a nice big walk-around queen bed in the aft master stateroom, with separate head and shower. The guest "room" is private and forward, at the opposite end of the boat, with its own shower and head. The middle section of the boat is the galley and roomy main salon. She's three stories high, with a bit more windage than we're used to on the water. Our twin engines help her maneuver well in most situations. Best of all, for Sparky and me, there is no steep ladder to climb down to get inside the boat. We no longer feel like we live in a cave. There are brightly varnished teak doors, port and starboard, into the main salon allowing for an easy entrance, as well as good cross ventilation. Easy Peasy. Underway if it's chilly, we steer from the inside helm. When its warm and sunny we head upstairs to the bridge deck to pilot the boat. The visibility on top is remarkable, and its an ideal spot to entertain.

My picture window over the galley looking out at Morro Rock.

Darrell and I met in Morro Bay, and we are still members of the Morro Bay Yacht Club. MBYC remains one of our favorite spots to visit. We love camping at the state campground next to the golf course, kayaking in the Bay, hiking in the hills, meeting up with old friends, and of course, spending time with our grandson.

We have dutifully introduced Jack to the boating life.

Jack says this is "Papa's boat. He calls Scrimshaw, "Mimi's boat.
That's my boy.

A tiny little speck of SCRIMSHAW departing Morro Bay for points south

Our main salon, a happy gathering place with lots of natural lighting.

One of my favorite things about our GB is the large portside cabinet.
It allows me extra storage for my china, and has a large freezer for fresh caught fish!
I included just a "peek" into our master stateroom with a queen bed.

The view of Coronado Island from the lower helm.
We have a 360 degree view from the main salon.

Darrell at the inside helm making his approach to Catalina Island.

I have been sailing to Catalina and around the Channel Islands off Santa Barbara for eons. Passages off the Central Coast can be calm, cold and damp from thick fog, or on some occasions, conditions are sunny with gentle seas and breezes. For me, the most notable trips to the rugged Santa Cruz Island from Santa Barbara were nasty beats marked by high winds and big seas. Foul weather gear is frequent attire. It's important for boaters to understand there's a reason the Santa Barbara Channel, with its busy shipping lanes, is called the "Windy Lane". Ships come up frightfully fast in the fog and have no time to alter course. There are times when the sailor must act quickly to avoid a collision. The channel is further complicated today because of the increased number of drilling rigs that require dodging. Sea life in the channel is abundant. I have seen solitary whale sharks, dozens of happy dolphins, a small pod of orcas, and once an incredibly large school of black tip reef sharks. It's a relatively short crossing, but often an eventful one.

The grand casino at Avalon Harbor, Santa Catalina

On the other hand, the 60 mile crossing from San Diego to Catalina is usually marked by long stretches of flat water. Fortunately, for San Diego boaters, shorts and t-shirts are all that are required. It is usually smooth sailing (or motoring), albeit a bit boring, unless a pod of dolphins come for a playful visit in the spray off the bow. Approaching the island, the warm air bounces off the golden hills and the searing sun sprinkles sparkling diamonds on the water. No wonder Catalina is like entering a fairytale land. Most boats anchor in the lee of the island, protected from rolly polly seas and night winds. The scuba diving around the island is pretty spectacular, with huge kelp bed jungles filled with bright orange Garibaldi (California state fish) and other friendly, and not so friendly, sea creatures. Being surprised by a frisky sea lion or a four foot shark is unsettling at best. In the good old days, lobster, sea scallops, and pink abalone were plentiful. Dinner onboard was a feast. The setting sun would cast its glow upon the island and we'd drift off to the gentle motion of the boat tugging on her anchor with the waves lapping on our hull. Romantic, yes? That's how I wound up with 17 boats.

Twin Harbors Anchorage at Catalina

Oops....I got a little sidetracked by ancient memories.
Back to our tour of SCRIMSHAW.

Captain Darrell

The upper helm offers 360 degrees of visibility as we depart San Francisco Bay.

We owned five boats while living in the San Francisco Bay Area. Circumnavigating the Bay, racing past the City front with full sails, anchoring at Treasure and Angel Islands, and our frequent trips to the Delta are missed. At this point in our lives, we prefer the warmer boating life in San Diego. Like Morro Bay, San Francisco is now another favorite place to visit. Going under the Golden Gate Bridge is a grand adventure we look forward to as we make our way north from San Diego to the Pacific Northwest next spring. Yes, it will be cooler, but it is often described by boaters as "God's Country". We are happy to spend another mild winter in San Diego before going north. There are plenty of winter beach days and lots of swimming at the club during January and February. We''ll also visit our home in the Sierra for a few days of snowshoeing and sitting in front of the fire. The following pictures are worth a thousand words why San Diego has stolen our hearts and will always be one of the places we call "Home".

The bridge deck is my favorite place to relax, read, or share a cocktail.

Our new sport boat. Age requires certain comforts.

A bench seat for back support, a steering console to grasp on to, and a "Go Fast" 20hp outboard, take the sting out of growing older gracefully. On warm summer afternoons in San Diego we buzz across the waterway from our marina at Kona Kai and head to La Playa Beach for a swim. In the evenings, "Humphrey's By The Bay" has exceptional outdoor concerts. Boaters enjoy free music via their dinghies. The "yachties" raft up together, sip wine and munch on snacks as we listen to Chris Isak, or Pink Martini, or Judy Collins and Stephen Stills. The Beach Boys play this weekend, always to a packed audience inside and outside the concert grounds. San Diego offers us endless opportunities for outdoor activities year-round to keep us happy and fit. If we weren't so dang nomadic we'd never leave.

Sparky waiting for the Chris Isak Concert at Humphrey's.
He was FANTASTIC! Again!

Our Marina at Kona Kai located on Shelter Island

The view from our stern, Darrell's office at Suncoast Yachts is in the distance.

Our slip rental includes membership in a hotel's spa. We swim and visit the sauna most days. The waterway around Shelter Island is a great place for our kayaking routine of scoping out cool boats. Darrell gives me gift certificates for much appreciated massages at the spa. The Vessel Restaurant has a new chef that conjures up savory dishes served by friendly waitstaff, while we sit on outside deck overlooking some of the finest yachts to grace San Diego Bay. All this, plus, Sparky gets to come too. An unexpected surprise this exceptionally rainy winter, was Darrell sold a lot of boats at a yacht brokerage located next to the hotel and steps away from our slip. On his work days, I continued to design jewelry to sell to small boutiques. There's a link to my business website, Sarah Erickson Jewelry, on the right column of the blog.

Our favorite table at the Vessel.

We arrive early to get the best spot.
Darrell's eye patch is temporary due to a surgery he had, and he's doing well.

Buddy Boating off Glorietta Bay at Coronado Island for a long weekend is a

favorite pastime. Each time we anchor, or varnish, or scrub her wood decks,
or simply enjoy the quiet sitting on the back deck, we fall more in love with SCRIMSHAW.