Shelter Cove

I'm a bit behind in my posts. This one is on a trip I made last November to take a look at Pt  Pedro and Shelter Cove. I had wanted to take a close look at Pt Pedro ever since we moved to SF, because it is the southern-most point we can see of the coast from outside our house on a clear day (and it looks kind of spectacular, even from a distance). Also, Shelter Cove under Point Pedro is the only spot along the south coast between the Golden Gate and Half Moon Bay where there is sheltered anchorage from a southerly blow.

Jib set flying

 Set out on a beautiful day, sunny and with a mild breeze that never exceeded 10 knots. Now that the boat is rigged for spinnaker, it also makes it easy to set any jib sail flying, and I let the light-air Genoa go (see video). This technique is great for longer trips because the tack of the sail can be hauled across the front of the boat, and trimmed to suit a deeper or higher course than could be sailed with it hanked to the forestay. Given the relatively small sail area on the Tiki 21, this technique would also work great for an asymmetric spinnaker (I'm saving up).

Unfortunately, the wind died about 1/3 of the way down Ocean Beach and we motored the rest of the way. But the views were great and I saw seals, Harbor Porpoises and many, many, birds in their natural element.

Pt Pedro in the distance

The elusive Harbor Porpoise. They are SO hard to photograph.

Approaching Pt Pedro

Off Pt Pedro. Shelter Cove is to the left.

 

With its tilted rock strata, Pt Pedro reminds me of pictures of the Costa Concordia

Peace and quiet inside Shelter Cove (under the Point)

Shelter Cove beach

Homeward

 

Watch out for the semi-submerged rock 2-300 yards off the North end of Shelter Cove - I almost ran over it because I didn't check the chart. I hopefully flew the spinnaker for about 5 minutes on the way home when the gentlest of breezes came up from behind. But it didn't last and this was a long motor home, with a beautiful sunset. 40 nautical miles this trip.