Boat Works

Jay's Post: When we arrive in port there is generally a list of “tasks” that must accomplish before we head out to sea again. Foremost are any boats repairs. Fortunately, “Little Lara” is a very seaworthy sailing vessel and these tasks have been fairly minor, primarily falling in the routine maintenance category. More pressing tasks, however, tend to be to laundry, groceries and ice cream.

Avalon, Santa Catalina

Most harbors we have stayed in have laundry facilities. I must admit, I have not washed clothes in a laundromat since my college days. I did not like laundromats then, and find there has been little improvement to them over the past forty years. Laundromats tend to be hot, humid and dirty. We carry plenty of laundry soap, but you still need a hand full of quarters – OK maybe two hands full (we are learning, see the previous post on washing clothes). One facility we recently visited in Oxnard was trying to be innovative. To uses their machines you had to purchase a card from a vending machine. The card cost $3.00. Once purchased, you went to another vending machine, inserted the card along with dollar bills (no coins, or five, ten or twenty dollar bills accepted here) in order buy washing and drying time. The “money loaded card” is then used to pay for a washer or a dryer. For those passing through, the card is a one time purchase, so you loose the value of the card plus any money remaining on it. To get around this dilemma, we befriended a sympathetic lady who allowed us to put money on her card. Typically, we have two loads of laundry every week.

Buying groceries tends to be much more difficult task to accomplish. If we are lucky there is a grocery store near the marina, but more often it is some distance away. Yesterday, for example, Peggy and I walked three miles to the nearest supermarket. The walk was not bad, as we passed several souvenir and trinket shops, plus we were able to walk along the marina docks admiring other people's boats. This made for an interesting trip, one way. Upon arriving at the store, we found a limited selection of fruits and vegetables. Along with these, we bought bread, cereal, milk, cookies, etc. Then Peggy spied the ten pound block of ice for $3.00. A good buy. Since we do not have refrigeration on “Little Lara” block ice goes a long ways in the ice box. After making our purchases, we loaded everything into our backpacks for the three mile walk back. It is surprising how much food (and block ice) you can cram into a couple of backpacks and a string tote bag! On the way back to the boat, we tried a different route, to add variety to the trip. Also, it gives us an opportunity to see a different part of the city. Once back at the boat, everything has to be put away – not always an easy task – canned goods under the starboard (right side) settee, dry good under the port (left side) settee, and cold goods (along with the block ice) in the icebox. Strangely the cookies have disappeared along the way – a hazard of walking to and from the super market. Needless to say, grocery shopping can be an all day, adventure in of itself when you do not have a car.

Avalon city fountain
where we would sit and eat ice cream

Ice cream is a required staple we can not keep on “Little Lara”. Thus, a great deal of time is often spent looking for the best ice cream shops. Other cruisers (that is what people call those who sail from port to port, “cruisers”) are always a big help with directions to the closest shop, given everyone loves ice cream. But, like grocery stores, excellent ice cream shops are far and few between. Often we have to settle for “grocery store ice cream”. Yet, every now and then we find the perfect ice cream shop, like we did recently in Avalon, Catalina Island. “Lloyd's” sells every kind of confection from taffy to fudge to ice cream. They have the very best hot fudge sundaes! Your choice of flavors, lots of hot fudge, whip cream and a cherry on top. We loved their “Cookie Dough” and “Chocolate Tracks” ice cream flavors. Every day while in Avalon, Peggy and I would buy a “double scoop” and split it. We would sit on the city fountain by the harbor, watch people and boats go by, while we savored this truly delightful delicacy. It was absolutely wonderful! Almost makes the long walks worth it.

Well, we have to go now. We have a few more tasks to complete before we shove off for Mission Bay. I hope all is well with you. Now where is the ice cream shop?

"Casino", Avalon, Santa Catalina
Can you find "Little Lara"?

Peggy's Post: Catalina Island has been one of the destinations we have been looking forward to visiting.  It has been a major tourist attraction in Southern California since the 1890's and a favorite getaway for the movie stars from early silent films to more recent films. The Casino at Avalon wasn't built for gambling, but as a "gathering place for entertainment". It has a movie theater on the main floor with walls and ceilings painted in an art deco style and even has an original 1929 organ used to accompany the silent films. Upstairs, above the theater, is a 10,000 square foot elaborate ballroom. I could imagine it filled to capacity with dancers during the big band era. 

While in Avalon, by chance, the town people had their annual "Fall Festival" with a local band, food booths, face painting, hay rides and crafts. It was pretty fun to sit on the hay bales, eating tamales and pretend we were back in Texas. During the same weekend there was an upscale, star studded, "Jazz Festival" at the Casino ... quite a contrast! Lots of large yachts came into the harbor just for the weekend. Avalon is a real resort with everything tourists could want: hotels, restaurants, bike rentals, golf carts rentals, scuba diving, submarine rides, para sailing, deep water fishing, whale watching, zip lines, jeep tours, shopping and massages. The best part, I think however, is just "people-watching". The funniest thing we saw while at Avalon was a down town traffic jam of twenty golf carts – some turning right, some turning left, some going straight, none backing up.

John & Shelton on "A Deux"

Two Harbors, Santa Catalina

We also enjoyed our stay at Two Harbors (named for the two harbors ½ mile apart where Catalina Island squeezes together like a waist). We picked up a mooring ball there because they don't allow anchoring in the harbor. This takes a bit of practice. Think of being on the merry-go-round while your horse goes up and down, and you try to reach for the golden ring as you swing by. Two Harbors is much more laid back and has a slower pace than Avalon. We enjoyed hiking and meeting people and found the only ice cream at this end of the island at the General Store. While there we met a family with five kids on a catamaran. They named their boat “Family Circus”. What a great name! They also had a great story: Their boat was out of the water for some work in Napa, CA when the earthquake hit about two months ago. The boat fell off the travel lift and slid back into the water ... while they were all on it! It ends up that friends we recently met on “A Deux” grabbed their lines and stopped them from drifting down the river, given they had no working motor or steering at the time! Again a small world.

We love you all and appreciate your prayers. We know your prayers are answered when we have great days and the seas looks like these, as we sailed to Catalina:

Smooth sailing on calm seas

Finally, a special thanks to Bruce, Kimberly and their daughter for being our friends in Oxnard, CA.

Bruce, Kimberly and family