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Saturday
October 3, 2004
The seas remained light, with a 1-2 foot chop and a gentle 3-4 foot swell at our heels. About halfway across the bay, we
lost sight of all land and enjoyed the sensation of open ocean voyaging for a while. I gave Nancy a short lesson on reading
the radar, and she took the helm for the last 7 miles so I could enjoy the ride and take some photographs. By now the sun
was getting higher in the sky, and before long the outline of the Santa Lucia Mountains became visible in the distance. As
we approached the harbor, we noticed a fleet of tiny little sloops gamely beating upwind in the choppy bay waters. I radioed
the Monterey Harbormaster for a slip assignment, and took the helm as I eased Namequoit through the narrow gap between Fisherman's
Wharf and the inner breakwater. Monterey has a rich commercial fishing tradition, which is still strong today despite the
decline of the once booming sardine fishery. Draggers, trollers and squid boats dotted moorings in the outer harbor, and
berthed beside spiffy yachts inside the harbor as well. The Monterey Fish Company greets boaters as they enter the jaws,
and the commercial wharf always seems to be bustling with activity.
Once we found our assigned berth, we tied up and walked up the tidy docks to the harbor office. The folks inside were
friendly, and the provided us with some good information on a few of the restaurants we were considering for dinner, and even
chased down phone numbers so we could call for reservations. The facilities at this harbor are outstanding, with finger piers
at every slip, water and power provided, clean restrooms and showers , and coin laundry near the docks. Mooring fees for
my 22 Outrage Cuddy were just $14 per night. Back on the boat, we enjoyed a lunch of cheese, fruit, fresh baguettes and cold
Pacificos while we contemplated our afternoon's activities. We walked the docks (one of my favorite activities) and caught
up with a few of the tiny sloop skippers. The boats turned out the be West Wight Potters, and they were having a rendezvous
weekend at the harbor. We were invited to tour one of the neat little pocket cruisers, and talked about small boats and foam
filled hulls for a while before heading back to Namequoit.
Monterey is a terrific cruising destination because there is a lot to see and do within short walking distance to the
harbor. The Stanton Center Maritime Museum and History Center is just across the plaza from the harbor, and the Monterey
State Historic Park is just beyond that. On the north side of the harbor is Del Monte Beach, a miles long strip of white
sand ideal for long walks, beach combing or relaxing in the sand. Just behind the dunes at Del Monte Beach is Monterey Bay
Kayaks, a first class kayak shop and outfitter. You can rent a kayak from one of the largest fleets I've seen, and paddle
amongst the kelp beds along Cannery Row. Speaking of Cannery Row, the historic string of sardine canneries immortalized
in John Steinbeck's novel by the same title, is now a mix of shops, restaurants and hotels, about a 10 minute walk from the
harbor. At the end of the Row is the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which focuses its exhibits on marine life found in the bay, and
is one of the best I've ever visited. Monterey is also an extremely popular scuba diving destination, and a variety of shore
and boat-based outfitters cater to large numbers of divers every day. On our 2003 Monterey cruise, we brought our snorkel
gear and enjoyed some great skindiving (actually, we wore wetsuits) in the kelp beds along the southern breakwater.
After lunch, we motored out of the harbor and around to Point Pinos, at the tip of the Monterey Peninsula. We were enjoying
some steady rockfishing just outside the kelp beds, catching a variety of gopher, vermillion, blue and olive rockfish. Conditions
had turned overcast and cool, and the wind was coming up making the seas lumpy and confused. Nancy caught a double header
of pacific mackerel, a hard fighting and beautiful fish, with an iridescent blue back and sleek silvery body. Shortly thereafter,
we saw a bright orange rigid inflatable boat (RIB) with 3 coastguardsmen aboard heading our way. I told Nancy we were probably
going to be boarded and I was correct. They requested permission to board for a routine safety and security inspection, and
immediately asked if I had any weapons on board. After tying off bow and stern, the boatswain's mate came aboard and checked
for the usual safety gear. He also asked for our registration and driver's licenses, which he handed to his partner on the
RIB. All the while, the coxswain was deftly manipulating his twin 90 horsepower outboards to keep our rafted boats pointed
to weather to keep the pitching and rolling to a minimum. All 3 aboard were friendly and polite, and explained that boardings
were their duty assignment and that I was the only boat on the water at the time. We chatted about boats while one of the
crew tapped a report into his PDA, and the guardsmen lamented the wet, hard ride of the RIB. They seemed interested in my
Whaler, and one of them indicated that he missed the days when they did their patrol work aboard a Whaler of their own. When
the report was complete, they printed me a copy on a tiny thermal printer, which they told me I could use to avoid a repeat
inspection anytime during the next 6 months. Interestingly enough, I saw the RIB and one of the crew the next morning at
the harbor office. He was leading a scruffy looking guy up the stairs in handcuffs, while the rest of the crew interviewed
another man and a woman near a small runabout at the boat ramp. As I paid for my berthing and returned my keys, I overheard
someone on the radio confirming a $25,000 misdemeanor warrant and a $7,500 traffic warrant on the fellow in the handcuffs.
I left feeling a lot better about the previous day's boarding, concluding that some worthwhile law enforcement was going on
out on the high seas.
Back in our slip at the harbor, we sipped cold beer while I cleaned the fish that we kept. Afterwards, we took hot showers
and put on clean clothes in preparation for our dinner date at Massaro and Santos restaurant on the Coast Guard pier. The
meal and atmosphere lived up the great recommendations, and was the perfect way to cap off a great day of Boston Whaler boating.
I ordered Monterey Bay prawns, which are served scampi style and in the round. They are giant, taste like lobster, and were
truly outstanding. Nancy had a terrific sautéed halibut, and we both enjoyed the chardonnay and the harbor view with our
dinner.
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