Leaving Thousand Oaks there was a good Santa Ana wind blowing, in Camarillo the
flags were flying straight out, in Oxnard the flags hung straight down. At
Channel Islands Harbor we unloaded boats in a dead calm, and then we felt the
NE breeze pick up. By the time we got on the water the wind was blowing pretty
good. Keith Elliott, Joe Barrett and I launched from the EZ Kayak Launch area
while Lance Pillsbury maintained tradition and launched from Hobie Beach.
We decided to stay in the harbor, starting with checking out the Hawaiian
Chieftain and Lady Washington tall ships, then the Channel Islands Boating
Center. We then headed for the lee side to paddle the harbor. Soon we noticed
a significant drop in the wind and crossing under the CI Boulevard bridge the
flags were now starting to indicate a NW breeze was starting. As we turned
east we were being pushed by a stiff wind that held till we finished the slow
tour of the harbor.
Lance, not having paddled the harbor, was continually amazed at how many boats
were now filling once empty slips. There was also new construction around the
harbor we all noticed. There was very little activity around the harbor with
people out on balconies or boats moving. I counted 7 boats moving and 2 SUPs
during our 2.5 hour paddle.
That is the way it was this Sunday before Valentines Day.
Robert Tongen Reporting
