3/18/2023 0 Comments Clipper cove![]() When we finally rolled out of our berth, I made a celebratory breakfast of pancakes decorated with fresh fruit and Vermont maple syrup – almost as sweet as our new digs. The water was as still as a lake, allowing us to sleep soundly from the early hour of 7:30 PM through 10:00 AM the following day (an unspoken agreement to wake up slowly). Nestled between the two islands, you will find that the cove provides protection from almost all directions (minus the east) and shelters you from the sounds and views of San Francisco – impressive, given the close proximity. Once we were positive that we weren’t dragging, it was time to relax – which is easy in Clipper Cove. ![]() We usually bring our engine up to about 2500 RPMs, which is the equivalent (with our prop) to about a 30-40 knot winds, sustained. Once the chain was taut, we backed down on our hook. However, in the soft and silty Bay Area mud, the substrate sticks to the fluke of the anchor, turning a very intentional and specifically designed shape into a giant mud ball with no chance of gripping into the ocean floor.Īfter realizing our error, we quickly corrected our methods by resetting with more scope (7:1), then gradually paying out the chain, softly coming to the end of our scope. In the Channel Islands and Southern California area, we were accustomed to sandy holdings, which are arguably the easiest ground to set an anchor in. About 50 feet back, Avocet came to the end of her scope abruptly, which blew the anchor out of the mud as we began to drag. Avocet moved back, gaining speed as the chain on the seabed was pulled back from where it was dropped. Here is where we went wrong: Chris dropped our anchor, a 55 pound Rocna Vulcan, while the boat was idle and paid out a 4:1 scope, then signaled for me to put the engine in reverse. *Do not enter the anchorage from the south (near the bay bridge)! It is VERY shallow! Reluctantly, we actually had to reset the hook after our first attempt, since we had applied the same tried-and-true methods from Southern California. The good news: once we were over the shoal, the depth gradually increased, and we set our hook in a comfortable 16 feet of water. By then, Avocet was passing right over the shoal, so Chris and I kept a close eye on our depth and saw a minimum of two feet under the keel. In her blog post, Shannon recommends hugging the pier on our starboard side and, once almost to the sailing dinghy dock, pointing our bow directly at the TransAmerica pyramid building (a tall pointed structure) in the distance. With that said, sailors will want to wait until the flood current returns, as similar drafted vessels need enough clearance to navigate the channel into the anchorage. Getting into the anchorage definitely proved a bit difficult, especially as a deep-keeled vessel like Avocet with a 6.5’ draft, since a shoal guards most of the entrance at low tide. Fortunately, Chris’s sister-in-law, Shannon, had written about “the cut” of Clipper Cove on Prism’s Blog Site, which we referenced to vicariously guide us through the shallows to the deep water where we would safely set our hook. ![]() Little did I know that eight years later, I would be returning aboard my own boat.Ĭonsidering that there are many shoals and unmarked hazards in “The Bay,” it’s always best to check with local sources regarding the best anchorage entry tactics. Many years prior, I had my first overnight anchoring experience aboard Chris’s mom’s boat, Sea Castle, at Clipper Cove, with the whole Neely Armada present. It was somewhat ironic that this was our first destination on our cruising journey. Mama Neely, Shannon, 15 year old Marissa and Chris aboard Sea Castle, that was run aground when the tide went out.
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