Fav ovenight place

Posted October 5th, 2007 by svsilentsun

Forum Topic

Is there a place close to your marina that you go to get away for a "overnighter"?

We like China Camp in San Pablo Bay, just a few hours from home and lots to do and things to see.

Bookmark/Search this post with:

View All Forums

Hiking?

On October 5th, 2007 Salty Dog says:

Have you ever hiked around the park there? Everyone says they hear it's great, but nobody seems to have done it.

I haven't hiked there yet, but I have taken my dinghy over to the creek, which is a pretty fun adventure. On our way over there we found a bunch of old duck blinds in San Pablo bay, also fun to explore.

Did some research though, and looks like China Camp has a nice hiking area.

We did

On October 5th, 2007 la_diabla says:

But it was a Rob & LaDonna kinda hike so I wouldn't exactly call it strenuous. Lots of mountain bikers zooming past on narrow paths. But pretty.

Hunter Bay, Lopez Island

On October 5th, 2007 Salty Dog says:

Great overnight out of Anacortes. Sticky, protected and usually overlooked.

china camp anchor gremlin

On October 20th, 2007 ricos0 says:

Good anchorage close by but out of the way. On a hot summer day its great to cool off in the san pablo breeze, however with the breeze coming one way and the current due to changing tides, lots of folks drag anchor there after believing they were well set (including us several times). Local myth has it there is an anchor gremlin at china camp that will wrap your rode around your keel when you're not watching. But our last couple of times there was no problem holding, helped I'm sure by picaroon's kellet (that's another story). Some swear by 2 anchors there = when in doubt throw another one out?

Check out the pier and shrimp history!

China Camp anchorage

On October 22nd, 2007 Ralph Higbee says:

Yes, it can be a real bugger; but love to stay there anyway

I've wrapped the anchor rode around my fin keel on an Islander 28 there twice on an overnight anchorage. I had to replace the line one time it was so damaged. The other time I was with friends, we had to get going to make a tide change into the Petaluma area, so he "unwrapped" me.
Yes, I have also dragged anchor really badly, again on the Islander 28. It held all afternoon, we were with 3 other club boats. So come dinner time we went below and prepared dinner, then after dinner went topsides, and all the other boats had moved!!! HA!
We at least didn't hit anything, usually it takes you out to the main Bay. It was a danforth by the way, scope was about 4-1, had read that a short scope at China Camp worked in your favor.
Latest encounter, motor froze and we had to sail into China Camp overnight, dropped an anchor on our Fuji 35 Ketch. It swung all night, didn't drag or wrap our cutaway full keel, we got towed to our marina the next day, it was hell getting the anchor up in spite of a tow boat keeping us over the anchor, pulling forward (not enough battery power left to run the windlass after trying to get the engine started). Next trip on this boat, I'm going to set the mizzen with a small steadying sail, it should help also. Needless to say, I put in a new engine.

p.s. - a great place for a lunch anchorage, nothing much can happen in that a short time.

St Pierre Pill

On November 22nd, 2007 timminocky says:

Down on my boat last weekend, I didn’t take her out just pottered about on board on the mooring. It’s so lovely and peaceful in the pill at this time of year. Very few of the other boat owners turn up. The word pill seems to be a peculiarly welsh term for a muddy creek which dries out at low tide.

Being so far off the beaten track there are no tourists gawping or traffic noise.

Autumn is here for sure the dunlin are back in flocks and I think I caught a glimpse of the teal who take up winter homes here. They chug around in flotillas usually following the incoming tide with its silty cargo of fishy things. There is one ancient old heron who seems to spend his days alone shunning the company of humans, bit like me, well, at weekends any way. And there is the occasional flash of colour as a kingfisher zips past.

The starlings are gathering on the power lines, which cross the fields behind the pill. They are beginning to form their aerobatic teams. Quite amazing to watch them swooping and turning all in unison as if the flock were one organism. A bit like humans, rushing off to buy into the latest must have.

The past few months I’ve been feasting on samphire which grows along the banks but that is coming to an end now, besides the sheep that graze the banks seem to have developed a liking for it.

The blackberry season has passed as well, so no more purple stained hands and mouth. However, there are plenty of sloes in the hedgerows so I’m thinking of making some sloe gin. You don’t have a recipe do you?

These dark evenings are doubly dark in the pill with its absence of light pollution. It is a perfect place to view the stars and planets, if it is a clear night. Mignonne is moored with her bows pointing south, so standing in the main cabin looking aft, Polaris is framed in by main hatch, with all the constellations progressing around it.