Log Book
- Port of departure: Oxnard, CA
- Departure time: 7:30 am on Friday, November 23
- Port of arrival: Marina del Rey, CA
- Arrival time: 5:00 pm on Friday, November 23
- Total travel time: ~ 9 hours
- Nautical miles traveled: ~45 miles
- Engine hours start – end – logged: 841 – 850 – 9
- Gallons of diesel start – end – used: 20.4 – 16.8 – 3.6
- Weather: The forecast predicted 5-10 knots of wind from the W/NW. Wind waves less than two feet and NW swell 5-7 feet at 12 seconds. Patchy, dense fog.
We left in the fog and arrived in the fog. Far from patchy, it was quite dense and prolific. There was no wind for most of the trip, though we were getting 0-5 knots from the West by the time we were arriving in Marina del Rey. We wanted to get to port before dark, so there was no sailing for us. The day, however, was far from uneventful.
The jetty outside of the Oxnard entrance. 
Pelicans in the fog.
The seas were flat, with the exception of the small waves created by hundreds upon hundreds of dolphins that visited us. At times it was hard to distinguish the tips of the small waves from the tips of their fins. Jeff and I were shocked by how many dolphins there were. At one point we were completely surrounded. With only one quarter mile visibility, all we could see were dolphins.
As far as the eye could see.
Our experience in Southern California so far has been much different than expected, with big seas on our last passage, our heaviest day of fog to-date on this passage, and rain in the forecast. It’s just teaching me that maybe I need to let go of my deeply held expectations of these new geographies and let them be revealed to us upon our arrival.
In the hours between dolphin sightings Jeff and I quizzed ourselves and each other to prepare for the HAM radio test scheduled for the next morning in Redondo Beach. As is our style, we saved the HAM test until the last possible minute. If neither one of us pass the test then we’ll just have a passive presence on the radio (you aren’t allowed to talk without a license). I’m sure one of us will pass – Jeff is much better at tests than I am.
Our view of Marina del Rey. 
Fishing vessel in the fog.
We arrived as it was getting dark and used our Navionics chart to guide us safely into the channel. We are moored up at the County transient docks for $30 a night. The accommodations aren’t fancy, but we’re within walking distance of everything we could possibly need and Chace Park (where the dock is located) is lovely.