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Sailing Solo to San Diego from Catalina Island (May 2024)
June 2, 2024 · 17 min · 982 views
What this video covers
A solo sailor completes a 100.5-nautical-mile passage from Catalina Island to San Diego, California, over a 24-hour period in May 2024.15:45 Departing at 5:30 a.m. with a double-reefed main and staysail, the vessel motor-sails to maintain speed against a westerly swell and quartering seas.0:46 The sailor shakes out the reef mid-passage to improve performance under sail alone, utilizing the gooseneck bullhorn and reefing lines to adjust the mainsail.5:09 Navigation involves monitoring AIS and radar signatures, including a 420-foot U.S. Coast Guard cutter and a long-tow vessel, while maintaining a course toward the San Diego light.10:39 The transit concludes with a single-handed side-tie at a public dock near the Shelter Island range markers.15:45 The passage highlights the necessity of balancing sail configuration with engine use to ensure arrival in daylight, particularly when navigating busy holiday weekend traffic and potential dock congestion.
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