Day 1

It’s here.
The moment of truth.
The day we’ve been planning for.

Under a blanket of marine layer we loaded the final bits and bags (personal items, the eggs carefully donated by Zaca Creek Ranch and Maddie’s chickens, a jar of salad dressing) and moved Leona to the public dock for a final farewell. Thank goodness we did, as we were able to collect the other things we forgot courtesy of Ella and the Neville boys (sesame oil, ice trays), Grandad Brooks and Nina Kate (six fabulous bottles of wine). and Melanie Eckford-Prossor (two crusty loaves of bread). Nephew Matthew Firestone made an appearance with a hug and a grin. He could have been displaying a touch of longing to go or relief that he wasn’t.

Not sure which it was.

An early morning troupe braved the June Gloom
...I mean May Gray… April Something??
to see us off

Heading south to San Diego, we stayed close to shore, so it all felt pretty familiar. Rafts of seals waved goodby as we left the Santa Barbara beaches, and a pod of dolphins whizzed by, far more interested in their breakfast. We also encountered a horde of vellela vellela (seriously, that’s what they are called), little jellyfish-looking creatures that use their sail to drift along the surface of the ocean. Each one is a colony of different organisms, also known as by-the-wind sailors that happily cohabit, letting the breeze and the current take them all over the globe. Surely a happy sign for the four different organisms cohabiting upon Leona?

Seals and sails

Our launch date was decidedly propitious: it happened to fall on Jeff’s birthday. Shrimp and White Bean Stew, the fabulous crusty bread, salad with the almost forgotten dressing. and Georgie’s smuggled aboard lemon bar for the b-day song moment (and yes, Family, he used the back of the knife and screamed when he touched the bottom) made for a veritable feast.

Jeff sporting his birthday swag

And then in the middle of Santa Monica Bay, as the sun headed for the western horizon, we came across a grey whale gently moving northwards. I may have to wrap up this trip right here…how can it improve?