"Any day on the water's a good day"... right?
Thanks for the replies.
My dilemma was not really about what the best place to eat was but, where to tie up. We decided to try for Parker's Lighthouse guest dock first. Had a nice easy sail down to Shoreline from Pedro, dropped the rags just after we rounded the Queen Mary, fired up the little Yanmar. I was motoring on in and I noticed the engine sounding funny, rpm's going up and down until it finally died. Clogged filters. There was just way too much boat traffic to try and sail in with my inexperienced Buddy and his Wife and 7 year old daughter. Talked to Vessel Assist bout getting towed into Parker's and they told me to anchor. Anchor where? That's when I decided to just sail back to Pedro. I tried to tack up inside the breakwater with 16 knots on the nose with very slow progress. I really did not want to get towed the 5 miles back so I went offshore and tacked back up. The wind increased to 17-19 knot, 6' swells. My friends Wife & Daughter both got sea sick. Took about 4 hours. Sailed into Angels Gate around 5 pm. Winds gusting over 25 knots. Decided to not try and sail into my slip at Cabrillo so I sailed up the Main Channel and called for a tow. Things could have been worse, the next boat my very young Vessel Assist tow boat Captain (18 years old) had to respond to was a partially dismasted 39 footer that we saw listing and coming in with only part of his main up. Vessel Assist was very, very busy all day.
The worst day I have had on the water in a long time. It was a very hard sail with passed out bodies laying (rolling) around in the cockpit, 7 year old's impatience and lack of understanding as to what's going on. Hindsight, I probably should have gone and anchored behind Island White and changed the filters. It's just did not seem like a comfortable idea with my landlubber guests on board.
There is a reason I don't often sail down wind to Long Beach for a day sail. Because it's always a up wind bash back. All involved survived but I am exhausted as I am sure my friends are, boats okay, filters will be replaced soon and more often. This was the 3rd year in a row I had taken this Family out on Father's Day. I have a feeling they won't be onboard next year.
My own Father used to say... "Any day on the water's a good day", and I used to agree.