Getting ready to go to our first waypoint, Catalina Island. Initially we had not planned on stopping, just sailing on past. Due to the health of the crew, it was deemed prudent that an overnight stay on a mooring ball or anchor was needed (the crew was feeling the beginnings of sea sickness much to our disbelief). A word of advice for those following: coming in to Two Harbors for the first time, in the dark, with 15 year old guides and no spot light is not fun. Thankfully we had a very good chart plotter that got us right in to the entrance path, and we were able to follow a fishing boat in, whom I suspect was as lost as we were judging by their lack of gusto once inside the harbor, before reaching the mooring field.
Once we figured out the correct channel to hail the harbor master, and a little bit of searching to find him, everything was very smooth. He directed us towards him in the dark with his spotlight right to an open mooring ball, than worked with us on properly tying our boat to it. he was very patient and helpful throughout the entire process. unfortunately before he was able to check us in, he had to go and help the flood of other boats that were also trying to get moorings for the night. About half an hour later he returned, just to be immediately pulled away again. The night was calm, being on the leeward and coastal side of the island.
The Mindful Sailor 