Across the bay

Monterey, California, USA

Santa Cruz was sort of a bust.  After spending the night, unable to wander off the boat because we had no gate key, I tracked down someone at the harbourmasters office after they opened at 9 AM.  They were not particularly interested in us except to collect the money that they did not know they had owing to them.  All in all, there was little about Santa Cruz that made us want to stay.  Possibly this is what we should expect in a busy, non-commercial harbour (Can you pick out our boat along this crowded channel?  Actually this is a view that Susanne never got to see as she never got off the boat).  We had grown too used to the friendly fishing harbours along the coast up till now.

So, at around 10 AM, we took our leave of Santa Cruz, and cruised the 20 miles across Monterey Bay to, you guessed it, Monterey.  What a completely different, and totally refreshing place this is.  Friendly staff, who assured us they would have been here to greet us on Thanksgiving or any other time, and a very modern, first-class marina, close to stores, restaurants and lots of touristy type stuff.  And the price (winter rates) was cheaper than our night in Santa Cruz - around 70 cents a foot, including free power and showers, etc.  As soon as we got settled, we stopped into the closest pub and had a brew and some excellent pub fare.  About the only downside is that we are a long way from our usual sources of free internet (unsuspecting residential homes work best), so what service I can pick up is a bit spotty.

We may stay here for a few days, just to take in the local sights.

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