Ocean Diary October 22, 2022
Today was another day of pure search on the ocean. Two friends and I headed out to sea around 9:00 am and charged about 10 miles offshore in very mixed swell. Today was probably the most miles I’ve covered since captaining the boats. The skies were overcast, but luckily it did not rain on us.
We searched and searched, and it yielded no results. Hours went by, and we saw no signs of wildlife. There’s a chance we cruised right by whales or dolphins, but the waves were disguising them with white caps. I kept thinking about how nice it was the one day I found myself on extremely glassy water. I am so excited for days like that again. You can see a ripple from so far away on glassy days, so it’s much easier to spot sea life.
Our initial heading was the San Clemente islands (although not visible). Then, after passing two markers I saved, we made a left and headed South parallel to the coast. I think we went about 9 miles offshore. Since we weren’t spotting anything but balloons (we removed three from the water), we decided to head back to the Carlsbad Canyon. This underwater canyon, similar to La Jolla Canyon, is pretty close to shore and allowed us to see our towns from the water in a way I haven’t done before. I know that Carlsbad and Oceanside are gorgeous when you are in town and looking out at the ocean, but it’s potentially even more beautiful when you are on the water, looking in. It’s so much fun to watch surfers ride waves in from behind the wave.
I had a great time with my friends, and the search was worth it. Even though we didn’t find animals, any day on the ocean is a good day, and it’s even better with friends.
Until next time,
Brenna
