We slipped out of Marina del Rey at 0500 on September 8, side-by-side with Monica and Jazmine on Ofelia. Pre-dawn departures on a boat are my favorite! The calm, still air holds the promise of adventure, and a sunrise at sea (even if near shore) always slays me! My crew was my soul sister Silvia, and our collective excitement about our destination of Santa Cruz Island was palpable.

About two-thirds of the way to the island, when we decided to cross the shipping channel and head to Smugglers despite the conditions (solid short-period swells and about 22 knots of wind), my autopilot decided to bite the dust. It started turning us in a hard circle to port and wouldn’t disengage. Suddenly Cassiopeia was spinning in circles—right in the middle of the Santa Barbara Channel shipping lane, in 22 knots of wind! I had no control of my boat. Two minutes felt like two hours.

In the midst of this “moment,” a massive ship hailed me, saying he noticed I had changed course and wanted to know my intentions. I had to laugh—because I was indeed changing course, but not by any choice of my own. Thank God for AIS and vigilant ship captains! They were gracious and said they’d keep an eye out for us until we were clear. I had Silvia disengage all of the electronics, regained control, and passed the ship safely port-to-port. By then, I’d made the call: we would divert to Channel Islands Harbor to repair the autopilot (in case you’re wondering, we did not technically need the autopilot, but because of an old wiring issue, disengaging the autopilot meant I couldn’t have ANY of my instruments, and we needed the depth at the very least for anchoring).

The rest of our little fleet followed, and what could have been an annoying detour turned into a lovely night on the guest dock. Honestly, I think everyone was secretly relieved, because the conditions out there were truly miserable—it was an actual bash up the coast for most of the day. With the help of my amazing marine electrician, Joe, who talked me through the repair over the phone, I had Cassiopeia’s autopilot back in working order by happy hour. We shared a beautiful dinner together and decided to aim for Santa Barbara the next day instead of charging into the predicted heavy winds at the island.

The trip up to SB was stunning. The light, the coastline, the sea all felt magical. Silvia and I even got in a perfect hour of sailing. We were so happy out there that we kept going, sailing past the harbor before finally heading in to join the others. That evening we gathered aboard V Tack for happy hour, joined by the crew of Harmony, who had already been in Santa Barbara for a couple of days repairing their engine.

The next morning, all four boats headed out for Fry’s Harbor. That sail across the channel was invigorating and definitely one for the books. By the end the wind was up to 23 knots and the swells were big, but Cassiopeia was flying along in her groove and handling it all like the brick house that she is. It was one of the most exhilarating sails I’ve had in a long time. Silvia had never been in conditions like that, and her joy mirrored mine. I texted Brendan and said, “This is what I live for.” And it truly is.

We were first into Fry’s, and I’ll admit, I was a bit nervous. The wind was still whipping outside the tiny cove, and I’d never been there before and was unfamiliar with the best spots to anchor. We waited until the others arrived to make a call, and then with Silvia’s calm support and Melody’s recommendation of where to position ourselves, we nailed our bow and stern anchoring on the first try. Later, we helped the others get settled. That evening, everyone gathered aboard Cassiopeia for happy hour, sharing tales of the day’s adventures and the most delicious home made ceviche I have ever had (thanks Fred)!

Santa Cruz Island is wild and desolate. It felt familiar, yet so different from Catalina. We stood a regular anchor watch through the night, but despite the wind, Cassiopeia held beautifully. The next morning, we explored by kayak and dinghy, slipping into caves and marveling at the rugged coastline and sea life. The raw beauty took my breath away at every sight.

By noon we were off to Prisoners Harbor. This cove was a completely different vibe with its long rocky beach, craggy rocks and small pier. We swam, kayaked, and soaked in the beauty all day. Some boats stayed there two nights, but Monica convinced us to press on with Ofelia to Little Scorpion the next morning. I’m so glad she did.

We left Prisoners just after dawn and arrived in time to enjoy the whole day. Little Scorpion was the highlight of the trip. The cove was calm, crystalline, and emerald-colored. It felt magical, and honestly almost too perfect to be real. We stayed two nights, and despite the wind on the second night, it was peaceful and idyllic.

My favorite things about cruising are the sea(wo)manship challenges, the management of the boat, the technical problem-solving, the physical work of it all. It’s not easy, but it fills me up and pushes me in the best ways.

The trip was so much more than this though. Though the cruising was epic, it was the sisterhood: the gift of sharing this adventure with women who fill my heart and share the same sense of adventure as I do. Silvia was extraordinary. Though she’d never done anything quite like this, she was the most supportive, competent, joyful crew I could have asked for. She was tidy, helpful, quick to learn, and her enthusiasm lit up the boat. She was such a great support, especially since this was my first time doing any serious anchoring without Brendan. Everything I’ve learned from him over the years came together, and I felt myself step into a new level of competence.

I’m also deeply grateful to Melody. Her patience, expertise, and steady leadership made the whole experience possible for us newer Channel Island cruisers.

We departed before dawn on Monday to return to Marina del Rey. There wasn’t much wind for sailing, but the motor-sail home was still glorious. By 2:30 p.m. we were back inside the breakwater. We were tired, sore, and salty, but full to overflowing from the adventure.

This cruise, sponsored by the Women’s Sailing Association of Santa Monica Bay, was my first official WSA cruise in all my years of membership. And I’m so glad I finally went. The beauty of Santa Cruz Island is beyond words, and while our photos will help, they’ll never quite capture the wild magic, the laughter, strength, courage, and sisterhood that defined this trip. I am already counting the days until next year’s cruise!

Most photos are mine, but thanks to Silvia for some of hers as well. Her eye is unparalleled!