Blog | Santana Sailing School

When The Water Hose Goes Into The Diesel Tank

November 24, 2025/0 Comments/in Fuel problems, Mechanical/Technical

I went to check progress with filling the water tanks and learned that the water hose had mistakenly been placed into the fuel fill on deck. Our diesel tank was topped off – with water. Right around that time, the engine that had been running, died when the water was drawn into the fuel system.

Cruising The Sea of Cortez – from La Paz

August 25, 2025/1 Comment/in Uncategorized

The Sea of Cortez is one of those sailing areas that conjure up the words amazing, spectacular, and magic. The sailing, the scenery, and the sea life are all so compelling. For example, I remember dinghying out from our cove late one afternoon to watch the Mobula Rays leap out of the water…

Best Catalina Coves – Rippers Cove

August 22, 2025/1 Comment/in Best Catalina Coves

At this point in your sailing and boating life, you may be ready to skip the Catalina mooring fields all together and try anchoring out for the day, overnight, or the entire weekend. You would want a place where you can go ashore and explore, check out the surrounding area by kayak, SUP, or dinghy, and be on your own. You are in the middle of the island exploring new possibilities, so read on to get better acquainted with…

Best Catalina Coves – Willow Cove

August 12, 2025/in Best Catalina Coves

Of the three coves closest to Avalon, Willow is my first choice. You have a bit more room here than you would by anchoring at Gallagher’s Beach or Toyon Bay, and you do not have to worry about small boat sailors and swimmers from the camps. When the wind is light and shifty at Hen Rock and boats are drifting close to each other, or when the Avalon moorings are sold out, Willow is a peaceful, secluded, and very nice alternative.

Best Catalina Coves – Goat Harbor

July 24, 2025/in Best Catalina Coves

The wonderful thing about Goat Harbor is that there is plenty of room, it is a beautiful location, and the shoreline is interesting and open for exploration. It is too far to dinghy to either Avalon or Two Harbors, so when you are ready for some time on the hook away from the crowds, Goat Harbor should be one of your first choices.

Cruising Catalina

July 9, 2025/in Uncategorized

…we continued the conversation, and I gave her some ideas, but I have to say it really bothered me. How can you turn back? There is so much more to Catalina! I figured there might be many sailors who thought the same way, so I wrote a guidebook entitled Anchoring at Catalina: No Moorings? No Problem – available on Amazon.

So Cal Harbor Hopping

July 6, 2025/in Uncategorized

During the last many years of running sailing adventure trips in the Northern Channel Islands and destinations in other countries, with all the planning and preparation those trips take, it occurred to me that it would be fun and easy to just go Harbor Hopping right here in our own local paradise.

Best Catalina Coves – Hen Rock

June 7, 2025/in Best Catalina Coves

When it’s blowing a gale out of the WNW, I take refuge at Hen Rock. In the middle of a black night when I’m looking for a wide-open spot to drop the hook, I go to Hen Rock. For our Memorial Day Flotilla, when we need enough room for 4-7 boats, I plan on Hen Rock. And after a long day training on bow and stern anchoring, we often spend our last night here on a single hook.