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General Info about Sail Channel Islands, cruising, lessons, the Captain Dan and crew

Overview Sail the Channel Islands and the Ventura and Southern California coast with Captain Dan

Partners These are the fine people who help Sail Channel Islands deliver the finest charter service and private sailing lessons in Southern California: Sanora Consulting, web designers and all-round internet wizards: Sailtime, fractional yacht ownership and Sailtime Sailing School; Island Brewing Company, best damned beer on the coast; Zaca Mesa winery, outstanding Rhone varietals and the only wine we pour; Sunset Run Marine Services, the people who keep Wiley and our other boats shipshape; Le Petit Cafe Bakery Restaurant.

FAQ Stuff you need to know before you sail - what to wear, what to bring, seasickness precautions.

The Captain Capt. Dan's sailing resume - from the Channel Islands to the Mediterranean.

Contact How to get in touch with Capt. Dan and crew at Sail Channel Islands.

Find Us How to find Capt. Dan, Wiley, Sancerre, our charter yachts and our Southern California training facilities in Ventura and Oxnard.

Charter Information

Luxury Charters - Sancerre, Our luxury Jeanneau 46 is a full-on yacht. Bring up to six passengers for a Cruise of a few hours .... or several days.

Luxury Yacht rates Review the options on Sancerre. Take up to six people cruise.

Charters by the hour Sunset cruise or dawn patrol.

All Day charters Your choice: Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, Anacapa or just a lazy sail down the the Southern California coast.

Overnight cruises Cruise to Santa Cruz and stay a night, or take two or three nights and sail to the out islands in Southern California's Santa Barbara Channel.

Ceremonies

Funerals at sea We'll sail with family and friends out three miles to scatter the cremains of your loved ones. The sea is serene and most families find peace in this ancient ceremony

A family funeral at sea: Read their words about their final farewell to mother and wife.

Large Funerals at sea More than six. We can scatter the cremains below a promontory less than a mile out from the Ventura shore. Any number may attend and this may be a better option for elderly attendees.

Pet Funerals We'll sail with you and your pet’s remains well off shore and return your pet to nature. Or we can perform this ceremony for you if you cannot attend.

Weddings at sea Capt. Dan is also Chaplain Dan. Have a small wedding on Sancerre or a large one in the park and then sail away with us for a few hours. Exotic, romantic and closer than Tahiti. Cheaper, too.

One couple's wedding experience aboard our Sailing Yacht

Learn to Sail

Sailing lessons Sailtime Sailing School offers private lessons to fit your schedule. American Sailing Association (ASA) certified. Go from novice to captain as fast as your schedule will allow and enjoy sailing in the Santa Barbara Channel from Channel Islands Harbor in southern California.

Crew, Captain or Instructor on your boat If you're short-handed or need your boat moved down the coast or would just like a little coaching on your boat, call Capt. Dan.

Sail Lessons on Wiley Sail with us for a day or two and hone your coastal cruising and navigation skills. Complete ASA courses underway aboard Sancerre or Wiley.

Team Building/Team Training Capt. Dan will help you design curriculum and deliver small-team training aboard Sancerre, a 46-foot sailboat, that will build team competency and mutual trust. Especially effective for teams that confront a broad spectrum of unexpected challenges in the corporate world.

Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ - about sailing lessons with Capt. Dan - How do I schedule, what is the advantage of private lessons, how hard is this, how long will it take ... find out here.

Client Experiences

Charter Log Get the word straight from people who have cruised in Sancerre and Wiley. Find out about their trips and their experiences with Capt. Dan as they explored the Ventura coast and the Channel Islands. From lunch at Anacapa to a circumnavigation of the entire National Park.

Overnight Cruises Read about some of our experiences sailing aboard Sancerre in the Channel Islands with Capt. Dan.

Jamie and Mary's Anniversary Cruise Read about Jamie and Mary's five-day cruise to San Miguel with Capt. Dan. Whales, dolphins and 5 great days of sailing.

Memorial Cruises Read comments from families that have buried their loved ones at sea and about their experiences on the sail with Capt. Dan in the Santa Barbara Channel.

Learn on your new boat - Read what Bill and Gail Varie learned with Capt. Dan as they sailed around Santa Cruz Island on their brand-new Hunter 33. It was their first long voyage and they experienced a full range of weather: calm to 30 knots, clear to zero-zero fog, flat to the square waves of Windy Lane.

Learn on your new-old boat Read what Don Hagner learned with Capt. Dan. Don had purchased a used Catalina 30, hadn't ever sailed much and started taking lessons at Sail Channel Islands with Capt. Dan.

Blogs

Southern California Sailing Charters BLOG Tales of Southern California sailing, anecdotes, sailing tips and lore of the Southern California coast.

Planning information for Boaters

Our Islands Links to information that we at Sail Channel Islands use: tides, sunrise, sunset, moon phase, tides, flora and fauna, whales, dolphins and birds.

Capt. Dan's Weather links for Ventura coast and Channel Islands - These are the sources that Capt. Dan relies on. Mostly NOAA sites, you can find up-to-date observations and forecasts ranging out a week or more.

Capt. Dan's internet reference shelf These are the sources that Capt. Dan relies on: current charts, chart updates, Local Notices to Mariners, Rules of the Road and similar on-line publications.

Cruising Guide

Cruising Guide We - local sailors - are building an online cruising guide to the Channel Islands, specifically Channel Islands National Park. Yes, there are many excellent printed guides, but they're a bit short on pictures and are infrequently updated. We're going to try to solve that update problem and the graphics issue by making this a community effort. Come see what we have so far then add your pieces.

Morse Point This is the first chapter of the Santa Cruz cruising guide that shows various views of the anchorage, provides links to tide information and describes features and approach to anchorage.

Alberts Anchorage In shadow of the headland in late afternoon, this anchorage offers great views south and east in morning hours and a good night's sleep in moderate NW to W wind and swell. Coches Prietas anchorage, is just around the headland.

Cueva Valdez Anchorage Cueva has a pretty beach that is usually quite approachable. Reasonable protection afforded from W to NW wind and swell.

Frenchy's Anchorage A day-only anchorage on the west end of Anacapa. Great spot for lunch. Note that movement ashore is permitted only east of the big island.

East Fish Camp Anchorage A day-only anchorage on Middle Anacapa Island's south shore. Pelican Anchorage Reputed to be one of the best anchorages on the north shore of santa cruz. The site of an early twentieth century hotel. In summer, get there early. It can accommodate 8-10 if everyone minds their manners, sets themselves parallel to the earlier arrivals, uses bow and stern anchors and pulls up taut between them.

Willows Anchorage A great spot to spend the night. You can frequently have this idyllic anchorage to yourself. It's pretty well protected from the West wind and swell and is a great spot to view the Milky Way.

Frys Anchorage This is a spot to get away from it all. And by ALL, Capt. Dan means almost all of the westerly wind and swell. A beautiful spot about halfway up the northern shore of Santa Cruz. But get there early ... it fills quickly, especially on summer weekends.

Scorpion and Little Scorpion Anchorages This is probably the best spot on Santa Cruz to drop your kayak in the water. Excellent caves, and a beach that is free of surf (except during Santa Anas. It's also the place to go ashore for a hike to Smugglers or Potato Harbor. Swell and wind can be uncomfortable. See the page for details.

Lady's and Baby's (or Little Lady's)This is a fair weather anchorage that can accommodate one good-sized yacht. Good in calm weather, requires bow and stern anchor.

Painted Cave Not an anchorage, but one of the most spectacular works of nature on Santa Cruz island ... and the world's largest sea cave.

Yellowbanks and Smugglers Anchorages A great spot to hide from strong westerly winds. Only one hook required. Everybody's go to anchorage when they want a good night's rest. Good hiking ashore, though a tricky dinghy landing.

Cuyler Harbor, San Miguel This is the most spectacular anchorage in the northern tier of the Channel Islands. It can be tricky and the weather can turn quite foul quite fast. Definitely a great adventure. We found excellent weather in the fall for kayaking and exploring.

Santa Barbara Island This is the smallest island in the Channel Islands - about a mile square, yet it has some of the most interesting and dramatic terrain of any of the islands. It is also home to countless sea lions, brown pelicans and the 40 or so miles between Ventura and the island are rife with whales and other spectacular sites.

Prisoners Harbor Room for a dozen or more yachts, each on a single hook. Easy access ashore. At the juncture of National Park and Nature Conservancy property.

Platts Harbor Room for a boat or two, but wide open to the swell. Only good on calm days, great kayaking.

West Cove Supposedly a refuge from Santa Anas, this spot is also idyllic on VERY settled days.

Johnsons_Lee A nice place to stop enroute to San Miguel. Can be a rough ride, but it's only 10 nm to Cuylers.

Bechers Huge anchorage on Santa Rosa's east side. Not particularly pretty, at least not compared to the Santa Cruz anchorages just across the Santa Cruz Channel

Ships Store

Sailing Books Books to enhance your sailing and learning experience at Sail Channel Islands or anywhere else you sail. Links to Amazon and other providers as well as important information you can download at no cost.

Sailing Garb Official Sail Channel Islands shirts, hats etc.

Navigation Tools The best tools for Dead Reckoning (basic) navigation.

Gallery 1 - Cruising to Santa Cruz - fine photos taken on excursions with Sail Channel Islands and skippered by Capt. Dan. Framed, high-resolution reproductions available

Gallery 2 - Seascapes, beachscapes and more - fine photos taken on excursions with Sail Channel Islands. Framed, high-resolution reproductions available

Training Aids/Lessons

Index for Capt. Dan's ASA 105 navigation lessons

Capt. Dan's Navigation Course Lesson 1 - Aids to Navigation and charts

Capt. Dan's Navigation Course Lesson 2 - Supplemental publications required for safe coastal navigation

Capt. Dan's Navigation Course Lesson 3 - Instruction on Lines of Position, fixes and dead reckoning

Capt. Dan's Navigation Course Lesson 4 - Practice Problems in Dead Reckoning: 60D STreet

Capt. Dan's Navigation Course Lesson 5 - Tides: using tide tables

Capt. Dan's Navigation Course Lesson 6 - Set and Drift: Calculating current and correcting for it

Capt. Dan's Navigation Course Lesson 7 - Setting up a danger bearing and tracking progress

Capt. Dan's Navigation Course Lesson 8 - Rules of Thumb in Navigation

Capt. Dan's Navigation Course Lesson 9 - Exam prep

ASA 101, 103, heavy weather, night lessons