Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-03-04
winter sailing in southern seas.
Mr.. Luther L. Holden, in the Boston
Home Journal, thus speaks of a winter
trip from San Diego TO Santa Barbara:
THE ARIIycToN.

Home Journal, thus speaks Of winter
trip from San Diego to Santa Barbara:
THE ARLINGTON,
SANTA BARBARA, Dec. l6, 1885.
Since the extension Of the Santa Fe
railway system into Southern California,
for both the Atlantic and Pacific and
the California Southern railroads are in
reality part of the web and woof of
this great western network Of iron road
way, many new possibilities in the way
Of speedier transit are opened for the
tourist For example, the journey from
San Diego to Los Angeles, or vice versa,
may be made in day, the trains con-
Meeting at Cotton with those from the
north and east. Between Cotton and
Los Angeles all trains are run over the
tracks of the Southern Pacific Rail
road, which extends southeastward
from Cotton across San Bernardino
and San Diego counties into Southern
Arizona. Having taken the rail
way route southwark to San Diego,
planned to leave that city by steamer.
San Diego is the southernmost port
reached BY the Pacific Coast Steamship
Company's boats. and by water is 4S2
miles from San Francisco. Santa Bar
bara is 1914 miles north Of San Diego and
about midway is San Pedro, the port of
Los Angeles and 25 miles therefrom.
The time occupied in the voyage from
San Diego to Santa Barbara is about
twenty six hours, but half a day Of this
is occupied in detention at San Pedro
for Los Angeles freight and passen-
gers At least this is the case with the
steamer Santa Rosa, which is the largest
and finest boat in the southern coast SER
vice of this company, and on which it was
my good fortune to find myself upon set
ting utfrom San Diego Sunday afternoon.
San Diego is seen to better advantage
from the bay than from any other point,
and the steamer sails along in front of it
for several miles before reaching an out
let to the open Pacific at Point Iona.
As we rounded the point, the sun was
casting its last mellow rays upon the
mountains and hiding their rough and
rugged surfaces with purple mantle.
The town disappeared from view behind
the point and we were out upon the
broad Pacific. The group of bold islands
known as the Coropados, are not many
miles away, but Jne gathering night
brings them only into dim outline.
The stars shine forth in great brilliancy
in this clear southern atmosphere, and
the cloudless heavens are studded with
nyriads of them. 1t is id-December
and yet the air is as soft and balmy as
spring. Even an overcoat at night is by
no means necessity, and during the
day is positive encnmbrance The
ocean is true to its name and as peaceful
as the traditional mill-pond Under
such circumstances the voyage could not
be otherwise than delightful.
Morning found us anchored off San
Pedro, for the Santa Rosa is too large
vessel to risk an approach to the wharf,
and took advantage of the forenoon's
detention to 60 ashore and visit the new
resort at Long Beach, some seven miles
distant from the San Pedro landing.
Here upon the verge Of fine hard beach
of sand, eight or ten miles long, hotel
has been built TO serve both as a summer
and winter resort. Bathing is here in
dulged in during the winter as well as in
summer, the same as at Santa Monica.
After breakfast at the hotel enjoyed
ramble Of several miles on the beach be-
fore it was time to return to the steamer
Reinforced by large list of passen-
gers from Los Angeles, we left San Pedro
soon after l2 o'clock and resumed our
voyage northwestward towards Santa
Barbara. Tne day was delightful, the
sun giving forth such degree OF heat
that the shady side Of the boat was most
favored, and the ocean was very smooth.
The coast scenery lie generally very pic
turesque in the southern part of Caiifor-
mia. The beaches and Lays are separat-
ed by rocky headlands and the noun
tain ranges in places extend nearly down
to the ocean. The grand outline Of
the Sierra Madre or San Bernardino
range, which can be traced more than
fifty miles inland, with the snow-capped
summit of "0ld Baldy' in especially
prominent view, and the nearer Sierra
Santa Monica, Sierra Santa Susan and
the Sierra Santa Ynez. form succession
OF beautiful pictures. In the early after
noon we passed Santa Monica, and
towards nightfall San Buenaventura. the
only places OF Importance lying along
this section of the coast. Santa Barbara
appeared in the gloom of the evening
only group Of lights against the face Of
the overhanging mountains.