The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-08-30
THREE DAYS UPON THE SUMMER
SEAS
AN ASTRONOMICAL TREAT
B. r. Baumgardt Describes the Glories
of the Heavens From Yacht.
San Clemente

IOTHld dCdOoIuy VI SClcICeS, udp JuSt re-
turned from a short outing, cruise upon
the summer seas, starting from Long
Beach, sailing out past the headlands that
guard San Pedro, through the Santa Bar
bara channel around the heights of Santa
Catalina and beyond to the low-lying.
barren San Clemente island. The trip was
made with party OF fifteen upon the yacht
Nellie. the party leaving Long Beach
Thursday, the 18th instant. and returning
upon the following Sunday.
The Nellie was built by Peter Donahue OF
San Francisco and Is a forty-two ton
schooner, possessing the enviable record
Of never having been beaten IL n race
upon the Pacific coast. Ordinarily carry
ing a madnsail, foresail, jsb and flying jib
the Nellie makes ten knots an hour, bur
when racing, four additional sails are
raiseG-a main gaff topsail, fore gaff top
SAIL jib topsail and main topmast staysail.
With all this canvas set her record has
been eighteen knots an hour. She has a
comfortable cabin, fair-sized galley and
three staterooms.
When the party left Long Beach 1t was
hoped something in the interest of archeol-
ogy might be discovered at San Clemente.
but the intense heat at the island quite
prevented any explorations, and the trip
was only one of delightful sea experiences.
OF the excursion Mr.. Baumgardt, in an
interview with Herald representative,
gave the following interesting details:
A Monster Whale
The first noteworthy incident Of the trap
was the appearance of a monstrous whale,
about 125 yards from the yacht. This
whale was the largest I have ever SEEM
said Mr.. Baumgardt, Sin my many years
experience of seafaring life. The spouting
of the water and snorting Of the monste.
were most interesting to the party, many
of whom had never seen a whale before.
/ In the late evening, off San Clemente
island, large shark was SEEN which was
The shark, however, was not at all ddscon-
certed but dived directly under the keel
and made his appearance In full view to all,
the water being placid and so transparent
that not only was he plainly visible but also
three or four beautifully tinted pilot fish,
that are seen always in advance of this
monster of the deep.
Catalina was reached the middle of
the afternoon. The water seemed but a
reflection Of the sky. In it's depths drifted
u
colors. The grim and forbidding nature of
the island, with its shore of rock, its maze
of mountain ranges, its deep canyons and
frowning headlands, impressed all as grand
and beautiful in the extreme.
mo landing was made here, but on ac-
count of the island acting as a barrier to
the wind the yacht was becalmed for some
hours. 1t caught the breeze when it
reached the outer channel at San Clemente
at p. m.
"It was our Intention" pursued Mr.
Baumgardt, "to spend the first night in
Mosquito harbor-so called because 50
tiny-but so much time had been wasted off
the shores of Catalina that we were not
able to enter and we spent the night drift
ing about mile off shore; some Of the par
ty were out in skiffs fishing and some
built bonfire on the beach which looked
very picturesque and beautiful from the
yacht.
A Night of Stars
But preferred to remain on board, as
the heavens presented a spectacle both
grand and awe-inspiring. Though have
spent great deal Of time in the tropics,
having crossed the equator seven times,
yet never have seen the stars to such ex-
cellent advantage.
Inc nlght was exceedingly clear and With
the nake0 eye was able to make out plain
ly many stars OF the sixth magnitude,
which l have found almost impossible to
| discern in Los Angeles. Little 81 Cygni'
one OF the CLASSICS 10 al STUDENTS Oh as
sronomy' star petween the sixth ana
seventh magnitude was easily seen, ana
even tne planet Uranus was plainly V.siole
WIN the unarmeo eye
Inc evening happeneu u pe one oi uh-
Usual co ~ io'eis vi as'ioAoiny' .o1
:. Wa .ne i"e.' "n'n .ne Io"e -sousn .,
r S"H..n, " '"u paAe.s .up..el anu
go. 80, 80 49, $50, s.s "onoe.
- I,,a,,.en ~ $50 ~ 49, go 80, 800.
and, earr,,,, r.-;.h 49,, r,.,,t ~. -,
amelia u-os tho ,oung Moo, a e1,..ndar oras
cent all forming a beaut,f,,p constel,a n On
ard one not to be forgotten. But our post
ton being north of Clemente island allowed
the enjoyment of the spectacle only Short
time. When the moon sank behind the
hills found to my surprise the luminosity