Sunday, November 26, 2006
SATURDAY 25 NOVEMBER 2006-- 6 HOURS ON OUR BEAUTIFUL BAY
Yesterday begain as a beautiful sunny day with a moderate breeze out of the northeast. We left port just before noon, put up full canvas and headed out into the central bay, sailing downwind on broad reach starboard tack.
We ghosted past pier 39 where a lone kayaker was paddling eastward on the glistening bay waters.
Flags on the end of pier 39 were barely fluttering in the light breeze.
As the breeze softened further, we headed up toward Alcatraz, passing this large cutter-rigged sailboat headed toward shore.
We ghosted out toward the east side of Alcatraz, passing other boats on the way, like this one.
The breeze became flukey and so we decided to sail to the northeast with the flood current so that we would be down current when the ebb started if a better wind didnt materialize.
As we sailed along, this Catalina passed to starboard.
The wind shifted into the southeast so we headed for the cityfront and then a lovely 10 knot westerly came up and soon we were blasting westpnorthwestward on close reach port tack, quickly passing this Catalina hardly moving due to poor sail trim.
As we sailed toward Alcatraz, we passed astern of this small sailboat sailing a bit more off the wind...
...and this dingy-trailing sailboat as well.
After arriving in light air in the lee of Alcatraz, we tacked to the south and saw Adventure Cat approaching.
We were on starboard tack so the Cat owed us right of way and fell off a bit to let us pass port to port with a few feet of each other-- so we could see the happy people on the foredeck.
Skies were mostly clear, but some clouds were beginning to move in from the west.
This traditional cutter-rigges sailboat with tanbark sails passed to port after we had tacked to the west again.
Behind us, this small sailboat was sailing toward us and looking good with the city in the background.
Adventure Cat had rounded Alcatraz and was heading westward, but we were far ahead of her and we expected her to catch up fairly soon.
North of Alcatraz, the breeze was softer, so we tacked back into the stronger breeze in the south half of the central bay, and this Beneteau passed between us and the gate.
as we sailed to the south, the wind continually freshened and eventually we were on the verge of being overcanvassed, so we tacked back to the west again, and ended up on a converging course with this smaller sailboat, forcing them to luff up to give us right of way as the leeward boat.
She ended up right behind us and chased us for a while, but quickly fell several boat lengths behind and fell off the wind a bit more again.
A couple of more tacks took us to a point approaching Horseshoe Cove, where this nice sailboat crossed in front of us, returning from outside the gate. I love the look of the rolling Marin Headlands in the background.
The lovely ketch PENDRAGON passed in front of us after we tacked toward the gate and looked good with the city shining brilliantly in the background.
We tacked again toward Horseshoe Cove and Adventure Cat passed us, returning from outside the gate.
As we sailed toward the gate, this Ranger sailboat passed to starboard.
Behind us, this small sailboat was headed toward the gate.
A Catalina doing wing and wing was heading back toward the gate.
We sailed out on starboard tack just inside the south tower of the GGB, enjoying views of the bridge and the rugged coast of the Marin Headlands just outside the gate.
We sailed out just a short distance and then fell off and heaed back inside, passing this sailboat headed for the gate.
We considered heading for Raccoon Straits, but with the ebb current starting soon, we decided to gybe and head toward home port, passing this nice Catalina named BIG CAT headed toward the gate.
A cute Rhodes 19 approached and passed astern.
As we sailed eastward, behind us the skies started to fill with more and more clouds.
After passing pier 45, we could see that that city was still under clear skies and enjoying brilliant sunshine.
We sailed past pier 39 and down the cityfront shore, enjoying views of the financial district as the clouds began to move over.
ith the sun now down behind clouds, the financial district buildings and the ferry building showed up in silhouette-- creating an interesting photo.
The breeze stayed moderately strong all the way down the cityfront, and soon we were approaching the Bay Bridge which was still gleaming.
After sailing under the A-B span of the bridge, we fell off to reef the jib and then headed up and sailed back through the span, headed toward the shore, where we eventully had a different view of the city.
we sailed to within a couple hundred yards of the shore and then tacked to the north, passing that bow and arrow sculpture that I like more the more I see it.
We had a view of the Ferry Building and Coit Tower behind that is one that I can't recall experiencing before.
As we sailed along the cityfront, the racing trimaran named FLIP FLAP N' FLY scooted past to starboard.
That same Catalina named BIG CAT passed us, heading home.
Some interestesting cloud formations were scudding past Coit Tower as we blasted in good winds toward Angel Island.
This large sailboat approached with the overcast GGB in the background.
Alcatraz was mostly in silhouette as we passed to the lee side
A bit of sunset color showed through the GGB as we headed for the weather side of Angel Island.
As we sailed up the west shore of Angel, we enjoyed this view of the residences scattered up the hillside.
A couple of sailboats had exited Raccoon Straits as we approached and were sailing toward the central bay on a southerly course.
We sailed past the northwest point of Angel and took our last view of Alcatraz and the city as we entered the Straits, pulling out the jib to full for more power.
We always enjoy this view of Mt. Tam towering over Tiburon.
We switched from port tack to wing and wing to sail past Ayala Cove, in which a number of boats were tied up.
sailed past Ayala Cove and then reefed the jib and came about and headed back up the straits again.
As we exited the straits, this sailboat flying full canvas was chasing us.
We were blasting across the central bay on starboard tack beam reach when we noticed that REVERIE-- that large motor yacht that had been tied up at Pier 35-- was now steaming toward the gate.
A bit later, we could see that some nice sunset colors were beginning to develop outside the gate
REVERIE was steaming into the sunset-- perhaps a good omen for a good voyage to whereever she was headed.
The sunset developed some brilliant colors in the window in the clouds over the gate....
...including some brilliant colors over the Presidio.
Ahead of us, city was looking especially festive for the holiday season in the twilight
We sailed past pier 39 and continued down the cityfront, enjoying the magic vistas presented by the holiday lighting.
The views of the financial district are especially appealing this time of year with the special lighting supplementing the usual ferry building lighting.
We continued sailing and passed under the A-B span of the Bay Bridge again, eventually to enjoy this view of the city framed by the bridge.
We came about and headed back toward home port, eventually noticing that skies had cleared and a quarter moon was visible over the financial district buildings.
We were filled to overflowing with the pleasure of our outing as we eventually pulled into port and docked, especially after reviewing and culling the some 300 photos that we took during the outing.
Yesterday begain as a beautiful sunny day with a moderate breeze out of the northeast. We left port just before noon, put up full canvas and headed out into the central bay, sailing downwind on broad reach starboard tack.
We ghosted past pier 39 where a lone kayaker was paddling eastward on the glistening bay waters.
Flags on the end of pier 39 were barely fluttering in the light breeze.
As the breeze softened further, we headed up toward Alcatraz, passing this large cutter-rigged sailboat headed toward shore.
We ghosted out toward the east side of Alcatraz, passing other boats on the way, like this one.
The breeze became flukey and so we decided to sail to the northeast with the flood current so that we would be down current when the ebb started if a better wind didnt materialize.
As we sailed along, this Catalina passed to starboard.
The wind shifted into the southeast so we headed for the cityfront and then a lovely 10 knot westerly came up and soon we were blasting westpnorthwestward on close reach port tack, quickly passing this Catalina hardly moving due to poor sail trim.
As we sailed toward Alcatraz, we passed astern of this small sailboat sailing a bit more off the wind...
...and this dingy-trailing sailboat as well.
After arriving in light air in the lee of Alcatraz, we tacked to the south and saw Adventure Cat approaching.
We were on starboard tack so the Cat owed us right of way and fell off a bit to let us pass port to port with a few feet of each other-- so we could see the happy people on the foredeck.
Skies were mostly clear, but some clouds were beginning to move in from the west.
This traditional cutter-rigges sailboat with tanbark sails passed to port after we had tacked to the west again.
Behind us, this small sailboat was sailing toward us and looking good with the city in the background.
Adventure Cat had rounded Alcatraz and was heading westward, but we were far ahead of her and we expected her to catch up fairly soon.
North of Alcatraz, the breeze was softer, so we tacked back into the stronger breeze in the south half of the central bay, and this Beneteau passed between us and the gate.
as we sailed to the south, the wind continually freshened and eventually we were on the verge of being overcanvassed, so we tacked back to the west again, and ended up on a converging course with this smaller sailboat, forcing them to luff up to give us right of way as the leeward boat.
She ended up right behind us and chased us for a while, but quickly fell several boat lengths behind and fell off the wind a bit more again.
A couple of more tacks took us to a point approaching Horseshoe Cove, where this nice sailboat crossed in front of us, returning from outside the gate. I love the look of the rolling Marin Headlands in the background.
The lovely ketch PENDRAGON passed in front of us after we tacked toward the gate and looked good with the city shining brilliantly in the background.
We tacked again toward Horseshoe Cove and Adventure Cat passed us, returning from outside the gate.
As we sailed toward the gate, this Ranger sailboat passed to starboard.
Behind us, this small sailboat was headed toward the gate.
A Catalina doing wing and wing was heading back toward the gate.
We sailed out on starboard tack just inside the south tower of the GGB, enjoying views of the bridge and the rugged coast of the Marin Headlands just outside the gate.
We sailed out just a short distance and then fell off and heaed back inside, passing this sailboat headed for the gate.
We considered heading for Raccoon Straits, but with the ebb current starting soon, we decided to gybe and head toward home port, passing this nice Catalina named BIG CAT headed toward the gate.
A cute Rhodes 19 approached and passed astern.
As we sailed eastward, behind us the skies started to fill with more and more clouds.
After passing pier 45, we could see that that city was still under clear skies and enjoying brilliant sunshine.
We sailed past pier 39 and down the cityfront shore, enjoying views of the financial district as the clouds began to move over.
ith the sun now down behind clouds, the financial district buildings and the ferry building showed up in silhouette-- creating an interesting photo.
The breeze stayed moderately strong all the way down the cityfront, and soon we were approaching the Bay Bridge which was still gleaming.
After sailing under the A-B span of the bridge, we fell off to reef the jib and then headed up and sailed back through the span, headed toward the shore, where we eventully had a different view of the city.
we sailed to within a couple hundred yards of the shore and then tacked to the north, passing that bow and arrow sculpture that I like more the more I see it.
We had a view of the Ferry Building and Coit Tower behind that is one that I can't recall experiencing before.
As we sailed along the cityfront, the racing trimaran named FLIP FLAP N' FLY scooted past to starboard.
That same Catalina named BIG CAT passed us, heading home.
Some interestesting cloud formations were scudding past Coit Tower as we blasted in good winds toward Angel Island.
This large sailboat approached with the overcast GGB in the background.
Alcatraz was mostly in silhouette as we passed to the lee side
A bit of sunset color showed through the GGB as we headed for the weather side of Angel Island.
As we sailed up the west shore of Angel, we enjoyed this view of the residences scattered up the hillside.
A couple of sailboats had exited Raccoon Straits as we approached and were sailing toward the central bay on a southerly course.
We sailed past the northwest point of Angel and took our last view of Alcatraz and the city as we entered the Straits, pulling out the jib to full for more power.
We always enjoy this view of Mt. Tam towering over Tiburon.
We switched from port tack to wing and wing to sail past Ayala Cove, in which a number of boats were tied up.
sailed past Ayala Cove and then reefed the jib and came about and headed back up the straits again.
As we exited the straits, this sailboat flying full canvas was chasing us.
We were blasting across the central bay on starboard tack beam reach when we noticed that REVERIE-- that large motor yacht that had been tied up at Pier 35-- was now steaming toward the gate.
A bit later, we could see that some nice sunset colors were beginning to develop outside the gate
REVERIE was steaming into the sunset-- perhaps a good omen for a good voyage to whereever she was headed.
The sunset developed some brilliant colors in the window in the clouds over the gate....
...including some brilliant colors over the Presidio.
Ahead of us, city was looking especially festive for the holiday season in the twilight
We sailed past pier 39 and continued down the cityfront, enjoying the magic vistas presented by the holiday lighting.
The views of the financial district are especially appealing this time of year with the special lighting supplementing the usual ferry building lighting.
We continued sailing and passed under the A-B span of the Bay Bridge again, eventually to enjoy this view of the city framed by the bridge.
We came about and headed back toward home port, eventually noticing that skies had cleared and a quarter moon was visible over the financial district buildings.
We were filled to overflowing with the pleasure of our outing as we eventually pulled into port and docked, especially after reviewing and culling the some 300 photos that we took during the outing.
# posted by charlie bergstedt @ 11:21 PM 
