Monday, November 27, 2006
SUNDAY 26 NOV. 2006-- RAINY OUTING-- SURPRISE SUNSET!
Rain was predicted for Sunday, but Greg from up Placerville way wanted to come down for a sail. Stevan and his wife, Stela were tentatively scheduled to come also but decided to wait for nicer weather and concentrate on settling in with their furniture.
We left port around 1:45 in a light misty rain, after setting up for a reef in the main, and pulled up the reefed main after dodging a large motor yacht heading for the marina entrance. We headed out into the central bay, pulling out the jib to full as we did. Then we headed for the gate on port tack beam reach, sailing through widely varying winds against a moderate flood current. It was raining, so we didn't photograph ADVENTURE CAT2 as she passed us, or another sailboat out in the rain and heading east.
That single tack took us out the gate and then we fell off, reefed the jib, and then came about and headed for Raccoon Straits, sailing almost direct downwind, with the rain falling on our foulies, but still having a good time. [photo by Greg]
As we approached Raccoon Straits, we saw someone out sailing on a Laser-- don't think i'd go out on a Laser in that weather. [photo by Greg]
We sailed all the way down the Straits and then tried to sail up the east side of Angel Island, but there was insufficient wind to make headway against the flood current even after pulling out the jib to full, so we came about and headed back toward the Straits, enjoying this view of the structures on the east side of Angel,
now that the rain had stopped.
The seas were flat as we approached the Straits with some flood assist.
We eventually arrived in some good winds and were making good headway back up the Straits, passing Ayala Cove where a couple of boats were tied up, and enjoying the view of the mists dropping down the island hills.
Belvedere, Tiburon, and Mt. Tam were suffering under overcast skies.
A couple of tacks took us out of the Straits and we could then see Alcatraz and the City behind in the mist.
Greg was at the helm as we headed across the central bay toward home port on the southwest breeze.
The Golden Gate Bridge was also under overcast skies and so we were not expecting anything but grayness for our crossing.
Our boat neighbor on his new Catalina TEMPTATION was heading across the bay also and off to port.
As we sailed along, a window in the clouds seemed to be opening beyond the gate.
This opening in the skies outside the gate gave us some hope of seeing the sundown through the gate.
Soon we began to see some dramatic sundown skies through and over the gate!
A bit of clearing skies were also seen over the central bay.
We decided to head for the gate to watch the sundown as it developed with more dramatic flavor.
The sun was now visible under some clouds, but was about to drop behind a thick bank of clouds on the horizon, but producing some beautiful sunset colors over the gate.
Now the sun was partially obscured by the clouds on the horizon, but dramatic skies continued.
A large dark cloud was scudding toward us as we headed for home port, but over the gate the sunset colors persisted.
The sunset colors started to fade as we sailed against the waxing ebb current toward home port.
The sunset eventually faded into grayness with blackness overhead at dusk.
City lights brightened and added their magic to the growing darkness and threats of rain which soon started up again.
With the rain came the overwhelming blackness, and with a shift of the wind into the southeast, we decided to motorsail the rest of the way to home port.
After dousing the sails, heading into port and docking-- the rain having stopped again in the meanwhile-- we were happy to go below, enjoy warming up in the salon of ANTICIPATION, and sharing some apple-flavored hot tea and some brie and crackers, while watching a slide show of the photos of the day, and the day before.
I was happy that Greg came down since I would have otherwise been tempted to stay in port. Instead, our outing added credibility to my assertion that we go out year around, rain or shine.
Rain was predicted for Sunday, but Greg from up Placerville way wanted to come down for a sail. Stevan and his wife, Stela were tentatively scheduled to come also but decided to wait for nicer weather and concentrate on settling in with their furniture.
We left port around 1:45 in a light misty rain, after setting up for a reef in the main, and pulled up the reefed main after dodging a large motor yacht heading for the marina entrance. We headed out into the central bay, pulling out the jib to full as we did. Then we headed for the gate on port tack beam reach, sailing through widely varying winds against a moderate flood current. It was raining, so we didn't photograph ADVENTURE CAT2 as she passed us, or another sailboat out in the rain and heading east.
That single tack took us out the gate and then we fell off, reefed the jib, and then came about and headed for Raccoon Straits, sailing almost direct downwind, with the rain falling on our foulies, but still having a good time. [photo by Greg]
As we approached Raccoon Straits, we saw someone out sailing on a Laser-- don't think i'd go out on a Laser in that weather. [photo by Greg]
We sailed all the way down the Straits and then tried to sail up the east side of Angel Island, but there was insufficient wind to make headway against the flood current even after pulling out the jib to full, so we came about and headed back toward the Straits, enjoying this view of the structures on the east side of Angel,
now that the rain had stopped.
The seas were flat as we approached the Straits with some flood assist.
We eventually arrived in some good winds and were making good headway back up the Straits, passing Ayala Cove where a couple of boats were tied up, and enjoying the view of the mists dropping down the island hills.
Belvedere, Tiburon, and Mt. Tam were suffering under overcast skies.
A couple of tacks took us out of the Straits and we could then see Alcatraz and the City behind in the mist.
Greg was at the helm as we headed across the central bay toward home port on the southwest breeze.
The Golden Gate Bridge was also under overcast skies and so we were not expecting anything but grayness for our crossing.
Our boat neighbor on his new Catalina TEMPTATION was heading across the bay also and off to port.
As we sailed along, a window in the clouds seemed to be opening beyond the gate.
This opening in the skies outside the gate gave us some hope of seeing the sundown through the gate.
Soon we began to see some dramatic sundown skies through and over the gate!
A bit of clearing skies were also seen over the central bay.
We decided to head for the gate to watch the sundown as it developed with more dramatic flavor.
The sun was now visible under some clouds, but was about to drop behind a thick bank of clouds on the horizon, but producing some beautiful sunset colors over the gate.
Now the sun was partially obscured by the clouds on the horizon, but dramatic skies continued.
A large dark cloud was scudding toward us as we headed for home port, but over the gate the sunset colors persisted.
The sunset colors started to fade as we sailed against the waxing ebb current toward home port.
The sunset eventually faded into grayness with blackness overhead at dusk.
City lights brightened and added their magic to the growing darkness and threats of rain which soon started up again.
With the rain came the overwhelming blackness, and with a shift of the wind into the southeast, we decided to motorsail the rest of the way to home port.
After dousing the sails, heading into port and docking-- the rain having stopped again in the meanwhile-- we were happy to go below, enjoy warming up in the salon of ANTICIPATION, and sharing some apple-flavored hot tea and some brie and crackers, while watching a slide show of the photos of the day, and the day before.
I was happy that Greg came down since I would have otherwise been tempted to stay in port. Instead, our outing added credibility to my assertion that we go out year around, rain or shine.
# posted by charlie bergstedt @ 8:48 PM 
