Wednesday, January 24, 2007
TUESDAY 23 JAN 07-- A LAST SAIL WITH MOLLY-- TO THE GATE AND BACK
Molly is heading back to England in a week or so, after living and working in San Francisco for the last couple of years, so she joined us for one last sail-- at least for a long while probably.
We left port about 2 pm, heading out into the central bay with full canvas-- into a moderate flood current and a light breeze at best. For the first 10 minutes or so, we barely ghosted away from the shore, tacking away from a large freighter wake what pushed us back toward the shore-- the freighter wake blasting the shore and spraying over the seawall of the marina and over the end of pier 39, probably soaking some people standing there. Now a light breeze came up and we were able to begin ghosting a little faster to the west. But as we tacked away from pier 39, we had to tack away from another freighter wake that also blasted the marina seawall and the end of the pier.
The city was enjoying hazy sunshine as we sailed toward pier 45, and then tacked away toward Alcatraz.
We sailed about 2/3 of the distance to Alcatraz and then tacked to the southwest again, and now the breeze started freshening into the 5-7 knot range [thank you Mother Nature]and soon we were sailing on closehauled starboard tack right toward the gate, against the flood current and making great headway-- GREAT SAILING!
A Tartan sailboat was leaving the marina at Gas House Cove and raising sails in the hazy afternoon sunlight.
A small sailboat motored past to starboard with its jib flapping in the breeze.
The wind gradually shifted more into the north east and we eased out the sails as we continued making great headway toward the gate with Molly at the helm.
We sailed out the gate about midspan with the GGB and the Marin Headlands also engulfed in some light haze.
We continued sailing out the gate a short ways, enjoying views of the GGB and the Headlands off to starboard....
....and the hazed out Headlands in the distance in front of us.
A few hundred yards outside the gate, we tacked and headed back inside, sailing back toward home port on close reach port tack with Molly still enjoying her time at the helm.
We made good headway toward home port with some declining flood current assist, watching the city locked in hazy sunshine.
The wind gradually softened and shifted more northerly again, and then more into the west again, so we eased out the sails and were now broad-reaching toward home port as we watched this sailboat passing the southern shore of Alcatraz.
The breeze did nothing to drive away the haze, so the city was still locked in it as we sailed past pier 45.
Earlier, when the breeze was stronger and we were making faster headway, we thought we might sail on to the Bay Bridge and complete a two bridge kiss, but gave up on that as the breeze flattened a bit and we were sailing on a broad reach which is a less efficient point of sail in light winds.
The flags on the end of Pier 39 were fluttering moderately as we sailed past, furling the jib, readying the fenders and lines.
We sailed toward pier 35 and eventually came into the wind to douse the main and then motor into port. After putting ANTICIPATION to rest in her slip, we went below to share some wine and cheese and bread. As darkness fell, I wished Molly bon voyage. We may see each other again in future, in London, or Australia, or who knows where. I was happy that we were able to share another very pleasurable outing together on our beautiful San Francisco Bay.
Molly is heading back to England in a week or so, after living and working in San Francisco for the last couple of years, so she joined us for one last sail-- at least for a long while probably.
We left port about 2 pm, heading out into the central bay with full canvas-- into a moderate flood current and a light breeze at best. For the first 10 minutes or so, we barely ghosted away from the shore, tacking away from a large freighter wake what pushed us back toward the shore-- the freighter wake blasting the shore and spraying over the seawall of the marina and over the end of pier 39, probably soaking some people standing there. Now a light breeze came up and we were able to begin ghosting a little faster to the west. But as we tacked away from pier 39, we had to tack away from another freighter wake that also blasted the marina seawall and the end of the pier.
The city was enjoying hazy sunshine as we sailed toward pier 45, and then tacked away toward Alcatraz.
We sailed about 2/3 of the distance to Alcatraz and then tacked to the southwest again, and now the breeze started freshening into the 5-7 knot range [thank you Mother Nature]and soon we were sailing on closehauled starboard tack right toward the gate, against the flood current and making great headway-- GREAT SAILING!
A Tartan sailboat was leaving the marina at Gas House Cove and raising sails in the hazy afternoon sunlight.
A small sailboat motored past to starboard with its jib flapping in the breeze.
The wind gradually shifted more into the north east and we eased out the sails as we continued making great headway toward the gate with Molly at the helm.
We sailed out the gate about midspan with the GGB and the Marin Headlands also engulfed in some light haze.
We continued sailing out the gate a short ways, enjoying views of the GGB and the Headlands off to starboard....
....and the hazed out Headlands in the distance in front of us.
A few hundred yards outside the gate, we tacked and headed back inside, sailing back toward home port on close reach port tack with Molly still enjoying her time at the helm.
We made good headway toward home port with some declining flood current assist, watching the city locked in hazy sunshine.
The wind gradually softened and shifted more northerly again, and then more into the west again, so we eased out the sails and were now broad-reaching toward home port as we watched this sailboat passing the southern shore of Alcatraz.
The breeze did nothing to drive away the haze, so the city was still locked in it as we sailed past pier 45.
Earlier, when the breeze was stronger and we were making faster headway, we thought we might sail on to the Bay Bridge and complete a two bridge kiss, but gave up on that as the breeze flattened a bit and we were sailing on a broad reach which is a less efficient point of sail in light winds.
The flags on the end of Pier 39 were fluttering moderately as we sailed past, furling the jib, readying the fenders and lines.
We sailed toward pier 35 and eventually came into the wind to douse the main and then motor into port. After putting ANTICIPATION to rest in her slip, we went below to share some wine and cheese and bread. As darkness fell, I wished Molly bon voyage. We may see each other again in future, in London, or Australia, or who knows where. I was happy that we were able to share another very pleasurable outing together on our beautiful San Francisco Bay.
# posted by charlie bergstedt @ 11:10 PM 
