Monday, February 12, 2007
SUNDAY 11 FEB 07-- SOLO SAIL TO GGB AND BACK-- NICE SUNDOWN
It felt great to be back out on the water after a week of being in port, the early part of the week due to fighting a cough-bug, the later part of the week due to steady rains.
When we left port about 3:30 pm, a nice southwesterly breeze was blowing, so we put up full main and put out a reefed jib and headed out into the central bay.
The city was enjoying brilliant sunshine as we sailed west.
A herring boat was headed out to try to find an evening catch.
A few sailboats were still out on the bay, like this one heading for home port.
Russian Hill and Aquatic Park were in partial sun and shadow as we passed.
GO DOG GO, a neighbor boat, was returning from the gate, but changed course for a brief rendezvous...
...soon falling behind as we sailed westward in a good breeze....
...and looking good with the city behind.
A large ketch was sailing along the Marin Headlands as we approached.
Another sailboat was returning from the gate and passed to port.
As we approached the shore of Yellow Bluff, we enjoyed this view of the GGB.
We tacked in softer wind, pulled out the jib to full and sailed all the way across the gate as the sun was going down-- here partially hidden behind the south tower.
After sailing past the south tower, we tacked and headed out the gate on port tack close reach with full canvas, resisted by the now waxing flood current.
We sailed out about midspan and continued westward for a short while, enjoying a view of the GGB from outside the gate, and then came about and headed back inside.
The breeze had softened and we were now just ghosting eastward with some flood current assist as the sun started to go down in a cloud bank in the west.
Eventually the sun peeked out again through a gap in the clouds....
...giving us some brilliant sunset color....
...and a bit of dramatic sky patterns.
Eventually we caught the last rays of the sun behind this outbound freighter.
After sundown, the skies were mostly bluish-gray at dusk.
Eventually the breeze freshened a bit and we were making some faster progress toward home port as the city lights brightened.
Dusk was settling over the marina as we motored into port.
It was nice to re-enter port with that feeling of sailing satisfaction.
It felt great to be back out on the water after a week of being in port, the early part of the week due to fighting a cough-bug, the later part of the week due to steady rains.
When we left port about 3:30 pm, a nice southwesterly breeze was blowing, so we put up full main and put out a reefed jib and headed out into the central bay.
The city was enjoying brilliant sunshine as we sailed west.
A herring boat was headed out to try to find an evening catch.
A few sailboats were still out on the bay, like this one heading for home port.
Russian Hill and Aquatic Park were in partial sun and shadow as we passed.
GO DOG GO, a neighbor boat, was returning from the gate, but changed course for a brief rendezvous...
...soon falling behind as we sailed westward in a good breeze....
...and looking good with the city behind.
A large ketch was sailing along the Marin Headlands as we approached.
Another sailboat was returning from the gate and passed to port.
As we approached the shore of Yellow Bluff, we enjoyed this view of the GGB.
We tacked in softer wind, pulled out the jib to full and sailed all the way across the gate as the sun was going down-- here partially hidden behind the south tower.
After sailing past the south tower, we tacked and headed out the gate on port tack close reach with full canvas, resisted by the now waxing flood current.
We sailed out about midspan and continued westward for a short while, enjoying a view of the GGB from outside the gate, and then came about and headed back inside.
The breeze had softened and we were now just ghosting eastward with some flood current assist as the sun started to go down in a cloud bank in the west.
Eventually the sun peeked out again through a gap in the clouds....
...giving us some brilliant sunset color....
...and a bit of dramatic sky patterns.
Eventually we caught the last rays of the sun behind this outbound freighter.
After sundown, the skies were mostly bluish-gray at dusk.
Eventually the breeze freshened a bit and we were making some faster progress toward home port as the city lights brightened.
Dusk was settling over the marina as we motored into port.
It was nice to re-enter port with that feeling of sailing satisfaction.
# posted by charlie bergstedt @ 7:20 PM 
