Saturday, March 24, 2007
FRIDAY 23 MARCH 07-- TO THE GGB AND BACK-- KITESURFERS AND WINDSURFERS GALORE
Friday was another warm and sunny day in SF. Winds started out norheasterly and in the early afternoon, shifted into the southwest and freshened dramatically.
We headed out about 4 pm and raised single-reefed main just outside the marina, and it looked from the flag on Telegraph Hill that winds were blowing about 10 knots, but in anticipation of probably stronger winds coming up, we put out a handkerchief sized jib and headed out into the central bay.
We sailed to the west a short distance and then tacked toward the end of pier 39 to avoid crashing through the wake of an inbound freighter. As we tacked away from pier 39, the flags on the end of pier 39 seemed to be driven by a breeze greater than 10 knots but we didnt feel that on the bay for some reason.
We sailed out to the west again for a short while and behind us, the ADVENTURE CAT was heading back into port after a cruise to the gate and back.
We sailed to the west a while, pulling out a bit more jib for a bit more power, and then tacked into the lee of pier 45, and once in the lee, we tacked to the west again, enjoying views of the city receding behind us.
A sailboat was heading east and passing between us and the Hyde Street pier.
At some point, as we continued westward, it seemed like the wind would not freshen above about 12-15 knots, so we pulled out the jib to full and continued sailing westward, watching this small sailboat sailing downwind to the east and passing Alcatraz.
After about another 15 minutes, the wind started freshening dramatically, and soon was blowing in the 20-25 knot range, so we were easing out the sails to avoid being overpowered, and eventually we had to fall off to DDW and reef the jib back to a small handkerchief size again, before coming about and heading back to the south again, and watching a bunch of kitesurfers having great fun between us and the gate.
Off to starboard, a kitesurfer went airborn though he's a bit difficult to spot against the dark background of the cliffs just south of Yellow Bluff. [Check out the larger view to see if you can spot him.]
As we sailed southward, we soon found ourselves surrounded by kitesurfers. What a blast to watch them flying across the water with their colorful kites dragging them back and forth across the bay waters.
We sailed parallel to the gate for a while, then tacked toward Horseshoe Cove, then tacked to sail parallel to the gate again, and then tacked out the gate between midspan and the north tower, enjoying views of the rugged cliffs of the Marin Headlands as we sailed out the gate.
We sailed out a short distance and then tacked to sail parallel to the gate, the GGB gleaming in the late afternoon sun.
After sailing a few hundred yards, we came about and headed back inside the bay on port tack broad reach, watching a heavily-crewed small sailboat shooting the gate off our starboard side.
Soon we were surrounded by kitesurferes and their multicolored kites again.
A windsurfer was bearing down on us from the direction of Horseshoe Cove, and
he blasted past within a few feet of our stern....
....crossing paths with another windsurfer blasting westward.
In light air southeast of Horseshoe Cove, we gybed and headed toward home port, watching a couple more windsurfers blasting toward us at high speed.
Way off behind us, near the shore of Yellow Bluff, ADVENTURE CAT was approaching the gate on another outing.
We pulled out the jib to full for more power downwind and soon were leaving behind the windsurfers and kitesurfers, and enjoying views of the city in the late sunshine.
As we blasted past pier 39, we could see a couple of rowboats in front of the pier, and also noted that the flags were pegged out, indicating a breeze of at least about 20 knots.
Eventually, we could see that the two rowboats were escorting a swimmer heading west with the ebb current.
Way off to port, a large sailboat was blasting away from the cityfront with full canvas flying, and well-heeled-over, perhaps with the rail in the water, but looking good.
We sailed into the lee of pier 35 to douse the jib and then the main. We readied the boat for landing both there and as we motored toward the marina entrance, and landed fine in our slip with some ebb current flowing through the marina. According to the GPS, we had sailed a distance of 11.23 nautical miles at an average velocity of 4.7 knots, and a top speed reached of 9.2 knots. A thrilling outing, especially with all the kitesurfer and windsurfer action-- more photos below if you care to review them.
Friday was another warm and sunny day in SF. Winds started out norheasterly and in the early afternoon, shifted into the southwest and freshened dramatically.
We headed out about 4 pm and raised single-reefed main just outside the marina, and it looked from the flag on Telegraph Hill that winds were blowing about 10 knots, but in anticipation of probably stronger winds coming up, we put out a handkerchief sized jib and headed out into the central bay.
We sailed to the west a short distance and then tacked toward the end of pier 39 to avoid crashing through the wake of an inbound freighter. As we tacked away from pier 39, the flags on the end of pier 39 seemed to be driven by a breeze greater than 10 knots but we didnt feel that on the bay for some reason.
We sailed out to the west again for a short while and behind us, the ADVENTURE CAT was heading back into port after a cruise to the gate and back.
We sailed to the west a while, pulling out a bit more jib for a bit more power, and then tacked into the lee of pier 45, and once in the lee, we tacked to the west again, enjoying views of the city receding behind us.
A sailboat was heading east and passing between us and the Hyde Street pier.
At some point, as we continued westward, it seemed like the wind would not freshen above about 12-15 knots, so we pulled out the jib to full and continued sailing westward, watching this small sailboat sailing downwind to the east and passing Alcatraz.
After about another 15 minutes, the wind started freshening dramatically, and soon was blowing in the 20-25 knot range, so we were easing out the sails to avoid being overpowered, and eventually we had to fall off to DDW and reef the jib back to a small handkerchief size again, before coming about and heading back to the south again, and watching a bunch of kitesurfers having great fun between us and the gate.
Off to starboard, a kitesurfer went airborn though he's a bit difficult to spot against the dark background of the cliffs just south of Yellow Bluff. [Check out the larger view to see if you can spot him.]
As we sailed southward, we soon found ourselves surrounded by kitesurfers. What a blast to watch them flying across the water with their colorful kites dragging them back and forth across the bay waters.
We sailed parallel to the gate for a while, then tacked toward Horseshoe Cove, then tacked to sail parallel to the gate again, and then tacked out the gate between midspan and the north tower, enjoying views of the rugged cliffs of the Marin Headlands as we sailed out the gate.
We sailed out a short distance and then tacked to sail parallel to the gate, the GGB gleaming in the late afternoon sun.
After sailing a few hundred yards, we came about and headed back inside the bay on port tack broad reach, watching a heavily-crewed small sailboat shooting the gate off our starboard side.
Soon we were surrounded by kitesurferes and their multicolored kites again.
A windsurfer was bearing down on us from the direction of Horseshoe Cove, and
he blasted past within a few feet of our stern....
....crossing paths with another windsurfer blasting westward.
In light air southeast of Horseshoe Cove, we gybed and headed toward home port, watching a couple more windsurfers blasting toward us at high speed.
Way off behind us, near the shore of Yellow Bluff, ADVENTURE CAT was approaching the gate on another outing.
We pulled out the jib to full for more power downwind and soon were leaving behind the windsurfers and kitesurfers, and enjoying views of the city in the late sunshine.
As we blasted past pier 39, we could see a couple of rowboats in front of the pier, and also noted that the flags were pegged out, indicating a breeze of at least about 20 knots.
Eventually, we could see that the two rowboats were escorting a swimmer heading west with the ebb current.
Way off to port, a large sailboat was blasting away from the cityfront with full canvas flying, and well-heeled-over, perhaps with the rail in the water, but looking good.
We sailed into the lee of pier 35 to douse the jib and then the main. We readied the boat for landing both there and as we motored toward the marina entrance, and landed fine in our slip with some ebb current flowing through the marina. According to the GPS, we had sailed a distance of 11.23 nautical miles at an average velocity of 4.7 knots, and a top speed reached of 9.2 knots. A thrilling outing, especially with all the kitesurfer and windsurfer action-- more photos below if you care to review them.
# posted by charlie bergstedt @ 12:18 AM 
