Friday, March 23, 2007
THURSDAY 22 MARCH 07-- 2 BRIDGE KISS AND A NICE SUNSET
Another sunny and warm day in San Francisco, starting out with an easterly morning breeze-- a land breeze to warm things up-- and then shifting to a freshening southwesterly breeze in the afternoon.
When we left port about 4 pm, the wind was blowing at about 15 knots, so we put up a single reefed main and headed out into the central bay, then came about and headed down the cityfront, pulling out the jib to full.
Behind us the GGB was standing in haze with a thin marine layer finger riding the southwesterly breeze into the bay.
The city was enjoying mostly sunny skies as we headed for the A-B span of the Bay Bridge.
An SFBAYSAIL.COM charter boat passed to port as we sailed along in moderate but steady breezes.
The Bay Bridge was enjoying the brilliant sunshine as we approached the A-B span, and eventually sailed under it.
We then came about and headed back to the north on port tack close reach, noticing that the sun has now moved far enough northward to illuminate the north side of the ferry building in the late afternoon.
Once out into the central bay again, we encountered stronger winds and, with sails eased out a bit, we sailed a bit off close-hauled toward the lee side of Alcatraz, and then toward the weather side of Angel Island, taking spray, and watching this fully-canvassed sailboat sailing downwind to the east with noone at the helm.
A tug pulling a mammoth barge was headed out to sea from the north bay, but we had plenty of speed to pass well in front of her and she was never as close as this photo suggests.
A windsurfer blasted past, heading toward Berkeley-- an unusual sight since normally the windsurfers from the east bay don't venture much past Treasure Island.
As we sailed up the weather shore of Angel Island, we enjoyed the view of the civil war era brick building on shore, backed by the white houses built within the last 10 years-- for what purpose, I don't know-- will try to remember to ask one of the park rangers next time we visit the island.
As we entered Raccoon Straits, the GGB behind us was standing in considerable haze.
A hazed out Mt. Tam was towering over Tiburon as we gybed onto starboard tack and sailed northeastward down the straits in a light breeze, fighting a moderate ebb current.
Angel Island looked beautiful in the late sunshine.
As we sailed past Ayala Cove, we could see that she was almost deserted-- only 1 sailboat tied up at the buoys, and a couple of boats at the docks.
After passing the cove, we came about an sailed back up the straits on close reach port tack, and as we exited the straits, the city appeared again, shrouded in haze.
Approaching Belvedere, we tacked and sailed to the southeast on close reach starboard tack until we arrived in strengthening winds threatening to be too powerful for the canvas we were flying, and then we fell off to DDW to reef the jib down to a small handkerchief size. We then headed up again, sailing to the SSE into the central bay, and watching a sailboat motoring up the weather shore of the island-- probably one of the sailboats that earlier was in Ayala Cove.
Eventually this Beneteau sailboat pulled out full canvas and sailed downwind along the south shore of the island.
As we blasted across the central bay, two sailboats behind us were heading toward Sausalito.
The wind continued to strengthen, now seemingly blowing at about 25 knots, so we eased out the sails a bit, but then eventually tacked to the west toward Horseshoe Cove in case the winds along the cityfront were even stronger. We sailed to just inside the north tower of the GGB, then tacked to sail across the gate, and after reaching close to mid-span, we tacked and sailed out on port tack.
The GGB and its south tower were gleaming in the late afternoon sunshine....
...as was the north tower, with the adjacent cliff of the headlands in partial sun and shadow.
After sailing out a short distance, in lighter breezes outside the gate, we came about, pulled out the jib to full and headed downwind back into the bay and toward home port,enjoying our view of the city ahead, still locked in haze.
This Catalina sailboat crossed well in front of us and continued on toward the cityfront shore.
A lone windsurfer was still dashing about on the bay as we blasted toward home port.
Behind us the sun was setting into a layer of clouds above the horizon and behind the gate.
A pilot boat steamed past us heading out to sea.
Eventually, the sun sank behind a thick fog bank above the horizon.
As we sailed past Aquatic Park, city lights were beginning to come on in the dusky, hazy air.
The sun still illuminated the tops of some of the towers of the financial district, as we now sailed main only, having pulled in the jib so we could sail more slowly and await the sunset.
Some brilliant sunset color developed outside the gate and on cloud layers overhead.
Clouds over the city also took on some beautiful sunset color.
As we sailed between pier 45 and pier 39, city lights continued to brighten-- magic time on the bay!
Behind us, that Catalina that earlier crossed in front of us, was shadowed by the light of the declining sunset colors.
Pier 39 flags were still flutting in a breeze of about 15 knots as we sailed past in the declining light.
That Catalina sailboat was highlighted by a last band of sunset color behind the gate
as we sailed toward the lee of pier 35.
In the lee of pier 35, we dropped the main and began readying ANTICIPATION for landing, eventually motoring into the marina and landing quite nicely with an ebb current flowing through the marina and feeling great after spending about 5 hours on the bay, covering over 18 nautical miles at an average speed of 4.4 knots with a top speed over the bottom of 9.5 knots.
Another sunny and warm day in San Francisco, starting out with an easterly morning breeze-- a land breeze to warm things up-- and then shifting to a freshening southwesterly breeze in the afternoon.
When we left port about 4 pm, the wind was blowing at about 15 knots, so we put up a single reefed main and headed out into the central bay, then came about and headed down the cityfront, pulling out the jib to full.
Behind us the GGB was standing in haze with a thin marine layer finger riding the southwesterly breeze into the bay.
The city was enjoying mostly sunny skies as we headed for the A-B span of the Bay Bridge.
An SFBAYSAIL.COM charter boat passed to port as we sailed along in moderate but steady breezes.
The Bay Bridge was enjoying the brilliant sunshine as we approached the A-B span, and eventually sailed under it.
We then came about and headed back to the north on port tack close reach, noticing that the sun has now moved far enough northward to illuminate the north side of the ferry building in the late afternoon.
Once out into the central bay again, we encountered stronger winds and, with sails eased out a bit, we sailed a bit off close-hauled toward the lee side of Alcatraz, and then toward the weather side of Angel Island, taking spray, and watching this fully-canvassed sailboat sailing downwind to the east with noone at the helm.
A tug pulling a mammoth barge was headed out to sea from the north bay, but we had plenty of speed to pass well in front of her and she was never as close as this photo suggests.
A windsurfer blasted past, heading toward Berkeley-- an unusual sight since normally the windsurfers from the east bay don't venture much past Treasure Island.
As we sailed up the weather shore of Angel Island, we enjoyed the view of the civil war era brick building on shore, backed by the white houses built within the last 10 years-- for what purpose, I don't know-- will try to remember to ask one of the park rangers next time we visit the island.
As we entered Raccoon Straits, the GGB behind us was standing in considerable haze.
A hazed out Mt. Tam was towering over Tiburon as we gybed onto starboard tack and sailed northeastward down the straits in a light breeze, fighting a moderate ebb current.
Angel Island looked beautiful in the late sunshine.
As we sailed past Ayala Cove, we could see that she was almost deserted-- only 1 sailboat tied up at the buoys, and a couple of boats at the docks.
After passing the cove, we came about an sailed back up the straits on close reach port tack, and as we exited the straits, the city appeared again, shrouded in haze.
Approaching Belvedere, we tacked and sailed to the southeast on close reach starboard tack until we arrived in strengthening winds threatening to be too powerful for the canvas we were flying, and then we fell off to DDW to reef the jib down to a small handkerchief size. We then headed up again, sailing to the SSE into the central bay, and watching a sailboat motoring up the weather shore of the island-- probably one of the sailboats that earlier was in Ayala Cove.
Eventually this Beneteau sailboat pulled out full canvas and sailed downwind along the south shore of the island.
As we blasted across the central bay, two sailboats behind us were heading toward Sausalito.
The wind continued to strengthen, now seemingly blowing at about 25 knots, so we eased out the sails a bit, but then eventually tacked to the west toward Horseshoe Cove in case the winds along the cityfront were even stronger. We sailed to just inside the north tower of the GGB, then tacked to sail across the gate, and after reaching close to mid-span, we tacked and sailed out on port tack.
The GGB and its south tower were gleaming in the late afternoon sunshine....
...as was the north tower, with the adjacent cliff of the headlands in partial sun and shadow.
After sailing out a short distance, in lighter breezes outside the gate, we came about, pulled out the jib to full and headed downwind back into the bay and toward home port,enjoying our view of the city ahead, still locked in haze.
This Catalina sailboat crossed well in front of us and continued on toward the cityfront shore.
A lone windsurfer was still dashing about on the bay as we blasted toward home port.
Behind us the sun was setting into a layer of clouds above the horizon and behind the gate.
A pilot boat steamed past us heading out to sea.
Eventually, the sun sank behind a thick fog bank above the horizon.
As we sailed past Aquatic Park, city lights were beginning to come on in the dusky, hazy air.
The sun still illuminated the tops of some of the towers of the financial district, as we now sailed main only, having pulled in the jib so we could sail more slowly and await the sunset.
Some brilliant sunset color developed outside the gate and on cloud layers overhead.
Clouds over the city also took on some beautiful sunset color.
As we sailed between pier 45 and pier 39, city lights continued to brighten-- magic time on the bay!
Behind us, that Catalina that earlier crossed in front of us, was shadowed by the light of the declining sunset colors.
Pier 39 flags were still flutting in a breeze of about 15 knots as we sailed past in the declining light.
That Catalina sailboat was highlighted by a last band of sunset color behind the gate
as we sailed toward the lee of pier 35.
In the lee of pier 35, we dropped the main and began readying ANTICIPATION for landing, eventually motoring into the marina and landing quite nicely with an ebb current flowing through the marina and feeling great after spending about 5 hours on the bay, covering over 18 nautical miles at an average speed of 4.4 knots with a top speed over the bottom of 9.5 knots.
# posted by charlie bergstedt @ 11:52 AM 
