Wednesday, April 18, 2007
SATURDAY 14 APRIL 07-- 2 BRIDGE KISS -- DIFFERENT WIND CONDITIONS
Saturday started out very rainy, but by early afternoon the rains had stopped, the sun came out and strong winds materialized.
We left port about 4:30 pm with a strong southwesterly wind blowing along the cityfront.
We put up single-reefed main, headed out into the central bay, and headed eastward down the cityfront toward the bay bridge, watching a sailboat way over by Treasure Island heading north.
Financial district buildings were enjoying brilliant sunshine as we headed for the A-B span of the bay bridge.
The bow and arrow sculpture on the shore was nicely illuminated.
The bay bridge was in strong sunshine but with thick clouds in the east.
After sailing through the A-B span, we shortened the jib and headed back to the north, and watched this sailboat heading southwest from the lee side of Angel Island.
Way off in the west a number of sailboats were playing on the bay.
A small sailboat was motoring eastward, wasting fuel when winds were adequate to propel them.
v
The wind shifted into the northwest so we tacked to the southwest and found mostly light winds along the cityfront, watching a large Beneteau sailing downwind on starboard tack.
She then started to gybe onto port tack....
...eventually passing astern of us.
We tacked and headed northwest and eventually arrived in stronger winds north of Alcatraz, sailed about two-thirds of the way to the south shore of Angel Island and then tacked to the southwest to head for the gate as we enjoyed views of the city in the late sunshine.
Sausalito was in shadow and Mt. Tam was topped by some cloud cover as we sailed along in some sloppy seas, at one point taking a huge blast of spray overy the whole boat-- good thing I had my foulie jacket on!
Adventure Cat had taken the same route to the gate as we were on, but being much faster, she had been there and was now returning as she passed us to starboard.
The city was wearing sunset colors as we continued on toward the gate against the waxing flood current, sailing through flood eddies that tossed us back and forth a bit.
The wind shifted more into the westsouthwest, so we were not able to sail directly toward the gate as we approached, but now were forced to beat against wind and current as the sun went down behind the Marin Headlands.
Several tacks took us closer to the gate, but the flood current kept resisting us, and as we sailed across the gate on one tack, a bit of sunset color developed over Pt. Bonita.
Finally, we were able to sail out the gate on starboard tack, just inside the south tower where the seas were wildly confusing as they usually are under strong flood conditions, so we just ducked out and then came about and headed back inside, and continued sailing toward home port as a marmalade sky developed over the western horizon.
A large cruise ship was steaming into the bay as the sunset started to fade away.
It was dark as we sailed past the St. Francis Yacht Club and the Palace of Fine Arts, brilliantly illuminated against the night sky.
With flood current assist, we were soon back at home port after our downwind sail enjoying the magic time on the bay with city lights on shore and stars and planets shining overhead.
Saturday started out very rainy, but by early afternoon the rains had stopped, the sun came out and strong winds materialized.
We left port about 4:30 pm with a strong southwesterly wind blowing along the cityfront.
We put up single-reefed main, headed out into the central bay, and headed eastward down the cityfront toward the bay bridge, watching a sailboat way over by Treasure Island heading north.
Financial district buildings were enjoying brilliant sunshine as we headed for the A-B span of the bay bridge.
The bow and arrow sculpture on the shore was nicely illuminated.
The bay bridge was in strong sunshine but with thick clouds in the east.
After sailing through the A-B span, we shortened the jib and headed back to the north, and watched this sailboat heading southwest from the lee side of Angel Island.
Way off in the west a number of sailboats were playing on the bay.
A small sailboat was motoring eastward, wasting fuel when winds were adequate to propel them.
v
The wind shifted into the northwest so we tacked to the southwest and found mostly light winds along the cityfront, watching a large Beneteau sailing downwind on starboard tack.
She then started to gybe onto port tack....
...eventually passing astern of us.
We tacked and headed northwest and eventually arrived in stronger winds north of Alcatraz, sailed about two-thirds of the way to the south shore of Angel Island and then tacked to the southwest to head for the gate as we enjoyed views of the city in the late sunshine.
Sausalito was in shadow and Mt. Tam was topped by some cloud cover as we sailed along in some sloppy seas, at one point taking a huge blast of spray overy the whole boat-- good thing I had my foulie jacket on!
Adventure Cat had taken the same route to the gate as we were on, but being much faster, she had been there and was now returning as she passed us to starboard.
The city was wearing sunset colors as we continued on toward the gate against the waxing flood current, sailing through flood eddies that tossed us back and forth a bit.
The wind shifted more into the westsouthwest, so we were not able to sail directly toward the gate as we approached, but now were forced to beat against wind and current as the sun went down behind the Marin Headlands.
Several tacks took us closer to the gate, but the flood current kept resisting us, and as we sailed across the gate on one tack, a bit of sunset color developed over Pt. Bonita.
Finally, we were able to sail out the gate on starboard tack, just inside the south tower where the seas were wildly confusing as they usually are under strong flood conditions, so we just ducked out and then came about and headed back inside, and continued sailing toward home port as a marmalade sky developed over the western horizon.
A large cruise ship was steaming into the bay as the sunset started to fade away.
It was dark as we sailed past the St. Francis Yacht Club and the Palace of Fine Arts, brilliantly illuminated against the night sky.
With flood current assist, we were soon back at home port after our downwind sail enjoying the magic time on the bay with city lights on shore and stars and planets shining overhead.
# posted by charlie bergstedt @ 10:09 AM 
