Wednesday, April 18, 2007
SUNDAY 15 APRIL 07-- TWO BRIDGE KISS IN MODERATE CONDITIONS
The day started out sunny and cool, but warmed up fast in the brilliant sunshine. The wind forecast was for 15-30 knot northwesterly winds with possible gusts to 40 knots. Not a fun sailing prospect were these winds to materialize.
Michael and his girlfriend, Raquel, joined us about 2:30 for an afternoon sail and at this point, the winds were still moderate with no sign of intensifying, but we know that strong winds can blow up in a hurry.
We left port and raised single-reefed main in case strong winds blew up later and headed out into the central bay as behind us a neighbor boat was readying to raise sails.
We came about and headed down the cityfront, sailing direct downwind in the westerly breeze, watching sailboats sailing downwind on different tacks.
The neighbor sailboat had raised full main now.
After passing pier 27, we pulled out the jib to full for downwind power, and Raquel took the helm for a while in the warm sunshine.
Behind us, one sailboat was doing wing and wing DDW, and another with sails trimmed close to the center was apparently motorsailing.
The financial district was enjoying brilliant afternoon sunshine, and we were, at times, required to head up toward shore to keep the jib full.
Behind us a small sailboat was flying a colorful spinnaker.
At some point we had to gybe to continue toward the A-B span of the Bay Bridge, and this Catalina that was motorsailing kept getting closer and closer, so we fell off to dead downwind to slow down and then ducked behind them before sailing under the A-B span.
We then reefed the jib and tacked to head back to the north, passing one boat after another, like this small one....
...this Catalina....
...and this small sailboat with a wrinkly jib-- sloppy seamanship-- jib halyard too loose.
We sailed northward on the westerly breeze and watched another Catalina headed downwind on the sun-sparkled bay waters.
As we continued northward, this sailboat approached on starboard tack and we were about to luff up a bit to let her safely pass in front of us even though she was the windward boat on port tack and owed us right of way.
But she then gybed and sailed past us port to port.
Behind us, another Catalina looking great with full canvas was sending up some spray from her bow as she blasted northward.
We eventually tacked toward the cityfront and then tacked away to the west as the breeze had now shifted into the southwest [where was that strong northwesterly predicted????], pulled out the jib to full and were making good westerly headway and watching a very large sailboat passing Aquatic Park-- perhaps a 55-60 footer.
Off to starboard, another Catalina was headed our way-- not as close as this zoomed photo would make it seem.
Alcatraz was enjoying the brilliant warm sunshine and light winds as we approached her southern shore and that Catalina still headed our way.
She passed astern of us, looking good with full canvas flying.
As we sailed past Alcatraz, a small sailboat passed to starboard, sailing downwind.
Behind us, a couple of small race boats were sailing side-by-side.
As we approached Harding Rock, we watched a very large ketch named GLORY DAYS heading for Tiburon and looking good with lots of passengers aboard.
After passing Harding Rock, this lovely J-race boat passed astern, looking good.
Now the wind started to intensify so we came about and fell off to DDW and reefed the jib again before coming about and, just as soon as we did, the wind softened again, but we kept the reefed jib in case of stronger winds near the gate.
We tacked toward the gate and were pointed directly at her as these two sailboats, returning from the ocean, were sailing past Yellow Bluff.
The lead boat was a Hunter named A VELA.
Following those two sailboats was a larger sailboat flying double reefed main-- probably anticipating those strong forecasted winds.
The GGB was enjoying the strong afternoon sunshine as we headed her way.
We sailed out the gate between midspan and the south tower into building swells, and just ducked out before coming about and heading back inside on port tack broad reach.
We eventually caught up with this small sailboat off port that we had passe earlier on the way to the gate.
Michael was at the helm as we headed north and then gybed toward home port, hoping to find a southwesterly breeze nearer the cityfront, as we indeed did so we could point directly toward home port-- the city ahead enjoying hazy sunshine.
As we approached home port, ADVENTURE CAT was headed out for her sunset sail with reefed main-- unusual to see that, especially when winds were still soft.
We doused the jib while sailing past pier 39 and then sailed into the lee of pier 35 to douse the main and ready the boat for landing. Landing was difficult as there was still substantial surge in the marina and a wave of it banged us to port just as we were approaching the slip, so it wasn't a great landing, but we had had a very fun outing with moderate breezes for which we were thankful as the stronger predicted winds would have given us much more extreme and less enjoyable sailing conditions.
The day started out sunny and cool, but warmed up fast in the brilliant sunshine. The wind forecast was for 15-30 knot northwesterly winds with possible gusts to 40 knots. Not a fun sailing prospect were these winds to materialize.
Michael and his girlfriend, Raquel, joined us about 2:30 for an afternoon sail and at this point, the winds were still moderate with no sign of intensifying, but we know that strong winds can blow up in a hurry.
We left port and raised single-reefed main in case strong winds blew up later and headed out into the central bay as behind us a neighbor boat was readying to raise sails.
We came about and headed down the cityfront, sailing direct downwind in the westerly breeze, watching sailboats sailing downwind on different tacks.
The neighbor sailboat had raised full main now.
After passing pier 27, we pulled out the jib to full for downwind power, and Raquel took the helm for a while in the warm sunshine.
Behind us, one sailboat was doing wing and wing DDW, and another with sails trimmed close to the center was apparently motorsailing.
The financial district was enjoying brilliant afternoon sunshine, and we were, at times, required to head up toward shore to keep the jib full.
Behind us a small sailboat was flying a colorful spinnaker.
At some point we had to gybe to continue toward the A-B span of the Bay Bridge, and this Catalina that was motorsailing kept getting closer and closer, so we fell off to dead downwind to slow down and then ducked behind them before sailing under the A-B span.
We then reefed the jib and tacked to head back to the north, passing one boat after another, like this small one....
...this Catalina....
...and this small sailboat with a wrinkly jib-- sloppy seamanship-- jib halyard too loose.
We sailed northward on the westerly breeze and watched another Catalina headed downwind on the sun-sparkled bay waters.
As we continued northward, this sailboat approached on starboard tack and we were about to luff up a bit to let her safely pass in front of us even though she was the windward boat on port tack and owed us right of way.
But she then gybed and sailed past us port to port.
Behind us, another Catalina looking great with full canvas was sending up some spray from her bow as she blasted northward.
We eventually tacked toward the cityfront and then tacked away to the west as the breeze had now shifted into the southwest [where was that strong northwesterly predicted????], pulled out the jib to full and were making good westerly headway and watching a very large sailboat passing Aquatic Park-- perhaps a 55-60 footer.
Off to starboard, another Catalina was headed our way-- not as close as this zoomed photo would make it seem.
Alcatraz was enjoying the brilliant warm sunshine and light winds as we approached her southern shore and that Catalina still headed our way.
She passed astern of us, looking good with full canvas flying.
As we sailed past Alcatraz, a small sailboat passed to starboard, sailing downwind.
Behind us, a couple of small race boats were sailing side-by-side.
As we approached Harding Rock, we watched a very large ketch named GLORY DAYS heading for Tiburon and looking good with lots of passengers aboard.
After passing Harding Rock, this lovely J-race boat passed astern, looking good.
Now the wind started to intensify so we came about and fell off to DDW and reefed the jib again before coming about and, just as soon as we did, the wind softened again, but we kept the reefed jib in case of stronger winds near the gate.
We tacked toward the gate and were pointed directly at her as these two sailboats, returning from the ocean, were sailing past Yellow Bluff.
The lead boat was a Hunter named A VELA.
Following those two sailboats was a larger sailboat flying double reefed main-- probably anticipating those strong forecasted winds.
The GGB was enjoying the strong afternoon sunshine as we headed her way.
We sailed out the gate between midspan and the south tower into building swells, and just ducked out before coming about and heading back inside on port tack broad reach.
We eventually caught up with this small sailboat off port that we had passe earlier on the way to the gate.
Michael was at the helm as we headed north and then gybed toward home port, hoping to find a southwesterly breeze nearer the cityfront, as we indeed did so we could point directly toward home port-- the city ahead enjoying hazy sunshine.
As we approached home port, ADVENTURE CAT was headed out for her sunset sail with reefed main-- unusual to see that, especially when winds were still soft.
We doused the jib while sailing past pier 39 and then sailed into the lee of pier 35 to douse the main and ready the boat for landing. Landing was difficult as there was still substantial surge in the marina and a wave of it banged us to port just as we were approaching the slip, so it wasn't a great landing, but we had had a very fun outing with moderate breezes for which we were thankful as the stronger predicted winds would have given us much more extreme and less enjoyable sailing conditions.
# posted by charlie bergstedt @ 10:38 AM 
