Wednesday, April 04, 2007
THURSDAY 29 MARCH 07-- SUNNY FOG FREE BUT WINDY DAY-- 2 BRIDGE KISS
We headed out of port around 2:30 pm, with a nice fresh breeze blowing, so we put up single-reefed main and headed down the cityfront toward the Bay Bridge, against a declining ebb current, pulling out the jib to full for downwind power.
KNOTS, a J109, had been sailing to the north but tacked onto starboard tack to avoid an inbound freighter. You can see how massive the freigther is compared to this boat of about the same size as ANTICIPATION.
PERIGRINE was also headed north and was already out of the way of the freighter.
As we sailed down the cityfront, KOKOMO, a racing trimaran, blasted past, heading northward.
The financial district and the Ferry Building were mostly in shadow as we passed.
The Bay Bridge was enjoying brilliant sunshine as we approached the A-B span.
After sailing under the A-B span, we fell off to DDW to reef the jib and then headed up toward the shore, tacking a couple of times, and watching this small yawl motoring southward-- a boat that had been tied up on the end of E dock when we were leaving port.
We sailed past the walkway on the top of the breakwater south of the Ferry Building, and noticed some people there enjoying the warm sunshine and the view.
This Macgregor 25 was sailing in the opposite direction as we approached the Ferry Building again.
The trimaran, KOKOMO, came blasting back southward again.
This large dark-hulled sailboat was also headed south, looking fine with full canvas flying!
A few tacks took us past the end of pier 39 where the flags were blowing in a wind of about 15 knots.
We tacked and sailed into the lee of pier 45 and then tacked away to the west again with the city in brilliant sunshine receding behind us.
DREAM GIRLS was sailing eastward for a while and then headed up to sail toward the north, as in this photo, and finally was sailing eastward.
We sailed past the weather side of Alcatraz and then let out the jib ot full for a beam reach sail across the north half of the central bay, as a large freighter approached from the east and forced us to tack back to the southeast for a while before resuming out tack toward the weather side of Angel Island.
As we approached the mouth of Raccoon Straits, a couple of sailboats were off the Belvedere shore, headed in different directions.
Some dingy racers were out practicing on the bay and seemed to be crewed by some young people of high school age.
This J-boat passed us to port, heading southeast.
Behind us some other dingy racers were headed our way.
This boy and girl pair in a dingy were trying to head out for practice or a race, but were finally towed.
In light air approaching Tiburon, we gybed and headed down Raccoon Straits on beam reach starboard tack, and watched BLUE STAR sailing the opposite direction through the straits.
We sailed past Ayala Cove and saw it mostly deserted.
KNOTS was now sailing east to west through the straits, so I assume that they tacked back to the north again and sailed around the lee side of Angel Island.
She was followed by EPIPHANTE heading up the straits also....
....as was this lovely Tartan, named SEA LARK.
After passing us, EPIPHANTE, must have rolled up her jib and was then headed into Ayala Cove as we passed, after coming about and heading back up the straits.
After we exited Racoon Straits, the dingy racers were headed for us again, this time heading for the finish line or for home port.
One of the crew of this dingy said a polite "Hello" as we passed them.
Unfortunately we encountered a wind hole with light fluky winds just south of Belvedere and tried for a half hour or so to sail out of it, but the ebb current had declined and was not helping us get out of the hole, and we watched as this sailboat passed down the shore of Angel Island.
We finally turned on the engine and motored a quarter mile or so into the good and strong winds of the central bay, where we could turn off the engine and start beating toward the gate which was enjoying late afternoon sunshine.
We kept beating westward and finally sailed into Horseshoe Cove before tacking to sail across the gate with the now flood current pushing us away, and at some point this lone windsurfer blasted past us and was quite a distance away before we fished out the camea to take this shoot.
About half-way across the gate the winds softened dramatically, so we pulled out the jib to full again for more power and eventually tacked toward the gate, just as the sun was setting and we caught this shot of the sun in a cradle in the hills of the Marin Headlands.
We sailed out the gate at about midspan just after the sun had gone down.
The two-thirds moon was shining brightly as we ducked out the gate and then came about and headed for home port.
A bit of pinkish sunset color displayed on some thin cloud layers over the Marin Headlands as we sailed toward home port in moderate breezes.
City lights were coming up as we sailed past Aquatic Park-- magic time again on our wonderful bay!
The city at night is always magical-- I never get tired of enjoying this time of day as sundown gives way to twilight.
\
We headed out of port around 2:30 pm, with a nice fresh breeze blowing, so we put up single-reefed main and headed down the cityfront toward the Bay Bridge, against a declining ebb current, pulling out the jib to full for downwind power.
KNOTS, a J109, had been sailing to the north but tacked onto starboard tack to avoid an inbound freighter. You can see how massive the freigther is compared to this boat of about the same size as ANTICIPATION.
PERIGRINE was also headed north and was already out of the way of the freighter.
As we sailed down the cityfront, KOKOMO, a racing trimaran, blasted past, heading northward.
The financial district and the Ferry Building were mostly in shadow as we passed.
The Bay Bridge was enjoying brilliant sunshine as we approached the A-B span.
After sailing under the A-B span, we fell off to DDW to reef the jib and then headed up toward the shore, tacking a couple of times, and watching this small yawl motoring southward-- a boat that had been tied up on the end of E dock when we were leaving port.
We sailed past the walkway on the top of the breakwater south of the Ferry Building, and noticed some people there enjoying the warm sunshine and the view.
This Macgregor 25 was sailing in the opposite direction as we approached the Ferry Building again.
The trimaran, KOKOMO, came blasting back southward again.
This large dark-hulled sailboat was also headed south, looking fine with full canvas flying!
A few tacks took us past the end of pier 39 where the flags were blowing in a wind of about 15 knots.
We tacked and sailed into the lee of pier 45 and then tacked away to the west again with the city in brilliant sunshine receding behind us.
DREAM GIRLS was sailing eastward for a while and then headed up to sail toward the north, as in this photo, and finally was sailing eastward.
We sailed past the weather side of Alcatraz and then let out the jib ot full for a beam reach sail across the north half of the central bay, as a large freighter approached from the east and forced us to tack back to the southeast for a while before resuming out tack toward the weather side of Angel Island.
As we approached the mouth of Raccoon Straits, a couple of sailboats were off the Belvedere shore, headed in different directions.
Some dingy racers were out practicing on the bay and seemed to be crewed by some young people of high school age.
This J-boat passed us to port, heading southeast.
Behind us some other dingy racers were headed our way.
This boy and girl pair in a dingy were trying to head out for practice or a race, but were finally towed.
In light air approaching Tiburon, we gybed and headed down Raccoon Straits on beam reach starboard tack, and watched BLUE STAR sailing the opposite direction through the straits.
We sailed past Ayala Cove and saw it mostly deserted.
KNOTS was now sailing east to west through the straits, so I assume that they tacked back to the north again and sailed around the lee side of Angel Island.
She was followed by EPIPHANTE heading up the straits also....
....as was this lovely Tartan, named SEA LARK.
After passing us, EPIPHANTE, must have rolled up her jib and was then headed into Ayala Cove as we passed, after coming about and heading back up the straits.
After we exited Racoon Straits, the dingy racers were headed for us again, this time heading for the finish line or for home port.
One of the crew of this dingy said a polite "Hello" as we passed them.
Unfortunately we encountered a wind hole with light fluky winds just south of Belvedere and tried for a half hour or so to sail out of it, but the ebb current had declined and was not helping us get out of the hole, and we watched as this sailboat passed down the shore of Angel Island.
We finally turned on the engine and motored a quarter mile or so into the good and strong winds of the central bay, where we could turn off the engine and start beating toward the gate which was enjoying late afternoon sunshine.
We kept beating westward and finally sailed into Horseshoe Cove before tacking to sail across the gate with the now flood current pushing us away, and at some point this lone windsurfer blasted past us and was quite a distance away before we fished out the camea to take this shoot.
About half-way across the gate the winds softened dramatically, so we pulled out the jib to full again for more power and eventually tacked toward the gate, just as the sun was setting and we caught this shot of the sun in a cradle in the hills of the Marin Headlands.
We sailed out the gate at about midspan just after the sun had gone down.
The two-thirds moon was shining brightly as we ducked out the gate and then came about and headed for home port.
A bit of pinkish sunset color displayed on some thin cloud layers over the Marin Headlands as we sailed toward home port in moderate breezes.
City lights were coming up as we sailed past Aquatic Park-- magic time again on our wonderful bay!
The city at night is always magical-- I never get tired of enjoying this time of day as sundown gives way to twilight.
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# posted by charlie bergstedt @ 10:41 AM 
