Tuesday, May 08, 2007
SATURDAY 6 MAY 07-- 2 BRIDGE KISS-- VERY DIFFERENT WINDS
Michael and Bob-- regular sailing mates-- were joined by Ann and Lizzie, new sailing mates. Ann is here in the area from Hawaii and doing nursing here for a while, Lizzie is Bob's niece and is originally from England.
Winds were moderate out of the northwest when we left port about 1:45 pm, and it was unusually sunny and warm, but we raised single-reefed main just in case and headed out into the central bay, passing in front of this Catalina that was motorsailing east and passing the stern of the large cruise ship tied up at pier 35.
Ahead of us, this large sailboat was heading east under full canvas and looking good.
ENTIVE passed in front of us, heading west with a reefed main.and also looking great.
We pulled out the jib to full, picked up some speed and tacked to the southwest toward the gate, and passed astern of this large sailboat heading north.
We sailed past the end of pier 39 where the flags were fluttering in a breeze of about 8 knots....
....and a large group of people were gathered to enjoy the sunshine and warm temperatures.
The city was enjoying the brilliant sunshine as we sailed between pier 39 and pier 45.
We tacked as we approached the breakwater north of pier 45, sailed away a bit and then tacked toward the gate again as this J109, GOOD ADVICE, was catching up with us....
....and passed to port, quite close to us.
Neighbor boat, PRIVATEER, a charter vessel, was heading back down the cityfront toward home port.
HOME FREE, a Catalina, with wrinkly luff on her main, blasted past to port.
After passing us, GOOD ADVICE fell off, let her jib go flying and eventually reefed it as we were passing her.
A small blue-hulled sailboat headed out from Gas House Cove toward the north and passed astern, the skipper sailing shirtless-- very unusual on SF Bay.
This Santana 22 passed to port, heading east and looking good.
Behind us, a CAL MARITIME sailboat, flying full canvas, was heading south toward the cityfront...
...as did this Ranger 33.
We now started to encounter shifty and irregular winds and some wind holes where the southwesterly along the cityfront was colliding with the northwesterly in the north half of the bay, as these sailboats found themselves in a bit of a traffic jam on the bay.
ANDIAMO, a lovely 25 foot pocket cruiser, escaped the traffic jam and was sailing toward the city....
.... as was the BLUE WATER FOUNDATION sailboat carrying children.
Mt. Tam was towering over Sausalito in the afternoon sunshine.
Now a northeasterly of moderate velocity came up and we were now sailing toward the gate on broad reach starboard tack, and passing our buddy, ADVENTURE CAT carrying what looked to be a full load of paying passengers.
A lovely sistership passed to port, heading east, with a wrinkly jib luff that kept her from looking good.
We sailed out the gate between the north tower and midspan, enjoying the view of our beautiful bridge.
Behind us a large sailboat, YUKON JACK, approached the gate and then gybed back to the southeast.
As we headed back inside, that Ranger 33 that passed astern of us earler, was also returning to the bay, now flying full canvas, having shook out the reef in the main.
As we sailed northeast on close reach port tack, pointed toward the north side of Alcatraz, several other sailboats were heading back or heading out.
YUKON JACK was also heading east down the cityfront, and we gradually passed her.
The crew was enjoying the brilliant sunshine as we were blasting toward Alcatraz.
Michael took the helm as we approached Alcatraz, passing the northwest point, and heading for the north side of Treasure Island, as we passed this Beneteau on a parallel course.
Another Beneteau passed in front of us, sailing close-hauled on starboard tack and looking pretty good, except for a slightly wrinkly jib.luff.
After passing the north shore of Treasure Island, we headed down the east shore on broad reach port tack, eventually passing this sailboat motorsailing directly into the northerly wind.
As the wind shifted more into the northwest, we pulled in the jib all the way and sailed dead downwind for a while, eventually gybing the main and pulling out the jib part way again, eventually passing the southeast point of Yerba Buena Island with its cute lighthouse and lovely residence behind.
A number of harbor seals were sunning themselves on the beach on the south shore of YBI.
By the time we rounded YBI, the wind had shifted into the west so we were sailing toward the Bay Bridge, and then tacked to sail through the D-E span, leaving behind the bridge enjoying brilliant sunshine.
As we beat toward home port, this large sailboat was sailing north across the bay.
The Ferry Building tower was bathed in sunshine as we approached the cityfront shore.
The north sides of the financial district buildings are now illuminated by the evening sun.
A few more tacks took us into the lee of pier 35, where we doused the sails and readied the boat for landing, the temperatures still warm and the evening air luscious, our bodies filled to overflowing with sailing pleasure!
Michael and Bob-- regular sailing mates-- were joined by Ann and Lizzie, new sailing mates. Ann is here in the area from Hawaii and doing nursing here for a while, Lizzie is Bob's niece and is originally from England.
Winds were moderate out of the northwest when we left port about 1:45 pm, and it was unusually sunny and warm, but we raised single-reefed main just in case and headed out into the central bay, passing in front of this Catalina that was motorsailing east and passing the stern of the large cruise ship tied up at pier 35.
Ahead of us, this large sailboat was heading east under full canvas and looking good.
ENTIVE passed in front of us, heading west with a reefed main.and also looking great.
We pulled out the jib to full, picked up some speed and tacked to the southwest toward the gate, and passed astern of this large sailboat heading north.
We sailed past the end of pier 39 where the flags were fluttering in a breeze of about 8 knots....
....and a large group of people were gathered to enjoy the sunshine and warm temperatures.
The city was enjoying the brilliant sunshine as we sailed between pier 39 and pier 45.
We tacked as we approached the breakwater north of pier 45, sailed away a bit and then tacked toward the gate again as this J109, GOOD ADVICE, was catching up with us....
....and passed to port, quite close to us.
Neighbor boat, PRIVATEER, a charter vessel, was heading back down the cityfront toward home port.
HOME FREE, a Catalina, with wrinkly luff on her main, blasted past to port.
After passing us, GOOD ADVICE fell off, let her jib go flying and eventually reefed it as we were passing her.
A small blue-hulled sailboat headed out from Gas House Cove toward the north and passed astern, the skipper sailing shirtless-- very unusual on SF Bay.
This Santana 22 passed to port, heading east and looking good.
Behind us, a CAL MARITIME sailboat, flying full canvas, was heading south toward the cityfront...
...as did this Ranger 33.
We now started to encounter shifty and irregular winds and some wind holes where the southwesterly along the cityfront was colliding with the northwesterly in the north half of the bay, as these sailboats found themselves in a bit of a traffic jam on the bay.
ANDIAMO, a lovely 25 foot pocket cruiser, escaped the traffic jam and was sailing toward the city....
.... as was the BLUE WATER FOUNDATION sailboat carrying children.
Mt. Tam was towering over Sausalito in the afternoon sunshine.
Now a northeasterly of moderate velocity came up and we were now sailing toward the gate on broad reach starboard tack, and passing our buddy, ADVENTURE CAT carrying what looked to be a full load of paying passengers.
A lovely sistership passed to port, heading east, with a wrinkly jib luff that kept her from looking good.
We sailed out the gate between the north tower and midspan, enjoying the view of our beautiful bridge.
Behind us a large sailboat, YUKON JACK, approached the gate and then gybed back to the southeast.
As we headed back inside, that Ranger 33 that passed astern of us earler, was also returning to the bay, now flying full canvas, having shook out the reef in the main.
As we sailed northeast on close reach port tack, pointed toward the north side of Alcatraz, several other sailboats were heading back or heading out.
YUKON JACK was also heading east down the cityfront, and we gradually passed her.
The crew was enjoying the brilliant sunshine as we were blasting toward Alcatraz.
Michael took the helm as we approached Alcatraz, passing the northwest point, and heading for the north side of Treasure Island, as we passed this Beneteau on a parallel course.
Another Beneteau passed in front of us, sailing close-hauled on starboard tack and looking pretty good, except for a slightly wrinkly jib.luff.
After passing the north shore of Treasure Island, we headed down the east shore on broad reach port tack, eventually passing this sailboat motorsailing directly into the northerly wind.
As the wind shifted more into the northwest, we pulled in the jib all the way and sailed dead downwind for a while, eventually gybing the main and pulling out the jib part way again, eventually passing the southeast point of Yerba Buena Island with its cute lighthouse and lovely residence behind.
A number of harbor seals were sunning themselves on the beach on the south shore of YBI.
By the time we rounded YBI, the wind had shifted into the west so we were sailing toward the Bay Bridge, and then tacked to sail through the D-E span, leaving behind the bridge enjoying brilliant sunshine.
As we beat toward home port, this large sailboat was sailing north across the bay.
The Ferry Building tower was bathed in sunshine as we approached the cityfront shore.
The north sides of the financial district buildings are now illuminated by the evening sun.
A few more tacks took us into the lee of pier 35, where we doused the sails and readied the boat for landing, the temperatures still warm and the evening air luscious, our bodies filled to overflowing with sailing pleasure!
# posted by charlie bergstedt @ 11:18 AM 
