Wednesday, May 02, 2007
TUESDAY 1 MAY 07-- FIGURE 8 AROUND ANGEL AND TREASURE
We had four mates join us for our tuesday afternoon outing: Bob, Bruce, Austin and Brian. Brian was with us for the first time.
It was blowing like stink when we left port and put up single-reefed main and headed out into the central bay with small jib.
We headed for the lee side of Angel Island on broad reach port tack, through substantial wind waves whipped up by the strong winds, even though the ebb current was light. So we were taking some spray as we crossed the bay and were rocking and rolling in the waves.
Some beautiful cloud patterns extended over Angel Island as we arrived in a somewhat calmer, less wave-tossed region well to the east of the island.
Winds remained strong as we headed up, hardened in the sails, and made for Raccoon Straits, taking a couple of tacks to enter the straits, and finding the winds there also much stronger than they usually are... and gusty as well.
A small sailboat was well-reefed as it sailed downwind to the north.
Ayala Cove was nearly deserted-- only one small sailboat was tied up at the docks.
After beating our way through the straits, we headed up the weather side of Angel Island, noticing that the western skies were populated with both high cloud and a blanket of fog--- very unusual!
After sailing past the island, we headed downwind toward north side of Treasure Island and had a pleasant downwind sail, under main only after pulling in the jib all the way.
As we headed up the lee side of Treasure Island, we passed a small sailboat headed north.
Winds were good most of the way up the lee side of Treasure Island, and we had sufficient wind to sail around Yerba Buena and then headed up to sail mostly parallel to the Bay Bridge, enjoying the view of the city through the bridge.
Bob and Bruce were enjoying the outing as we headed for home port....
... as were Brian and Austin.
We had to beat against the westerly wind toward home port and passed a couple of sailboats heading down the cityfront-- this one.....
... and this one.
We doused the jib in the lee of pier 27, then doused the main in the lee of pier 33, as there was a cruise ship still docked on the east side of pier 35. We motored into port after readying for landing, pleased with our four hour figure 8 tour of the bay.
We had four mates join us for our tuesday afternoon outing: Bob, Bruce, Austin and Brian. Brian was with us for the first time.
It was blowing like stink when we left port and put up single-reefed main and headed out into the central bay with small jib.
We headed for the lee side of Angel Island on broad reach port tack, through substantial wind waves whipped up by the strong winds, even though the ebb current was light. So we were taking some spray as we crossed the bay and were rocking and rolling in the waves.
Some beautiful cloud patterns extended over Angel Island as we arrived in a somewhat calmer, less wave-tossed region well to the east of the island.
Winds remained strong as we headed up, hardened in the sails, and made for Raccoon Straits, taking a couple of tacks to enter the straits, and finding the winds there also much stronger than they usually are... and gusty as well.
A small sailboat was well-reefed as it sailed downwind to the north.
Ayala Cove was nearly deserted-- only one small sailboat was tied up at the docks.
After beating our way through the straits, we headed up the weather side of Angel Island, noticing that the western skies were populated with both high cloud and a blanket of fog--- very unusual!
After sailing past the island, we headed downwind toward north side of Treasure Island and had a pleasant downwind sail, under main only after pulling in the jib all the way.
As we headed up the lee side of Treasure Island, we passed a small sailboat headed north.
Winds were good most of the way up the lee side of Treasure Island, and we had sufficient wind to sail around Yerba Buena and then headed up to sail mostly parallel to the Bay Bridge, enjoying the view of the city through the bridge.
Bob and Bruce were enjoying the outing as we headed for home port....
... as were Brian and Austin.
We had to beat against the westerly wind toward home port and passed a couple of sailboats heading down the cityfront-- this one.....
... and this one.
We doused the jib in the lee of pier 27, then doused the main in the lee of pier 33, as there was a cruise ship still docked on the east side of pier 35. We motored into port after readying for landing, pleased with our four hour figure 8 tour of the bay.
# posted by charlie bergstedt @ 10:35 PM 
