Sunday, June 10, 2007
SATURDAY, 9 JUNE 07-- BLUSTERY SAIL TO GGB AND BACK WITH MICHAEL AND CARA
Michael and Cara joined us for an afternoon sail and we left port about 2:30 pm, raised double-reefed main, put out double-reefed jib and headed out into the central bay, sailing to the west on a southwest breeze against a slack current about to turn to a waxing flood current.
After sailing to the west a short distance, we tacked toward the lee of pier 45, passing pier39 where the flags were indicating a breeze of about 15-20 knots.
Encountering some light air approaching the corner of the west marina of pier 39, we tacked to the west again and sailed into southwest breezes increasing in velocity while watching this ketch crossing the bay on sun-sparkled waters.
This well-reefed large sailboat was crossing the bay in front of us, sailing a bit off the wind and looking great!
A well-reefed Ericson 25 was also crossing the bay and apparently being single-handed.
As we continued westward in still increasing breeze, putting the rail in the water in some of the gusts-- some pretty extreme sailing-- this large ketch that was initially sailing on an almost parallel course, but a bit more off the wind, changed course to fall off more and pass astern of us, flying jib and mizzen only.
As we continued sailing westward in the heavy wind, we noticed some race boats heading toward Angel Island under spinnaker.
SAMBA was chasing them in the same direction with her bright red spinnaker giving her plenty of lift and speed.
Other small race boats in the regatta were headed for the leeward mark off Yellow Bluff, like this one, looking great!
And another of the same make, also looking good!
After encountereing some ligher air and heading into the wind to reef the jib some more, we began to encounter some Santana race boats heading for the leeward mark, like this one....
...and several more.
A couple of them were headed right for us on port tack, but we were well west of the mark by this time and so well out fo their way.
As we sailed down the shore of the Marin Headlands, we spotted our old pal, ADVENTURE CAT2, heading our way and then tacking toward the gate.
The GGB looked spectacular in the mid-afternoon sun, as usual, with the unusual addition of some high cloud overhead.
ADVENTURE CAT2 was not leaving us in her wake as much as expected and eventually she headed up into the strong wind, doused her sails and began motoring swiftly toward home port-- perhaps having some emergency condition aboard since we've never seen her stop short of sailing out the gate before.
After sailing out a ways into the strong breezes of the central bay, we tacked toward Horseshoe Cove, sailed almost to the shore north of the north tower of the GGB and then tacked to sail across the gate, the now strong flood current pushing us eastward, while we watched some kite surfers like this one enjoying the strong breezes.
This windsurfer blasted past our stern, headed toward Horseshoe Cove....
... as did this kite surfer.
We sailed to a poing a few hundered yards from the shore, and then tacked toward the gate, and soon after, as this windsurfer approached to pass astern of us, he shouted: "NICE 38' ERICSON!' and I thought for a moment it might be Olivier, but it wasn't his voice.
The south half of the gate had choppy waters as well as strong winds, and this windsurfer was blasting across the gate in front of us.....
....heading parallel to the gate....
....and then gybing to head back toward us.
We sailed out the gate a bit north of midspan and into a bit calmer winds, fighting the flood current and enjoying, as always, our view of the magnificent GGB and the Marin Headlands!
Michael was at the helm as we shot the gate.
We sailed out to near Kirby Cove and then came about and headed back inside, pulling the jib out to full for more downwind power, and then blasting toward home port with flood current assist, while enjoying the cloud patterns over the headlands and the bay.
As we sailed eastward, this Catalina was sailing westward and looking good with full canvas flying!
Another sailboat, flying main only, was also headed westward.
This small sailboat blasted past us to port, heading toward the gate on the still strong southwest wind, and looking good with full canvas flying.
The city was basking in the late afternoon sun as we sailed between pier 45 and pier 39.
Pier 39 flags were still pegged out in the strong breeze as we sailed past.
We sailed into the lee of pier 35 to douse the sails and as we were tying up the main, two Coast Guard boats, one a fast boat with a machine gun on the bow, and the other a motor life boat, approached to ask what we were doing, as if it weren't obviouis that we were dousing sails in the lee of the pier. They were reassured by our responseand then said they got nervous because we were so close to the pier-- DUH! that's were you go to get out of the strong winds. They blasted back out into the central bay as we continued readying ANTICIPATION for landing, and then motored around the pier, past the SEMESTER AT SEA cruise ship tied up on the west side of pier 35, and into the marina, gratified by our four or so hours of somewhat extreme sailing on our beautiful bay.
Michael and Cara joined us for an afternoon sail and we left port about 2:30 pm, raised double-reefed main, put out double-reefed jib and headed out into the central bay, sailing to the west on a southwest breeze against a slack current about to turn to a waxing flood current.
After sailing to the west a short distance, we tacked toward the lee of pier 45, passing pier39 where the flags were indicating a breeze of about 15-20 knots.
Encountering some light air approaching the corner of the west marina of pier 39, we tacked to the west again and sailed into southwest breezes increasing in velocity while watching this ketch crossing the bay on sun-sparkled waters.
This well-reefed large sailboat was crossing the bay in front of us, sailing a bit off the wind and looking great!
A well-reefed Ericson 25 was also crossing the bay and apparently being single-handed.
As we continued westward in still increasing breeze, putting the rail in the water in some of the gusts-- some pretty extreme sailing-- this large ketch that was initially sailing on an almost parallel course, but a bit more off the wind, changed course to fall off more and pass astern of us, flying jib and mizzen only.
As we continued sailing westward in the heavy wind, we noticed some race boats heading toward Angel Island under spinnaker.
SAMBA was chasing them in the same direction with her bright red spinnaker giving her plenty of lift and speed.
Other small race boats in the regatta were headed for the leeward mark off Yellow Bluff, like this one, looking great!
And another of the same make, also looking good!
After encountereing some ligher air and heading into the wind to reef the jib some more, we began to encounter some Santana race boats heading for the leeward mark, like this one....
...and several more.
A couple of them were headed right for us on port tack, but we were well west of the mark by this time and so well out fo their way.
As we sailed down the shore of the Marin Headlands, we spotted our old pal, ADVENTURE CAT2, heading our way and then tacking toward the gate.
The GGB looked spectacular in the mid-afternoon sun, as usual, with the unusual addition of some high cloud overhead.
ADVENTURE CAT2 was not leaving us in her wake as much as expected and eventually she headed up into the strong wind, doused her sails and began motoring swiftly toward home port-- perhaps having some emergency condition aboard since we've never seen her stop short of sailing out the gate before.
After sailing out a ways into the strong breezes of the central bay, we tacked toward Horseshoe Cove, sailed almost to the shore north of the north tower of the GGB and then tacked to sail across the gate, the now strong flood current pushing us eastward, while we watched some kite surfers like this one enjoying the strong breezes.
This windsurfer blasted past our stern, headed toward Horseshoe Cove....
... as did this kite surfer.
We sailed to a poing a few hundered yards from the shore, and then tacked toward the gate, and soon after, as this windsurfer approached to pass astern of us, he shouted: "NICE 38' ERICSON!' and I thought for a moment it might be Olivier, but it wasn't his voice.
The south half of the gate had choppy waters as well as strong winds, and this windsurfer was blasting across the gate in front of us.....
....heading parallel to the gate....
....and then gybing to head back toward us.
We sailed out the gate a bit north of midspan and into a bit calmer winds, fighting the flood current and enjoying, as always, our view of the magnificent GGB and the Marin Headlands!
Michael was at the helm as we shot the gate.
We sailed out to near Kirby Cove and then came about and headed back inside, pulling the jib out to full for more downwind power, and then blasting toward home port with flood current assist, while enjoying the cloud patterns over the headlands and the bay.
As we sailed eastward, this Catalina was sailing westward and looking good with full canvas flying!
Another sailboat, flying main only, was also headed westward.
This small sailboat blasted past us to port, heading toward the gate on the still strong southwest wind, and looking good with full canvas flying.
The city was basking in the late afternoon sun as we sailed between pier 45 and pier 39.
Pier 39 flags were still pegged out in the strong breeze as we sailed past.
We sailed into the lee of pier 35 to douse the sails and as we were tying up the main, two Coast Guard boats, one a fast boat with a machine gun on the bow, and the other a motor life boat, approached to ask what we were doing, as if it weren't obviouis that we were dousing sails in the lee of the pier. They were reassured by our responseand then said they got nervous because we were so close to the pier-- DUH! that's were you go to get out of the strong winds. They blasted back out into the central bay as we continued readying ANTICIPATION for landing, and then motored around the pier, past the SEMESTER AT SEA cruise ship tied up on the west side of pier 35, and into the marina, gratified by our four or so hours of somewhat extreme sailing on our beautiful bay.
# posted by charlie bergstedt @ 7:34 PM 
