Thursday, June 14, 2007
TUESDAY 12 JUNE 2007-- BLUSTERY SAIL TO RACCOON STRAITS AND THE GATE
Steve and Fran joined us about 1 pm for an afternoon outing on the bay. Winds were moderate when we left port, but we raised double-reefed main in expectation that wind velocity would increase to the 25-30 knot range that we have been experiencing almost every afternoon lately. We put out a reefed jib also and headed out into the ebb current and resultant large wind waves.
We sailed westward past the end of pier 39 where flags were fluttering smartly in winds of about 15 knots.
We tacked into the lee of pier 45 and reefed the jib down to a hankie size as the wind was already intensifying before heading out into the central bay again, with the city behind enjoying the brilliant sunshine and clear skies.
After sailing to the west a while, we fell off to head for the weather side of Angel Island on a beam reach, passing the weather side of Alcatraz which is bathed in strong sunshine, taking spray over the bow and some into the cockpit from large wind waves on Alcatraz shoal.
As we crossed between Alcatraz and Angel Island, we were watching a small J-boat heading for the central bay with full canvas and so doing extreme sailing.
As we sailed up the weather shore of Angel Island, TOSCA passed to starboard with reefed sails but well heeled-over.
The houses on the open hillside of the island were bathed in mid-afternoon sunshine.
After entering the west mouth of Raccoon Straits, we did a chicken gybe and headed down the straits on starboard tack broad reach, soon passing a Cal 25, named MAHOO, heading up the straits with main only.
As we approached Ayala Cove, it was apparent that only two boats were tied up in the buoy field ....
...and a half-dozen or so boats were docked in the small marina.
After passing the cove, we reefed the jib down to close to a postage stamp size and then came about to head back up the straits. After exiting the straits, that same sailboat MAHOO passed astern, heading for Tiburon.
A large sailboat, under main only, was headed into the straits and passed to starboard.
We began beating toward the gate, banging through large wind waves with ebb assist and at one point sailing across the mouth of Richardson Bay with Mt. Tam towering in the distance.
Houses on the hillside of Sausalito were sundrenched.
A well-reefed small sailboat was heading toward Sausalito along the shore of the Marin Headlands.
As we headed for the central bay, we enjoyed views of the spectacular GGB.
We eventually tacked into Horseshoe Cove in blustery winds of about 30 knots with no lee spot anywhere, and then tacked to sail across the gate and to watch windsurfers like this one enjoying the extreme wind and sea conditions.
This windsurfer was blasting out the gate and using a much larger sail than the others that we spotted.
We just ducked out the gate and then came about and headed back inside, watching this kite surfer blasting across the choppy water of the bay.
That windsurfer seen earlier outside the gate was now skipping across wind waves.
Here is a short video of three kite surfers blasting around on the bay inside the gate.
A highly-reefed sailboat passed to port, heading for the gate.
We blasted downwind toward home port and enjoyed views of the city still basking in brilliant sunshien as we passed pier 45.
We decided to sail past the marina toward the Bay Bridge and enjoyed views of the financial district in the late spring sunshine.
The breeze petered out when we were about a half-mile from the bridge, so we came about and headed for home port on the light southerly breeze, pulling in the jib as we approached pier 33 and then dropping the main while motoring slowly toward pier 35 in a light breeze. A very enjoyable outing under mostly extreme conditions.
Steve and Fran joined us about 1 pm for an afternoon outing on the bay. Winds were moderate when we left port, but we raised double-reefed main in expectation that wind velocity would increase to the 25-30 knot range that we have been experiencing almost every afternoon lately. We put out a reefed jib also and headed out into the ebb current and resultant large wind waves.
We sailed westward past the end of pier 39 where flags were fluttering smartly in winds of about 15 knots.
We tacked into the lee of pier 45 and reefed the jib down to a hankie size as the wind was already intensifying before heading out into the central bay again, with the city behind enjoying the brilliant sunshine and clear skies.
After sailing to the west a while, we fell off to head for the weather side of Angel Island on a beam reach, passing the weather side of Alcatraz which is bathed in strong sunshine, taking spray over the bow and some into the cockpit from large wind waves on Alcatraz shoal.
As we crossed between Alcatraz and Angel Island, we were watching a small J-boat heading for the central bay with full canvas and so doing extreme sailing.
As we sailed up the weather shore of Angel Island, TOSCA passed to starboard with reefed sails but well heeled-over.
The houses on the open hillside of the island were bathed in mid-afternoon sunshine.
After entering the west mouth of Raccoon Straits, we did a chicken gybe and headed down the straits on starboard tack broad reach, soon passing a Cal 25, named MAHOO, heading up the straits with main only.
As we approached Ayala Cove, it was apparent that only two boats were tied up in the buoy field ....
...and a half-dozen or so boats were docked in the small marina.
After passing the cove, we reefed the jib down to close to a postage stamp size and then came about to head back up the straits. After exiting the straits, that same sailboat MAHOO passed astern, heading for Tiburon.
A large sailboat, under main only, was headed into the straits and passed to starboard.
We began beating toward the gate, banging through large wind waves with ebb assist and at one point sailing across the mouth of Richardson Bay with Mt. Tam towering in the distance.
Houses on the hillside of Sausalito were sundrenched.
A well-reefed small sailboat was heading toward Sausalito along the shore of the Marin Headlands.
As we headed for the central bay, we enjoyed views of the spectacular GGB.
We eventually tacked into Horseshoe Cove in blustery winds of about 30 knots with no lee spot anywhere, and then tacked to sail across the gate and to watch windsurfers like this one enjoying the extreme wind and sea conditions.
This windsurfer was blasting out the gate and using a much larger sail than the others that we spotted.
We just ducked out the gate and then came about and headed back inside, watching this kite surfer blasting across the choppy water of the bay.
That windsurfer seen earlier outside the gate was now skipping across wind waves.
Here is a short video of three kite surfers blasting around on the bay inside the gate.
A highly-reefed sailboat passed to port, heading for the gate.
We blasted downwind toward home port and enjoyed views of the city still basking in brilliant sunshien as we passed pier 45.
We decided to sail past the marina toward the Bay Bridge and enjoyed views of the financial district in the late spring sunshine.
The breeze petered out when we were about a half-mile from the bridge, so we came about and headed for home port on the light southerly breeze, pulling in the jib as we approached pier 33 and then dropping the main while motoring slowly toward pier 35 in a light breeze. A very enjoyable outing under mostly extreme conditions.
# posted by charlie bergstedt @ 10:28 AM 
