Monday, July 23, 2007
FRIDAY 20 JULY 07-- NICE MORNING SAIL TO THE GATE AND SAUSALITO
Friday morning was lovely with a land breeze from the east blowing early and then shifting to a moderate southwesterly, so we decided to head out for a morning sail before the much stronger mid-afternoon winds came up.
We left port about 10:30 am, with a breeze blowing in the range of 5-7 knots.
A well-reefed neighbor boat was also heading out at this time, the skipper apparently expecting strong winds to come up shortly.
A heavy bank of fog was hanging over the gate as we sailed west on a southwest breeze with a moderate ebb current assisting.
Alcatraz was enjoying the brilliant morning sunshine as we passed.
As we continued west, we enjoyed views of Mt. Tam in the clear and towering over Sausalito and Richardson Bay.
As we sailed along to the west, we were treated to a diving show by a couple of pelicans, and here is one preparing for the dive.
....and here is one splashing in, accompanied by another sea bird, as one often sees.
As we approached the shore of the Marin Headlands, this sailboat was crossing the bay behind us.
We tacked as we approached the shore and then tacked again to sail into Horseshoe Cove for a great view of our spectacular bridge, now with the fog cleared off the north half.
We tacked in the cove and headed across the gate, continuing to enjoy close up views of the bridge-- the first time we've been this close all month.
After sailing about midway between the north tower and midspan, we tacked out the gate and enjoyed the view of the cliffs and hills of the Marin Headlands, now brown and gold in the summer drought.
We just ducked out the gate a short ways and then came about and headed back inside, and later watched this cutter approaching the gate near the south tower.
A bit later, we gybed and headed to the northwest, to sail along the shore of the headlands toward Sausalito, and watched this catamaran sailing main-only approach the gate in Horseshoe Cove.
The cat never shot the gate but soon retreated to the north, and sailed past Yellow Bluff on the shore of the headlands.
The fog bank was now beginning to obscure the bridge again as we continued along the shore, experiencing some heave wind gusts from time to time.
Overhead, one of our pelican friends was soaring beautifully in the blue sky!
We sailed past the Sausalito sewage treatment plant on the shore of the headlands.
A bit later, we saw a couple of sailboats heading out of Richardson Bay.
As you can see here, the village of Sausalito stops abruptly at the border of the headlands-- hooray for the activists that stopped residential developments on the headlands!
The village was enjoying the mid-day sun as we approached Richardson Bay's mouth.
We came about and headed back down the shoreline, and was soon passed by one of those two sailboats now retreating toward Sausalito with almost no canvas flying.
We were buffeted by some very strong wind gusts as we sailed down the shore fo the headlands and eventually fell off toward home port, watching the fog now pouring through the gate again.
As we blasted toward home port in strong sustained winds, but still only in the 10-15 knot range, we noticed that the north tower of the gate was obscurred by the fog bank while the south tower was in the clear-- the reverse of the usual conditions
As we headed home, this sailboat flying full canvas shot across the bay in front of us.
Another sailboat also passed, looking good with full canvas flying.
With the sun directly overhead, the Hyde Street hill was basking in the sunshine.
As we approached pier 39, one of the Coast Guard fast boats blasted past.
Pier 39 flags were fluttering strongly as we sailed past.
We doused sails approaching pier 35 since a cruise ship was tied up on the east side, and watched this neighbor boat heading out for a sail.
A bit later, charter ketch PRIVATEER passed, heading out toward the bay.
It was a bit after 12:30 when we landed in our slip, happy to have spent a couple of delightful hours on the bay before the hellacious afternoon winds blew up in the mid to late afternoon.
Friday morning was lovely with a land breeze from the east blowing early and then shifting to a moderate southwesterly, so we decided to head out for a morning sail before the much stronger mid-afternoon winds came up.
We left port about 10:30 am, with a breeze blowing in the range of 5-7 knots.
A well-reefed neighbor boat was also heading out at this time, the skipper apparently expecting strong winds to come up shortly.
A heavy bank of fog was hanging over the gate as we sailed west on a southwest breeze with a moderate ebb current assisting.
Alcatraz was enjoying the brilliant morning sunshine as we passed.
As we continued west, we enjoyed views of Mt. Tam in the clear and towering over Sausalito and Richardson Bay.
As we sailed along to the west, we were treated to a diving show by a couple of pelicans, and here is one preparing for the dive.
....and here is one splashing in, accompanied by another sea bird, as one often sees.
As we approached the shore of the Marin Headlands, this sailboat was crossing the bay behind us.
We tacked as we approached the shore and then tacked again to sail into Horseshoe Cove for a great view of our spectacular bridge, now with the fog cleared off the north half.
We tacked in the cove and headed across the gate, continuing to enjoy close up views of the bridge-- the first time we've been this close all month.
After sailing about midway between the north tower and midspan, we tacked out the gate and enjoyed the view of the cliffs and hills of the Marin Headlands, now brown and gold in the summer drought.
We just ducked out the gate a short ways and then came about and headed back inside, and later watched this cutter approaching the gate near the south tower.
A bit later, we gybed and headed to the northwest, to sail along the shore of the headlands toward Sausalito, and watched this catamaran sailing main-only approach the gate in Horseshoe Cove.
The cat never shot the gate but soon retreated to the north, and sailed past Yellow Bluff on the shore of the headlands.
The fog bank was now beginning to obscure the bridge again as we continued along the shore, experiencing some heave wind gusts from time to time.
Overhead, one of our pelican friends was soaring beautifully in the blue sky!
We sailed past the Sausalito sewage treatment plant on the shore of the headlands.
A bit later, we saw a couple of sailboats heading out of Richardson Bay.
As you can see here, the village of Sausalito stops abruptly at the border of the headlands-- hooray for the activists that stopped residential developments on the headlands!
The village was enjoying the mid-day sun as we approached Richardson Bay's mouth.
We came about and headed back down the shoreline, and was soon passed by one of those two sailboats now retreating toward Sausalito with almost no canvas flying.
We were buffeted by some very strong wind gusts as we sailed down the shore fo the headlands and eventually fell off toward home port, watching the fog now pouring through the gate again.
As we blasted toward home port in strong sustained winds, but still only in the 10-15 knot range, we noticed that the north tower of the gate was obscurred by the fog bank while the south tower was in the clear-- the reverse of the usual conditions
As we headed home, this sailboat flying full canvas shot across the bay in front of us.
Another sailboat also passed, looking good with full canvas flying.
With the sun directly overhead, the Hyde Street hill was basking in the sunshine.
As we approached pier 39, one of the Coast Guard fast boats blasted past.
Pier 39 flags were fluttering strongly as we sailed past.
We doused sails approaching pier 35 since a cruise ship was tied up on the east side, and watched this neighbor boat heading out for a sail.
A bit later, charter ketch PRIVATEER passed, heading out toward the bay.
It was a bit after 12:30 when we landed in our slip, happy to have spent a couple of delightful hours on the bay before the hellacious afternoon winds blew up in the mid to late afternoon.
# posted by charlie bergstedt @ 12:49 AM 
