Thursday, July 19, 2007
SATURDAY 14 JULY 07-- AROUND TREADURE ISLAND AND ANGEL ISLAND-- MORE STRONG CENTRAL BAY WINDS
Michael joined us for our afternoon sail and we left port about 2:30 pm, heading out into the central bay and then sailing toward the D-E span of the Bay Bridge.
Off to starboard, nearer the cityfront, this race boat was retreating southeastward after gaging the strong winds in the central bay.
Overhead the Goodyear blimp was hanging out around the Bay Bridge and the ballpark.
As we continued toward the D-E span, a succession of sailboats passed, heading north, like this small sailboat flying main only.....
...this catamaran.....
....and this well-reefed cutter flying very reduced canvas.
As we neared the bridge, the SF fireboat steamed across our bow.
Behind us, a sailboat was approaching, doing wing and wing with poled out jib.
The Bay Bridge was gleaming in the midafternoon sunshine with the blimp hanging out overhead.
Close to the Yerba Buena shore, a lovely sailboat flying full canvas was looking good.
As we gybed to head around Yerba Buena, the GALAXY HORNBLOWER out of the estuary approached.
We sailed past the cute lighthouse on the southeast point of YBI.
The city behind the Bay Bridge fell away into the distance, but that ugly new building next to the bridge now towers over the hight of the bridge towers, increasing its uglitude.
As we headed up the east shore of YBI, this sailboat passed to starboard, looking good except for her mainsail advertisement.
A large centercockpit sloop passed to port as we passed under the bridge's eastern span.
With reduced sail, we headed up the east shore of Treasure Island, and soon watched PILOT, a lovely Islander 36 blast past to starboard, flying full canvas and looking great!
That same catamaran that passed us earlier, now passed us again, heading back to the southeast.
We sailed past a barge with crane along the Treasure Island shore and also this burned out abandoned building on the east shore of the island.
A bit later this very large sloop passed, flying jib only-- a boat that we had earlier spotted before leaving port when she was heading west.
She was folled by another sailboat, smaller but flying full canvas.
Soon we were out in the central bay again and blasting toward the the lee side of Angel Island, staying well to the east to remain in the winds as much as possible, and as we eventually approached Southhamption shoal, we saw a race course ahead and this J105 rounding the windward mark....
....and raising her spinnaker.
A bit later, another J105 named ORION approached the mark and we headed up to stay out of her way.
As the earlier J105 headed toward the leeward mark with spinnaker flying nicely.....
ORION passed us close to starboard, looking great and getting ready to round the mark and raise her spinnaker.
She rounded the mark.....
.. and was soon blasting downwind under rainbow colored spinnaker.
As we continued sailing northward, this trimaran blasted past, heading for the race course.
We ran out of wind and had to motor a while back into a breeze coming through Raccoon Straits, passing in the meanwhile a beautifull pelican sitting peacefully on the waters of the north bay.
We sailed eventually to a point north of the mouth of the straits and then tacked toward Angel Island, watching this very large cutter, perhaps a 65 footer, sailing past Ayala Cove.
As we approached the island shore, this lovely J120-- cruising verson-- passed astern looking good!
We taked and sailed past the cove where quite a number of boats were still tied up in the small marina.....
...and the buoy field was chock full of boats.
A small dingy sailed past to port as we continued westward through the straits.
A small flock of pelicans flew past, close overhead, and looking GOOD!
As we exited the straits and headed across the bay, after again reducing the size fo the jib, we saw that the fog was beginning to obscure the towers of the Golden Gate Bridge.
We blasted across the central bay on the very strong southwesterly wind, taking spray, and encountereing large wind waves south of Alcatraz, and doing some surfing there before approaching the city now bathed in early evening sunshine.
We sailed into the lee of pier 35 to douse sail and ready the boat for landing, and then had to motor way around the back of the dredging barge since it had its anchors set way out in the bay and taut anchor lines were held at small angles to the surface of the bay-- can't figure out why they were anchored like this, since they never did this on past occasions while dredging in this area.
We motored into port, happy with our circuit of the bay and experience of several of the bay's microclimes, giving us dramatically different sailing conditions.
Michael joined us for our afternoon sail and we left port about 2:30 pm, heading out into the central bay and then sailing toward the D-E span of the Bay Bridge.
Off to starboard, nearer the cityfront, this race boat was retreating southeastward after gaging the strong winds in the central bay.
Overhead the Goodyear blimp was hanging out around the Bay Bridge and the ballpark.
As we continued toward the D-E span, a succession of sailboats passed, heading north, like this small sailboat flying main only.....
...this catamaran.....
....and this well-reefed cutter flying very reduced canvas.
As we neared the bridge, the SF fireboat steamed across our bow.
Behind us, a sailboat was approaching, doing wing and wing with poled out jib.
The Bay Bridge was gleaming in the midafternoon sunshine with the blimp hanging out overhead.
Close to the Yerba Buena shore, a lovely sailboat flying full canvas was looking good.
As we gybed to head around Yerba Buena, the GALAXY HORNBLOWER out of the estuary approached.
We sailed past the cute lighthouse on the southeast point of YBI.
The city behind the Bay Bridge fell away into the distance, but that ugly new building next to the bridge now towers over the hight of the bridge towers, increasing its uglitude.
As we headed up the east shore of YBI, this sailboat passed to starboard, looking good except for her mainsail advertisement.
A large centercockpit sloop passed to port as we passed under the bridge's eastern span.
With reduced sail, we headed up the east shore of Treasure Island, and soon watched PILOT, a lovely Islander 36 blast past to starboard, flying full canvas and looking great!
That same catamaran that passed us earlier, now passed us again, heading back to the southeast.
We sailed past a barge with crane along the Treasure Island shore and also this burned out abandoned building on the east shore of the island.
A bit later this very large sloop passed, flying jib only-- a boat that we had earlier spotted before leaving port when she was heading west.
She was folled by another sailboat, smaller but flying full canvas.
Soon we were out in the central bay again and blasting toward the the lee side of Angel Island, staying well to the east to remain in the winds as much as possible, and as we eventually approached Southhamption shoal, we saw a race course ahead and this J105 rounding the windward mark....
....and raising her spinnaker.
A bit later, another J105 named ORION approached the mark and we headed up to stay out of her way.
As the earlier J105 headed toward the leeward mark with spinnaker flying nicely.....
ORION passed us close to starboard, looking great and getting ready to round the mark and raise her spinnaker.
She rounded the mark.....
.. and was soon blasting downwind under rainbow colored spinnaker.
As we continued sailing northward, this trimaran blasted past, heading for the race course.
We ran out of wind and had to motor a while back into a breeze coming through Raccoon Straits, passing in the meanwhile a beautifull pelican sitting peacefully on the waters of the north bay.
We sailed eventually to a point north of the mouth of the straits and then tacked toward Angel Island, watching this very large cutter, perhaps a 65 footer, sailing past Ayala Cove.
As we approached the island shore, this lovely J120-- cruising verson-- passed astern looking good!
We taked and sailed past the cove where quite a number of boats were still tied up in the small marina.....
...and the buoy field was chock full of boats.
A small dingy sailed past to port as we continued westward through the straits.
A small flock of pelicans flew past, close overhead, and looking GOOD!
As we exited the straits and headed across the bay, after again reducing the size fo the jib, we saw that the fog was beginning to obscure the towers of the Golden Gate Bridge.
We blasted across the central bay on the very strong southwesterly wind, taking spray, and encountereing large wind waves south of Alcatraz, and doing some surfing there before approaching the city now bathed in early evening sunshine.
We sailed into the lee of pier 35 to douse sail and ready the boat for landing, and then had to motor way around the back of the dredging barge since it had its anchors set way out in the bay and taut anchor lines were held at small angles to the surface of the bay-- can't figure out why they were anchored like this, since they never did this on past occasions while dredging in this area.
We motored into port, happy with our circuit of the bay and experience of several of the bay's microclimes, giving us dramatically different sailing conditions.
# posted by charlie bergstedt @ 12:21 PM 
