Thursday, July 12, 2007
SUNDAY, 8 JULY 07-- MORE STRONG WINDS ON THE BAY!!!!! AND FEWER BOATS!!!!!!!!
Michael joined us for an early afternoon sail and we left port about 1 pm.
Winds velocities were already in the 15-20 knot range as we headed out toward the central bay.
Winds were out of the WSW as we sailed toward Alcatraz, and behind us a large sailboat was sailing downwind past the marina.
This blue-water cruise equipped Islander blasted past us to port, flying full main but postage stamp jib.
The BAY LADY, a gaff-rigged schooner in the charter business, passed doing wing and wing direct downwind.
A bit later, this small OCSC sailboat passed, blasting downwind with full main and a small hanked-on jib.
As we continued westward, the Beneteau shot past, looking good and making fast headway in the strong winds and lumpy seas.
The charter sloop RUBY was heading home and passed to port as we continued westward.
This large center cockpit cutter-rigged sailboat was blasting toward Sausalito
with heavy canvas and starboard rail almost under water.
Few other boats were out in the strong wind which, if they continue will likely keep a lot of weekend sailors in port for most of the summer, but we did see this well-reefed center-cockpit cutter heading home from the gate as we continued westward toward Sausalito with fog pouring over the headlands.
We did encounter some soft winds to no wind spots approaching the mouth of Richardson Bay, and did a few tacks toward the headlands before heading back toward home port at about 3 pm in the afternoon, having the bay almost totally to ourselves, which would never have been true on a relatively sunny sunday afternoon four or five years ago, when afternoon winds were not so almost-gale force.
Michael joined us for an early afternoon sail and we left port about 1 pm.
Winds velocities were already in the 15-20 knot range as we headed out toward the central bay.
Winds were out of the WSW as we sailed toward Alcatraz, and behind us a large sailboat was sailing downwind past the marina.
This blue-water cruise equipped Islander blasted past us to port, flying full main but postage stamp jib.
The BAY LADY, a gaff-rigged schooner in the charter business, passed doing wing and wing direct downwind.
A bit later, this small OCSC sailboat passed, blasting downwind with full main and a small hanked-on jib.
As we continued westward, the Beneteau shot past, looking good and making fast headway in the strong winds and lumpy seas.
The charter sloop RUBY was heading home and passed to port as we continued westward.
This large center cockpit cutter-rigged sailboat was blasting toward Sausalito
with heavy canvas and starboard rail almost under water.
Few other boats were out in the strong wind which, if they continue will likely keep a lot of weekend sailors in port for most of the summer, but we did see this well-reefed center-cockpit cutter heading home from the gate as we continued westward toward Sausalito with fog pouring over the headlands.
We did encounter some soft winds to no wind spots approaching the mouth of Richardson Bay, and did a few tacks toward the headlands before heading back toward home port at about 3 pm in the afternoon, having the bay almost totally to ourselves, which would never have been true on a relatively sunny sunday afternoon four or five years ago, when afternoon winds were not so almost-gale force.
# posted by charlie bergstedt @ 12:20 AM 
