Thursday, August 30, 2007
THURSDAY, 30 AUGUST 07-- 2 BRIDGE KISS ON A LOVELY WARM AFTERNOON
Steve joined us again and we headed out of port about 1:30 pm.
Winds over telegraph hill were moderate as we headed out toward the central bay.
As we entered the centrral bay, LOLA was heading home from a charter outing.
Off to starboard, PRIVATEER was also headed back toward home port after a charter sailing outing.
As we headed toward Alcatraz on a close reach with some residual flood current, this large sailboat passed to port with the city behind enjoying brilliant sunshine.
A bit later, another sailboat passed to port, sailing downwind and heavily reefed.
We tacked as we approached Alcatraz and sailed back toward the cityfront while the island behind us was enjoying the warm sunshine and clear air.
After approaching the cityfront near pier 45, we tacked away to the west again and sailed all the way across the bay, eventually watching this sailboat crossing the bay in the other direction
As we approached Yellow Bluff, the Golden Gate Bridge looked spectacular above the sun-sparkled bay waters.
We tacked as we neared Yellow Bluff and headed across the bay, watching this Coast Guard cutter steaming out to sea.
Off to port, this cutter-rigged sailboat flying main and trysail was headed across the bay.
About half way across the bay, we tacked and headed for the gate, and soon this windsurfer crossed in front of us and blasted awy toward Horseshoe Cove.
A couple of other windsurfers behind us were blasting across the bay waters in opposite directions.
We approached the north tower of the GGB and then tacked to sail parallel to the gate to near the south tower and then tacked out with Steve at the helm.
The GGB looked spectacular as usual in the mid-afternoon sunshine.
We just sailed out a short ways and then fell off and headed back inside, eventually passing our old pal, ADVENTURE CAT, heading for the gate, as we were heading toward Raccoon Straits.
Winds softened too much in the lee of the headlands so we gybed and headed for the north side of Treasure Island, eventually watching PRIVATEER blasting across the bay toward Angel Island in strong winds.
As we approached the north shore of Treasure Island, we found some windsurfers playing around on the waters there, like this one....
...and this one, all of them apparently having entered the water off the shore of Tresure Island-- first time we have seen this happening.
We had light but steady winds all the way up the lee shore of Treasure Island, and soon could see that the causeway portion of the new east span of the Bay Bridge was virtually complete and all but one of the skycranes were gone, but they were constructing some more support pillars west of the highway sections cantilevered out from the last set of pillars.
Here's another view of the causeway portion of the new bridge.
Major support pillars have been constructed on Yerba Buena, perhaps part of the support for the suspension span.
We ghosted around the south shore of Yerba Buena Island, where our favorite little lighthouse was enjoying the late afternoon sunshine.
A couple of tacks took us through the D-E span of the Bay Bridge, and after sailing to the north a bit, we headed toward the city and approached the cityfront north of the Ferry Building.
After tacking back to the north again, we watched this sailboat raising its main sail before heading out for an evening sail.
A couple of tacks took us into the lee of pier 35 to douse sails and prepare for landing before motoring around the pier and into the marina, happy to have enjoyed a lovely few hours on our magnificent bay.
Steve joined us again and we headed out of port about 1:30 pm.
Winds over telegraph hill were moderate as we headed out toward the central bay.
As we entered the centrral bay, LOLA was heading home from a charter outing.
Off to starboard, PRIVATEER was also headed back toward home port after a charter sailing outing.
As we headed toward Alcatraz on a close reach with some residual flood current, this large sailboat passed to port with the city behind enjoying brilliant sunshine.
A bit later, another sailboat passed to port, sailing downwind and heavily reefed.
We tacked as we approached Alcatraz and sailed back toward the cityfront while the island behind us was enjoying the warm sunshine and clear air.
After approaching the cityfront near pier 45, we tacked away to the west again and sailed all the way across the bay, eventually watching this sailboat crossing the bay in the other direction
As we approached Yellow Bluff, the Golden Gate Bridge looked spectacular above the sun-sparkled bay waters.
We tacked as we neared Yellow Bluff and headed across the bay, watching this Coast Guard cutter steaming out to sea.
Off to port, this cutter-rigged sailboat flying main and trysail was headed across the bay.
About half way across the bay, we tacked and headed for the gate, and soon this windsurfer crossed in front of us and blasted awy toward Horseshoe Cove.
A couple of other windsurfers behind us were blasting across the bay waters in opposite directions.
We approached the north tower of the GGB and then tacked to sail parallel to the gate to near the south tower and then tacked out with Steve at the helm.
The GGB looked spectacular as usual in the mid-afternoon sunshine.
We just sailed out a short ways and then fell off and headed back inside, eventually passing our old pal, ADVENTURE CAT, heading for the gate, as we were heading toward Raccoon Straits.
Winds softened too much in the lee of the headlands so we gybed and headed for the north side of Treasure Island, eventually watching PRIVATEER blasting across the bay toward Angel Island in strong winds.
As we approached the north shore of Treasure Island, we found some windsurfers playing around on the waters there, like this one....
...and this one, all of them apparently having entered the water off the shore of Tresure Island-- first time we have seen this happening.
We had light but steady winds all the way up the lee shore of Treasure Island, and soon could see that the causeway portion of the new east span of the Bay Bridge was virtually complete and all but one of the skycranes were gone, but they were constructing some more support pillars west of the highway sections cantilevered out from the last set of pillars.
Here's another view of the causeway portion of the new bridge.
Major support pillars have been constructed on Yerba Buena, perhaps part of the support for the suspension span.
We ghosted around the south shore of Yerba Buena Island, where our favorite little lighthouse was enjoying the late afternoon sunshine.
A couple of tacks took us through the D-E span of the Bay Bridge, and after sailing to the north a bit, we headed toward the city and approached the cityfront north of the Ferry Building.
After tacking back to the north again, we watched this sailboat raising its main sail before heading out for an evening sail.
A couple of tacks took us into the lee of pier 35 to douse sails and prepare for landing before motoring around the pier and into the marina, happy to have enjoyed a lovely few hours on our magnificent bay.
# posted by charlie bergstedt @ 10:39 PM 
