Wednesday, September 12, 2007
SATURDAY, 8 SEPT. 07-- BLUSTERY AFTERNOON OUTING
We left port about 3 pm for an afternoon sail.
Winds were very heavy again after a milder day on Friday-- seems like the weather is altering between blustery winds and moderate winds from one day to the next.
As we headed out into the central bay, BAY LADY, a charter schooner out of South Beach Marina passed, heading toward home port, and doing wing and wing downwind.
Very few sailboats were still out on the bay, but GOOSE, a Catalina, was heading east also.
A neighbor boat, TORTUGA, was heading home as we sailed westward on the strong southwest breeze.
The pier 39 flags were fluttering strongly in the heavy wind, and we hoped that
the cruise ship tied up at pier 35 would leave before we returned, so we would have a lee spot for dousing sail.
We tacked into the lee of pier 45 and then headed across the bay toward Sausalito, passing this snall sailboat crossing the bay in the opposite direction.
We eventually sailed out of the fog into some nice sunshine, well north of Alcatraz, and enjoyed views of the massive monster fog bank over the headlands.
That fog bank extended way over the gate as well.
We sailed past Harding Rock and most of the way to the mouth of Richardson Bay and then came about and headed back toward home port, blasting over the windtossed waters and eventually spotting this small J-boat heading downwind.
The cruise ship that had been tied up at pier 35 was now heading out to sea and dwarfing the sailboat crossing the bay.
With the strong winds giving us good headway, we managed to cross well in front of an inbound freighter and eventually enjoy views of the city that was still enjoying some sunshine.
Pier 39 flags were still well-pegged-out as we sailed past.
The charter ketch, PRIVATEER, was headed out for a late afternoon sail with reduced canvas.
We sailed into the lee of pier 35, happy that the cruise ship had left our lee spot, to douse sail and prepare for landing, before motoring back into the marina. It was fun to be out there, even though the wind and sea conditions were more than a bit rough!
We left port about 3 pm for an afternoon sail.
Winds were very heavy again after a milder day on Friday-- seems like the weather is altering between blustery winds and moderate winds from one day to the next.
As we headed out into the central bay, BAY LADY, a charter schooner out of South Beach Marina passed, heading toward home port, and doing wing and wing downwind.
Very few sailboats were still out on the bay, but GOOSE, a Catalina, was heading east also.
A neighbor boat, TORTUGA, was heading home as we sailed westward on the strong southwest breeze.
The pier 39 flags were fluttering strongly in the heavy wind, and we hoped that
the cruise ship tied up at pier 35 would leave before we returned, so we would have a lee spot for dousing sail.
We tacked into the lee of pier 45 and then headed across the bay toward Sausalito, passing this snall sailboat crossing the bay in the opposite direction.
We eventually sailed out of the fog into some nice sunshine, well north of Alcatraz, and enjoyed views of the massive monster fog bank over the headlands.
That fog bank extended way over the gate as well.
We sailed past Harding Rock and most of the way to the mouth of Richardson Bay and then came about and headed back toward home port, blasting over the windtossed waters and eventually spotting this small J-boat heading downwind.
The cruise ship that had been tied up at pier 35 was now heading out to sea and dwarfing the sailboat crossing the bay.
With the strong winds giving us good headway, we managed to cross well in front of an inbound freighter and eventually enjoy views of the city that was still enjoying some sunshine.
Pier 39 flags were still well-pegged-out as we sailed past.
The charter ketch, PRIVATEER, was headed out for a late afternoon sail with reduced canvas.
We sailed into the lee of pier 35, happy that the cruise ship had left our lee spot, to douse sail and prepare for landing, before motoring back into the marina. It was fun to be out there, even though the wind and sea conditions were more than a bit rough!
# posted by charlie bergstedt @ 12:18 AM 
