Wednesday, September 12, 2007
SUNDAY 9 SEPT. 07-- GRAND TOUR OF THE BAY WITH BIG CREW
For our afternoon outing, we were joined by Bob, a regular mate, and my daughter, Lar, a Dutch couple that she met in Peru, Frank and Vanessa, and Frank's father and brother, Pete and Rob.
Skies were starting to clear and winds were moderate as we left port around 2:30 pm.
A few sailboats were still out on the bay, like this one sailing downwind toward the Bay Bridge.
This neighbor boat was just headed out and raising her main sail in front of pier 35.
We headed down the cityfront, enjoying views of the financial district buildings.
This Catalina named BIG CAT had sailed under the A-B span of the Bay Bridge as we approached.
We sailed under the A-B span and then gybed to sail parallel with the bridge toward Yerba Buena Island, with the financial district behind framed by the bridge.
A lovely large sailboat was sailing past the island as we approached.
A couple of Optimist dingys were sailing eastward-- an unusual sight for this part of the bay, so far from any yacht club-- notice their power boat escort.
We sailed past our favorite lighthouse on the south point of YBI....
...and then past the buoy tender tied up at the Coast Guard base on the island.
A motorsailing Ericson passed us as we ghosted toward the east span of the Bay Bridge in light winds.
Work continues on some support pillars just west of the causeway portion of the new bridge which is almost finished.
INTEGRITY passed us, looking good, as we sailed up the lee shore fo Treasure Island.
A smaller sailboat passed a short time later.
Winds were a bit stronger in the central bay, but moderate compared to the previous day, which was nice for the crew on board, and eventually we were passed by thie Olson sailboat heading east.
Frank was enjoying some time at the helm as we crossed the bay to the lee side fo Angel Island, joined her by Vanessa.
A bit later, we suggested a family portrait at the stern and got this shot of Rob, Pete, Frank and Vanessa.
We headed up after passing the navigation platform way east of Angel Island, sailed to just north of the mouth of Raccoon Straits, then tacked into the straits from there, forcing this sailboat to duck us as we entered the straits.
The wind shifted into the WNW as we made a second tack across the straits, and so we were sailing direclty down the straits and noticing that there were still a few boats tied up in Ayala Cove in the early evening.
We had to fall off to the south as the wind shifted in the west half of the straits and just sailed past the northwest point of Angel island, followed by ghosting in light winds toward the central bay as this sailboat was entering the light wind region.
We eventually picked up a somewhat fresher breeze and sailed south toward the San Francisco shore, with ADVENTURE CAT2 crossing in front of us at one point on her way to the gate.
Russian Hill buildings were gleaming in the late sunshine as we approached the shore west of the St. Francis Yacht Club building.
We tacked then and headed toward the gate, passing this little yellow sailboat ghosting downwind under main only.
Rob, Lar, Frank and Vanessa were sitting on the foredeck as we ghosted toward the gate in light winds, bucking a waxing flood current.
A charter ketch out of Sausalito was crossing the gate as we approached and the sun lowered in the sky.
That Hunter sailboat shown in the distance in the previous photo eventually passed us to port....
.. and ADVENTURE CAT 2 passed to starboard as we continued toward the gate.
The sun dropped further in the sky as we continued to ghost toward the gate with crew still on the foredeck enjoying the sights.
As we neared the gate, the sun was dropping behind the Marin Headlands.
The breeze shifted more into the west and maintained sufficient velocity to enable us to sail out the gate between midspan and the north tower.
We just ducked out the gate and then came about and headed back inside, riding the flood current with a light breeze giving us modest headway as a dusky marmalade sky developed behind us.
It was dark when we arrived at home port, dousing sail after passing the marina, and motoring in after preparing for landing. Our lovely 6 hours on the bay were enjoyed by all
and i'm sure that all were ready for a good dinner.
For our afternoon outing, we were joined by Bob, a regular mate, and my daughter, Lar, a Dutch couple that she met in Peru, Frank and Vanessa, and Frank's father and brother, Pete and Rob.
Skies were starting to clear and winds were moderate as we left port around 2:30 pm.
A few sailboats were still out on the bay, like this one sailing downwind toward the Bay Bridge.
This neighbor boat was just headed out and raising her main sail in front of pier 35.
We headed down the cityfront, enjoying views of the financial district buildings.
This Catalina named BIG CAT had sailed under the A-B span of the Bay Bridge as we approached.
We sailed under the A-B span and then gybed to sail parallel with the bridge toward Yerba Buena Island, with the financial district behind framed by the bridge.
A lovely large sailboat was sailing past the island as we approached.
A couple of Optimist dingys were sailing eastward-- an unusual sight for this part of the bay, so far from any yacht club-- notice their power boat escort.
We sailed past our favorite lighthouse on the south point of YBI....
...and then past the buoy tender tied up at the Coast Guard base on the island.
A motorsailing Ericson passed us as we ghosted toward the east span of the Bay Bridge in light winds.
Work continues on some support pillars just west of the causeway portion of the new bridge which is almost finished.
INTEGRITY passed us, looking good, as we sailed up the lee shore fo Treasure Island.
A smaller sailboat passed a short time later.
Winds were a bit stronger in the central bay, but moderate compared to the previous day, which was nice for the crew on board, and eventually we were passed by thie Olson sailboat heading east.
Frank was enjoying some time at the helm as we crossed the bay to the lee side fo Angel Island, joined her by Vanessa.
A bit later, we suggested a family portrait at the stern and got this shot of Rob, Pete, Frank and Vanessa.
We headed up after passing the navigation platform way east of Angel Island, sailed to just north of the mouth of Raccoon Straits, then tacked into the straits from there, forcing this sailboat to duck us as we entered the straits.
The wind shifted into the WNW as we made a second tack across the straits, and so we were sailing direclty down the straits and noticing that there were still a few boats tied up in Ayala Cove in the early evening.
We had to fall off to the south as the wind shifted in the west half of the straits and just sailed past the northwest point of Angel island, followed by ghosting in light winds toward the central bay as this sailboat was entering the light wind region.
We eventually picked up a somewhat fresher breeze and sailed south toward the San Francisco shore, with ADVENTURE CAT2 crossing in front of us at one point on her way to the gate.
Russian Hill buildings were gleaming in the late sunshine as we approached the shore west of the St. Francis Yacht Club building.
We tacked then and headed toward the gate, passing this little yellow sailboat ghosting downwind under main only.
Rob, Lar, Frank and Vanessa were sitting on the foredeck as we ghosted toward the gate in light winds, bucking a waxing flood current.
A charter ketch out of Sausalito was crossing the gate as we approached and the sun lowered in the sky.
That Hunter sailboat shown in the distance in the previous photo eventually passed us to port....
.. and ADVENTURE CAT 2 passed to starboard as we continued toward the gate.
The sun dropped further in the sky as we continued to ghost toward the gate with crew still on the foredeck enjoying the sights.
As we neared the gate, the sun was dropping behind the Marin Headlands.
The breeze shifted more into the west and maintained sufficient velocity to enable us to sail out the gate between midspan and the north tower.
We just ducked out the gate and then came about and headed back inside, riding the flood current with a light breeze giving us modest headway as a dusky marmalade sky developed behind us.
It was dark when we arrived at home port, dousing sail after passing the marina, and motoring in after preparing for landing. Our lovely 6 hours on the bay were enjoyed by all
and i'm sure that all were ready for a good dinner.
# posted by charlie bergstedt @ 9:25 PM 
