Wednesday, October 31, 2007
TUESDAY, 30 OCT. 07-- OVERCAST SKIES GIVE WAY TO SUNSHINE
We headed out about 2:30 pm for a couple of hours of sailing, hoping to be able to sail against the declining flood current to the gate and back--- or most of the way.
As we left port, wind were blowing moderately out of the southwest, in the 8-10 knot range and skies over the bay and the city were cloudy bright.
We headed out into the central bay and sailed westward on the moderate southwesterly that was moderately fluttering the flags on the end of pier 39.
A mile or so to the northeast, a Catalina sailboat was heading northwest.
A large tanker was steaming out of the north bay, eventually turning around Point Blount to head out to sea, but enjoying the clear skies and sunshine in the north.
A Coast Guard patrol boat was heading out of the Fisherman's Wharf.
The city was overcast as we continued westward.
This sailboat was heading north.
As we were passing the south shore of Alcatraz, the island began to enjoy some sunshine.
Off in the southwest, one sailboat was crossing the bay toward the San Francisco shore while another was heading east along the shore.
Off in the west, ADVENTURE CAT, was heading for the gate and dwarfed by that tanker that was heading for the gate.
The city was beginning to enjoy some sunshine.
The sailboat named PASSION was maneuvering around on the bay, initially tacking back and forth to the west, and here was passing us to port, gybing back and forth.
This small race boat was sailing eastward along the shore of Angel Island.
Winds declined after we passed to the south of Harding Rock, so we came about and headed back toward home port, eventually watching this sailboat passing the south shore of Alcatraz.
PRIVATEER, the charter ketch out of pier 39, was heading out for a late afternoon sail. [Those are U.C. Berkeley buildings in the hazy background.]
The city was now enjoying strong sunshine.
Adventure Cat was returning to home port-- here passing pier 41.
The flags on the end of pier 39 were still fluttering in a breeze of 7-10 knots.
We doused sail after passing the marina and then motored into port after an enjoyable couple of hours on the bay.
We headed out about 2:30 pm for a couple of hours of sailing, hoping to be able to sail against the declining flood current to the gate and back--- or most of the way.
As we left port, wind were blowing moderately out of the southwest, in the 8-10 knot range and skies over the bay and the city were cloudy bright.
We headed out into the central bay and sailed westward on the moderate southwesterly that was moderately fluttering the flags on the end of pier 39.
A mile or so to the northeast, a Catalina sailboat was heading northwest.
A large tanker was steaming out of the north bay, eventually turning around Point Blount to head out to sea, but enjoying the clear skies and sunshine in the north.
A Coast Guard patrol boat was heading out of the Fisherman's Wharf.
The city was overcast as we continued westward.
This sailboat was heading north.
As we were passing the south shore of Alcatraz, the island began to enjoy some sunshine.
Off in the southwest, one sailboat was crossing the bay toward the San Francisco shore while another was heading east along the shore.
Off in the west, ADVENTURE CAT, was heading for the gate and dwarfed by that tanker that was heading for the gate.
The city was beginning to enjoy some sunshine.
The sailboat named PASSION was maneuvering around on the bay, initially tacking back and forth to the west, and here was passing us to port, gybing back and forth.
This small race boat was sailing eastward along the shore of Angel Island.
Winds declined after we passed to the south of Harding Rock, so we came about and headed back toward home port, eventually watching this sailboat passing the south shore of Alcatraz.
PRIVATEER, the charter ketch out of pier 39, was heading out for a late afternoon sail. [Those are U.C. Berkeley buildings in the hazy background.]
The city was now enjoying strong sunshine.
Adventure Cat was returning to home port-- here passing pier 41.
The flags on the end of pier 39 were still fluttering in a breeze of 7-10 knots.
We doused sail after passing the marina and then motored into port after an enjoyable couple of hours on the bay.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
SUNDAY, 28 OCT. 07-- A BRIEF OUTING IN SMAZY SUNSHINE
We left port about 2:30 pm with moderate winds blowing on the bay.
As we headed out into the central bay and sailed down the cityfront toward the Bay Bridge, we began to encounter a number of other sailboats, like this small one headed in the other direction.
Behind us, the charter ketch PRIVATEER was headed out for an afternoon outing.
This Beneteau was headed west along with other sailboats.
This small sailboat crossed in front of us, also headed west.
CRAZY JANE was also heading west along the cityfront.
The charter sloop, RUBY, was motorsailing toward its home port south of the Bay Bridge.
This beautiful dark hulled cutter rigged sailboat sailed under the Bay Bridge and passed us heading west.
This trimaran did the same and was making fast progress to the west.
SEAFOX was heading north over by the shore of Yerba Buena.
This small sailboat was headed for the cityfront and crossed in front of us.
This cutter rigged sailboat with tanbark sails was also heading north.
These two sailboats were heading east, presumably heading for home port.
A large center cockpit ketch was motoring toward the Bay Bridge, and later motored back to the central bay and was seen finally pulling out some main sail to do some sailing in the stronger late afternoon winds.
As we continued on toward the Bay Bridge, a trio of sailboats were following us.
The race boat under spinnaker passed us to starboard while beautiful cloud patterns floated over the financial district.
This large blue hulled sailboat was about to sail under the Bay Bridge with Port of Oakland cranes in the background.
Alll during our outing, we were hearing the sound of cannon blasts as the Hawaiian Chieftan and the Lady Washington tall ships were engeged in mock sea battles south of the Bay Bridge.
Tha trimaran that we spotted earlier headed west, was now passing us to starboard, headed for the A-B span of the Bay Bridge.
A bit later, we headed back to home port and encountered much stronger winds in the central bay and this sailboat passed to port.
As we tacked and headed for the lee of pier 35, this Ericson sailboat was sailing along the cityfront.
This Islander was heading out of the pier 39 marina ....
...as was the Ericson named Corto Maltese.
We doused sail in the lee of pier 35 and then motored into port after a couple of pleasant hours on the bay.
We left port about 2:30 pm with moderate winds blowing on the bay.
As we headed out into the central bay and sailed down the cityfront toward the Bay Bridge, we began to encounter a number of other sailboats, like this small one headed in the other direction.
Behind us, the charter ketch PRIVATEER was headed out for an afternoon outing.
This Beneteau was headed west along with other sailboats.
This small sailboat crossed in front of us, also headed west.
CRAZY JANE was also heading west along the cityfront.
The charter sloop, RUBY, was motorsailing toward its home port south of the Bay Bridge.
This beautiful dark hulled cutter rigged sailboat sailed under the Bay Bridge and passed us heading west.
This trimaran did the same and was making fast progress to the west.
SEAFOX was heading north over by the shore of Yerba Buena.
This small sailboat was headed for the cityfront and crossed in front of us.
This cutter rigged sailboat with tanbark sails was also heading north.
These two sailboats were heading east, presumably heading for home port.
A large center cockpit ketch was motoring toward the Bay Bridge, and later motored back to the central bay and was seen finally pulling out some main sail to do some sailing in the stronger late afternoon winds.
As we continued on toward the Bay Bridge, a trio of sailboats were following us.
The race boat under spinnaker passed us to starboard while beautiful cloud patterns floated over the financial district.
This large blue hulled sailboat was about to sail under the Bay Bridge with Port of Oakland cranes in the background.
Alll during our outing, we were hearing the sound of cannon blasts as the Hawaiian Chieftan and the Lady Washington tall ships were engeged in mock sea battles south of the Bay Bridge.
Tha trimaran that we spotted earlier headed west, was now passing us to starboard, headed for the A-B span of the Bay Bridge.
A bit later, we headed back to home port and encountered much stronger winds in the central bay and this sailboat passed to port.
As we tacked and headed for the lee of pier 35, this Ericson sailboat was sailing along the cityfront.
This Islander was heading out of the pier 39 marina ....
...as was the Ericson named Corto Maltese.
We doused sail in the lee of pier 35 and then motored into port after a couple of pleasant hours on the bay.
Friday, October 26, 2007
THURSDAY, 25 OCT O7-- SPECTACULAR SUNSET AND FULL MOONRISE-- AND GOOD SAILING!
Bob Hickey joined us for our afternoon outing and we headed out of port around 3 pm.
A moderate westerly was blowing over the land, and we hoped for some freshening of the breeze.
We entered the central bay and headed downwind toward the Bay Bridge, following this sailboat ahead of us.
Behind us, ADVENTURE CAT was heading out for one of her afternoon outings and another sailboat was sailing downwind to the east
FORTUNE HUNTER was heading toward the Bay Bridge as well, going against the waxing ebb current.
This Catalina passed, sailing with the current and looking good.
A bit later, we saw that FORTUNE HUNTER has reversed course and was heading north with the current.
As we sailed toward the Bay Bridge D tower, experienceing variable wind velocities and thus making variable degrees of headway against the current, we were watching isolated pelicans flying overhead and looking for food.
Sailboats going with the current were making great headway over the bottom, like this Catalina, named CLASS ACT, that passed to port.
Closer to the shore of Treasure Island, a large sailboat with franctional rig and double reef in main, was blasting northward with the current.
We watched as this tall ship motored down the cityfront, headed for the A-B span of the Bay Bridge, perhaps to tie up at South Beach. Maybe we'll see her out sailing on the bay this weekend sometime.
We managed to make it to about a half mile from the Bay Bridge, but then the breeze was too irregular to make significant further progress, so we gybed and headed northward to position ourselves to watch the sundown and full moonrise.
We made good progress sailing with the current and we soon in the lee of Angel Island with the city behing us ghosted out by the thick smaze.
We eventually turned around and headed back to watch the sundown through the gate and await the full moonrise. Clouds in the west partnered with the setting sun to create a spectacular sunset!
Winds on the central bay had freshened to 15-20 knots and we were blasting along on a southeasaterly course as this tug boat steamed past, heading north, as the sun set through the gate.
Soon the rising full moon was visible through the smaze over the east bay hills, and the beauty of the full moon was then competing with that of the sunset-- where to look and for how long became an issue as we sailed along.
Eventually we could see that a thick layer of cloud would prevent us from watching the sundown into the ocean through the gate, but colorful sunset patterns persistred in the west-- on our starboard side.
On our port side, the full moon cast her dusky orange and yellow glow, taking our gaze frequently as she rose in the sky.
Alcatraz was silhouetted against the colorful sunset as we continued on our southeasterly course.
Eventually the sunset began to fade, though some pinkish color illuminated some of the clouds more directly overhead.
Since we needed to stay out until about 7:30 pm to avoid dragging ANTICIPATION's keel in the mud during the negative tide portion of the tidy cycle, we eventually tacked to sail to the wast, watching the last of the sunset color.
We sailed westward until we were well past Alcatraz and then tacked to head for home port, sailing past the weather side of the island on close reach before falling off to head for home port on the still strong westerly winds, all the time watching the rising full moon creating a broader and strong path of moonlight on the bay waters.
We sailed into the lee of pier 35 to douse sail and then readied for landing as we motored toward home port, landing fine with the tide now turning to quite strong flood. Two separate and very different outings on one day leaving us filled with peak sailing pleasure!
Bob Hickey joined us for our afternoon outing and we headed out of port around 3 pm.
A moderate westerly was blowing over the land, and we hoped for some freshening of the breeze.
We entered the central bay and headed downwind toward the Bay Bridge, following this sailboat ahead of us.
Behind us, ADVENTURE CAT was heading out for one of her afternoon outings and another sailboat was sailing downwind to the east
FORTUNE HUNTER was heading toward the Bay Bridge as well, going against the waxing ebb current.
This Catalina passed, sailing with the current and looking good.
A bit later, we saw that FORTUNE HUNTER has reversed course and was heading north with the current.
As we sailed toward the Bay Bridge D tower, experienceing variable wind velocities and thus making variable degrees of headway against the current, we were watching isolated pelicans flying overhead and looking for food.
Sailboats going with the current were making great headway over the bottom, like this Catalina, named CLASS ACT, that passed to port.
Closer to the shore of Treasure Island, a large sailboat with franctional rig and double reef in main, was blasting northward with the current.
We watched as this tall ship motored down the cityfront, headed for the A-B span of the Bay Bridge, perhaps to tie up at South Beach. Maybe we'll see her out sailing on the bay this weekend sometime.
We managed to make it to about a half mile from the Bay Bridge, but then the breeze was too irregular to make significant further progress, so we gybed and headed northward to position ourselves to watch the sundown and full moonrise.
We made good progress sailing with the current and we soon in the lee of Angel Island with the city behing us ghosted out by the thick smaze.
We eventually turned around and headed back to watch the sundown through the gate and await the full moonrise. Clouds in the west partnered with the setting sun to create a spectacular sunset!
Winds on the central bay had freshened to 15-20 knots and we were blasting along on a southeasaterly course as this tug boat steamed past, heading north, as the sun set through the gate.
Soon the rising full moon was visible through the smaze over the east bay hills, and the beauty of the full moon was then competing with that of the sunset-- where to look and for how long became an issue as we sailed along.
Eventually we could see that a thick layer of cloud would prevent us from watching the sundown into the ocean through the gate, but colorful sunset patterns persistred in the west-- on our starboard side.
On our port side, the full moon cast her dusky orange and yellow glow, taking our gaze frequently as she rose in the sky.
Alcatraz was silhouetted against the colorful sunset as we continued on our southeasterly course.
Eventually the sunset began to fade, though some pinkish color illuminated some of the clouds more directly overhead.
Since we needed to stay out until about 7:30 pm to avoid dragging ANTICIPATION's keel in the mud during the negative tide portion of the tidy cycle, we eventually tacked to sail to the wast, watching the last of the sunset color.
We sailed westward until we were well past Alcatraz and then tacked to head for home port, sailing past the weather side of the island on close reach before falling off to head for home port on the still strong westerly winds, all the time watching the rising full moon creating a broader and strong path of moonlight on the bay waters.
We sailed into the lee of pier 35 to douse sail and then readied for landing as we motored toward home port, landing fine with the tide now turning to quite strong flood. Two separate and very different outings on one day leaving us filled with peak sailing pleasure!
