Monday, October 22, 2007
SATURDAY, 20 OCT. 07-- BEAUTIFUL AFTERNOON OUTING, WOODIE REGATTA, AND LOVELY SUNSET
Susie and Stephanie joined us at 2 pm for our afternoon outing that turned out to be full of interesting sights and crazy wind patterns and fortunately enough wind to sail to the gate and back.
We headed out of port with a moderate northwesterly wind beginning to freshen again after the morning started out with a much stronger northerly blowing.
We sailed out to the northeast a ways and then tacked to head directly toward the gate on starboard tack close reach with Stephanie and Susie enjoying the sunny and warm afternoon conditions on the water.
The pier 39 flags were fluttering moderately in a breeze of about 3-5 knots and we were ghosting westward against a light flood current in seas that had built up earlier when stronger winds and ebb current were present.
The city was basking in clear skies and the brilliant mid-afternoon sunshine.
The scow schooner ALMA passed to starboard as we continued toward the gate.
Behind us, ADVENTURE CAT, our old buddy on the bay, was heading out for one of her afternoon outings with a load of passengers.
Eventually we picked up a southwesterly breeze, and Stephanie, who is visiting Susie from out east where she races on Chesapeake Bay, was enjoying a turn at the helm as we sailed westward away from the city.
A flock of pelicans flew overhead, initially in usual V-formation, but then circled overhead in a chaotic grouping that I've not seen before.
Way in the west, we spottoed a lovely schooner crossing the bay, flying a spinnaker, and looking good!
Behind her, a sloop was crossing the bay under colorful spinaker and also looking good also.
We soon realized that we were having the privilege of watching a leg of the Jessica Cup Regatta for old wooden sailboats, and caught sight of this lovely schooner heading west on the southwesterly breeze, after rounding the leeward mark.
This lovely cutter-rigged woodie was heading toward the leeward mark under full canvas.
We soon discovered that there were two wind systems on the bay-- one a southwesterly along the cityfront, and blowing about 15 knots, and the other a northwesterly in the north half of the central bay, blowing at 5-10 knots with a bit of a dead zone in the transition.
This beautiful woodie encountered the wind shift into the stornger southwesterly and broached, putting her jib and perhaps the end of her boom in the water.
After struggling to right her, the crew finally decided they had to douse the spinnaker and were in the process of doing that here as she passed us-- a beautiful wooden boat, but apparently one with aluminum mast and boom.
Right behind her was this lovely schooner flying a small spinnaker trimmed for beam reaching.
Behind them, a fractionally rigged woodie was flying a rainbow-stripped spinnaker as a large genoa, sailing on a close reach.
Several other smaller woodies followed, a couple appearing to have wooden masts and booms and the other an aluminum mast and wood boom.
This interesting whale boat ketch passed to port with quite a large crew aboard.
A bit later, this wooden sloop passed, flying both spinnaker and jib.
We tacked to head back toward the cityfront and watched as this gorgeous large schooner, flying full canvas, including a colorful sail that I think they call a 'yankee', was approaching us.
We crossed well in front of her and she slid past our stern, looking great!
We crossed well in front of her and she slid past our stern, looking great!
As we appraoched the cityfront, this 29er dingy shot past us, perhaps practicing for next weekend's dingy regatta.
That same gaff-rigged schooner had doused her yankee and was now heading west.
This lovely small sloop passed us, heading toward shore....
...as did this nice cutter.
We eventually spotted LOLA beating westward, here on starboard tack heading for the cityfront.
We continued beating westward ourselves, enjoying the views of the landscape surrounding the bay like Sausalito and Mt. Tam towering over her.
Winds along the cityfront were strong enough to bring out a group of kite surfers like this one...
...and windsurfers like this one, blasting over the water around us.
We soon spotted LOLA heading home as we continued on toward the gate.
On one of out tacks to the northwest, HASTY HEART, a large center cockpit sloop approached and we fell off to give her right of way as she blasted toward the gate on starboard tack close reach, looking great!
This smaller Ericson passed us, returning from the gate and heading north.
Another sailboat was returning to the bay near the north tower with the late afternoon sun nicely illuminating our beautiful bridge.
Stephanie was enjoying helming again as we shot the gate close to mid-span.
We just sailed out a short ways and then came about to head back inside to watch the sundown through the gate, partially blocked by this outbound freighter.
The freighter moved out of the way enough for us to catch the last rays of the sun as it slid beneath the surface of the ocean, leaving a beautiful orange glow above the horizon.
As the skies darkened after sunset, the half moon overhead brightened.
The lovely motor yacht POTOMAC slid past to starboard as we continued toward home port.....
...while watching the developing sunset colors behind us.
As dusk fell, another sailboat behind us was rendered in shadow by the western sky.
We gredually lost the breeze so began motoring the balance of the distance to home port, doused sail after passing the marina and then motored into port, full of another peak-pleasure experience of 5 hours on our beautiful bay.
After docking, we headed over to the Pier 23 cafe for dinner, graciously paid for by Stephanie. All in all, a most enjoyable afternoon and evening!
Susie and Stephanie joined us at 2 pm for our afternoon outing that turned out to be full of interesting sights and crazy wind patterns and fortunately enough wind to sail to the gate and back.
We headed out of port with a moderate northwesterly wind beginning to freshen again after the morning started out with a much stronger northerly blowing.
We sailed out to the northeast a ways and then tacked to head directly toward the gate on starboard tack close reach with Stephanie and Susie enjoying the sunny and warm afternoon conditions on the water.
The pier 39 flags were fluttering moderately in a breeze of about 3-5 knots and we were ghosting westward against a light flood current in seas that had built up earlier when stronger winds and ebb current were present.
The city was basking in clear skies and the brilliant mid-afternoon sunshine.
The scow schooner ALMA passed to starboard as we continued toward the gate.
Behind us, ADVENTURE CAT, our old buddy on the bay, was heading out for one of her afternoon outings with a load of passengers.
Eventually we picked up a southwesterly breeze, and Stephanie, who is visiting Susie from out east where she races on Chesapeake Bay, was enjoying a turn at the helm as we sailed westward away from the city.
A flock of pelicans flew overhead, initially in usual V-formation, but then circled overhead in a chaotic grouping that I've not seen before.
Way in the west, we spottoed a lovely schooner crossing the bay, flying a spinnaker, and looking good!
Behind her, a sloop was crossing the bay under colorful spinaker and also looking good also.
We soon realized that we were having the privilege of watching a leg of the Jessica Cup Regatta for old wooden sailboats, and caught sight of this lovely schooner heading west on the southwesterly breeze, after rounding the leeward mark.
This lovely cutter-rigged woodie was heading toward the leeward mark under full canvas.
We soon discovered that there were two wind systems on the bay-- one a southwesterly along the cityfront, and blowing about 15 knots, and the other a northwesterly in the north half of the central bay, blowing at 5-10 knots with a bit of a dead zone in the transition.
This beautiful woodie encountered the wind shift into the stornger southwesterly and broached, putting her jib and perhaps the end of her boom in the water.
After struggling to right her, the crew finally decided they had to douse the spinnaker and were in the process of doing that here as she passed us-- a beautiful wooden boat, but apparently one with aluminum mast and boom.
Right behind her was this lovely schooner flying a small spinnaker trimmed for beam reaching.
Behind them, a fractionally rigged woodie was flying a rainbow-stripped spinnaker as a large genoa, sailing on a close reach.
Several other smaller woodies followed, a couple appearing to have wooden masts and booms and the other an aluminum mast and wood boom.
This interesting whale boat ketch passed to port with quite a large crew aboard.
A bit later, this wooden sloop passed, flying both spinnaker and jib.
We tacked to head back toward the cityfront and watched as this gorgeous large schooner, flying full canvas, including a colorful sail that I think they call a 'yankee', was approaching us.
We crossed well in front of her and she slid past our stern, looking great!
We crossed well in front of her and she slid past our stern, looking great!
As we appraoched the cityfront, this 29er dingy shot past us, perhaps practicing for next weekend's dingy regatta.
That same gaff-rigged schooner had doused her yankee and was now heading west.
This lovely small sloop passed us, heading toward shore....
...as did this nice cutter.
We eventually spotted LOLA beating westward, here on starboard tack heading for the cityfront.
We continued beating westward ourselves, enjoying the views of the landscape surrounding the bay like Sausalito and Mt. Tam towering over her.
Winds along the cityfront were strong enough to bring out a group of kite surfers like this one...
...and windsurfers like this one, blasting over the water around us.
We soon spotted LOLA heading home as we continued on toward the gate.
On one of out tacks to the northwest, HASTY HEART, a large center cockpit sloop approached and we fell off to give her right of way as she blasted toward the gate on starboard tack close reach, looking great!
This smaller Ericson passed us, returning from the gate and heading north.
Another sailboat was returning to the bay near the north tower with the late afternoon sun nicely illuminating our beautiful bridge.
Stephanie was enjoying helming again as we shot the gate close to mid-span.
We just sailed out a short ways and then came about to head back inside to watch the sundown through the gate, partially blocked by this outbound freighter.
The freighter moved out of the way enough for us to catch the last rays of the sun as it slid beneath the surface of the ocean, leaving a beautiful orange glow above the horizon.
As the skies darkened after sunset, the half moon overhead brightened.
The lovely motor yacht POTOMAC slid past to starboard as we continued toward home port.....
...while watching the developing sunset colors behind us.
As dusk fell, another sailboat behind us was rendered in shadow by the western sky.
We gredually lost the breeze so began motoring the balance of the distance to home port, doused sail after passing the marina and then motored into port, full of another peak-pleasure experience of 5 hours on our beautiful bay.
After docking, we headed over to the Pier 23 cafe for dinner, graciously paid for by Stephanie. All in all, a most enjoyable afternoon and evening!
# posted by charlie bergstedt @ 1:58 PM 
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Great pictures! I enjoyed all of the descriptions and felt like I had been part of the crew for the day.
-Ward (Stephanie's brother)
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-Ward (Stephanie's brother)
# posted by 
: 4:10 PM
: 4:10 PM << Home
