Wednesday, November 21, 2007
TUESDAY, 20 NOV. 07-- SUNSET AND ALMOST FULL MOON
Yesterday was a beautiful sunny and clear air day in SF-- finally the late season fog has departed, for good I hope.
We headed out for a late afternoon and sunset sail about 3:30 pm, with a moderate southwesterly breeze blowing. With clear air, everything looks so much more vivid!
As we headed out into the cental bay, this Catalina 34, named AQUAVITE, was sailing downwind with the now waxing flood current.
In the north, we spotted a couple of sailboats, the closer one headed west and the other headed southeast, with the bulk carrier behind steaming out of the Richmond ship channel.
Another bulk carrier, the MORNING CHARM, was headed north around Alcatraz, probably headed for the Port of Richmond.
That closer sailboat was now tacking back to the south, and you can clearly see here that they have left their fenders dangling over the side of the hull--- not good seamanship.
As we sailed to the west against the waxing flood current, we passed the end of pier 39 where the flags were fluttering in a breeze of 5-7 knots.
Behind us, a charter ketch from pier 39, the PRIVATEER, was also heading out for a sunset sail.
In the west, Mt. Tam was towering over Richardson Bay and Sausalito with no hint of a marine layer and just a very light haze.
A now empty chemical carrier was steaming out of the north bay toward the south bay.
In the northwest, a sailboat was heading east between Alcatraz and Angel Island, perhaps the same Hunter that we saw in the process of tacking onto starboard tack earlier, and now on port tack again.
The city was enjoying the brilliantly clear air and sunshine...
...as was Alcatraz.
A now-full sand dredge that had harvested a load of sand from the bottom of the bay was steaming eastward toward home port and passed us to port.
Way in the west, a sailboat was returning from the gate and appeared to be heading toward Tiburon.
As we sailed past the south shore of Alcatraz, the setting sun was blazing off the windows of the prison building.
That bulk carrier that we had earlier see steaming out of the Richmond ship channel was now heading toward the gate
A large sailboat was passing Aquatic Park along the cityfront and sailing due east with the current.
PRIVATEER, sailing a bit more off the wind than we, was now passing the south shore of Alcatraz, much nearer to the island than we had been earlier.....
.....and soon thereafter tacked onto starboard tack to avoid being pushed closer to the shore by the flood current as the island took on sunset coloring.
The almost-full moon was brightening in the baby-blue eastern sky,
Angel Island, rising above the lovely blue sea, was enjoying the late afternoon sun rays that cast shadows over her topography.
A while later, PRIVATEER was approaching the cityfront near pier 45, having been pushed eastward by the flood current.
As we ghosted westward in the declining breeze, the sun began to set through the Golden Gate Bridge, accompanied by a marmalade sky above the horizon.
Behind us, a Catalina sailboat was sailing southward toward the Bay Bridge as the eastern sky also took on some sunset color.
We caught some of the last of the sun's rays just behind the Marin Headlands as we continued westward.
We sailed to the northeast of the Harding Rock buoy as the southwestern sky turned to brilliant yellows and oranges.
After the sunsest, we soon tacked and headed to the south on a close reach starboard tack with the flood current pushing us eastward, and enjoyed the sunset colors through the gate and over the headlands as we ghosted along.
The moon was brightening in the darkening sky and lending her reflected glow to the ambiance of the bay and surrounds.
Soon the city lights began to intensify as sundown turned to dusk.
Ahead of us, the Ghiradelli sign was brilliant against the darkening buildings behind.
With darkening skies, glow from the moon assumed more brilliance....
...and city lights intensified their brilliance--- always magic time on the bay!
A sailboat passed to starboard between us and the gate as we continued on toward home port as darkness continued to fall.
The western sky eventually took on a brilliant and deep yellow-orange hue.
In the darkness, the glow of the holiday lights outlining the Embarcadero Center buildings became more distinct, always making the city more festive looking at night.
We doused sail after passing the marina, then readied for landing and motored into port, enjoying the shore lights and reflections as we approached the marina entrance.
A quite strong flood current was flowing through the marina, so we came in high with a bit more speed and nailed our landing-- a gratifying way to end a delightful outing under quite ideal conditions.
Yesterday was a beautiful sunny and clear air day in SF-- finally the late season fog has departed, for good I hope.
We headed out for a late afternoon and sunset sail about 3:30 pm, with a moderate southwesterly breeze blowing. With clear air, everything looks so much more vivid!
As we headed out into the cental bay, this Catalina 34, named AQUAVITE, was sailing downwind with the now waxing flood current.
In the north, we spotted a couple of sailboats, the closer one headed west and the other headed southeast, with the bulk carrier behind steaming out of the Richmond ship channel.
Another bulk carrier, the MORNING CHARM, was headed north around Alcatraz, probably headed for the Port of Richmond.
That closer sailboat was now tacking back to the south, and you can clearly see here that they have left their fenders dangling over the side of the hull--- not good seamanship.
As we sailed to the west against the waxing flood current, we passed the end of pier 39 where the flags were fluttering in a breeze of 5-7 knots.
Behind us, a charter ketch from pier 39, the PRIVATEER, was also heading out for a sunset sail.
In the west, Mt. Tam was towering over Richardson Bay and Sausalito with no hint of a marine layer and just a very light haze.
A now empty chemical carrier was steaming out of the north bay toward the south bay.
In the northwest, a sailboat was heading east between Alcatraz and Angel Island, perhaps the same Hunter that we saw in the process of tacking onto starboard tack earlier, and now on port tack again.
The city was enjoying the brilliantly clear air and sunshine...
...as was Alcatraz.
A now-full sand dredge that had harvested a load of sand from the bottom of the bay was steaming eastward toward home port and passed us to port.
Way in the west, a sailboat was returning from the gate and appeared to be heading toward Tiburon.
As we sailed past the south shore of Alcatraz, the setting sun was blazing off the windows of the prison building.
That bulk carrier that we had earlier see steaming out of the Richmond ship channel was now heading toward the gate
A large sailboat was passing Aquatic Park along the cityfront and sailing due east with the current.
PRIVATEER, sailing a bit more off the wind than we, was now passing the south shore of Alcatraz, much nearer to the island than we had been earlier.....
.....and soon thereafter tacked onto starboard tack to avoid being pushed closer to the shore by the flood current as the island took on sunset coloring.
The almost-full moon was brightening in the baby-blue eastern sky,
Angel Island, rising above the lovely blue sea, was enjoying the late afternoon sun rays that cast shadows over her topography.
A while later, PRIVATEER was approaching the cityfront near pier 45, having been pushed eastward by the flood current.
As we ghosted westward in the declining breeze, the sun began to set through the Golden Gate Bridge, accompanied by a marmalade sky above the horizon.
Behind us, a Catalina sailboat was sailing southward toward the Bay Bridge as the eastern sky also took on some sunset color.
We caught some of the last of the sun's rays just behind the Marin Headlands as we continued westward.
We sailed to the northeast of the Harding Rock buoy as the southwestern sky turned to brilliant yellows and oranges.
After the sunsest, we soon tacked and headed to the south on a close reach starboard tack with the flood current pushing us eastward, and enjoyed the sunset colors through the gate and over the headlands as we ghosted along.
The moon was brightening in the darkening sky and lending her reflected glow to the ambiance of the bay and surrounds.
Soon the city lights began to intensify as sundown turned to dusk.
Ahead of us, the Ghiradelli sign was brilliant against the darkening buildings behind.
With darkening skies, glow from the moon assumed more brilliance....
...and city lights intensified their brilliance--- always magic time on the bay!
A sailboat passed to starboard between us and the gate as we continued on toward home port as darkness continued to fall.
The western sky eventually took on a brilliant and deep yellow-orange hue.
In the darkness, the glow of the holiday lights outlining the Embarcadero Center buildings became more distinct, always making the city more festive looking at night.
We doused sail after passing the marina, then readied for landing and motored into port, enjoying the shore lights and reflections as we approached the marina entrance.
A quite strong flood current was flowing through the marina, so we came in high with a bit more speed and nailed our landing-- a gratifying way to end a delightful outing under quite ideal conditions.
# posted by charlie bergstedt @ 2:35 PM 
