Wednesday, November 07, 2007
TUESDAY, 6 NOV. 07-- ANOTHER LATE SEASON FOGGY DAY
Global climate change seems to be causing more and more late season fog in San Francisco. Stronger and more sustained fall winds seem to accompany this phenomenon.
We left port about 2 pm with a breeze of only about 5 knots fluttering the flags on shore and on the building on Telegraph Hill.
We headed out into the central bay and sailed westerly on the southwest breeze with an ebb current also pulling us westward, passing the end of pier 39 where the flags were fluttering in a stronger breeze of about 10 knots.
In the west, fog on the water completely blocked out the gate and the Marin Headlands.
As we continued westward, this bright red-hulled sailboat passed to starboard....
.....and her crew members were all bundled up against the chill in the afternoon air.
Skies over the city were clear and the city was enjoying hazy sunshine.
This Islander 30 passed to starboard as we continued westward.
This small pocket cruise was headed east and then gybed to the north.
Out of the fog emerged a tanker with a coast guard fast boat escort, and a pilot boat alongside to do a pilot change. For a few moments, I thought the fast boat might be headed our way to warn us to stay away from the taker, though we were already well clear of her....
.... but she steamed past us, headed east toward the Bay Bridge.
After the freighter passed, we tacked and sailed to near the cityfront before tacking back to the west again, now noting that the fog was beginning to lift and the lower part of the Golden Gate Bridge was visible.
Sausalito was enjoying sunshine with Mt. Tam towering above in the hazy air.
Angel Island was also enjoying hazy sunshine.
As we approached the gate, the fog had eased away from the north tower.
Fort Baker was enjoying sunshine,but the hills of the headlands were frosted with fog.
That single tack from the cityfront took us, with ebb current assist, into Horseshoe Cove, just inside the north tower, and after a couple of tacks we were sailing out the gate between midspan and the north tower.
We just ducked out the gate a short ways and then came about and headed back inside, fighting against the ebb current as the fog was starting to obscure the north tower again.
The south tower ramained socked in fog above the bridge desk.
As we sailed eastward toward home port, a sailboat left the San Francisco marina and headed north under main only, and it appeared to be a non-profit boat.
Russian Hill was locked in fog...
.....but Telegraph Hill was still enjoying hazy sunshine.
The financial district and north beach were also enjoying sunshine, but the north waterfront was in the shadow of the fog.
Futher east, the city and the shore were still enjoying sunshine.
A small flock of three pelicans was flying westward, low over the water.
Pier 39 flags were still fluttering in a breeze of about 10 knots as we passed.
We doused sail after passing the marina and headed into port, happy to have spent a couple of delightful hours on the bay.
Global climate change seems to be causing more and more late season fog in San Francisco. Stronger and more sustained fall winds seem to accompany this phenomenon.
We left port about 2 pm with a breeze of only about 5 knots fluttering the flags on shore and on the building on Telegraph Hill.
We headed out into the central bay and sailed westerly on the southwest breeze with an ebb current also pulling us westward, passing the end of pier 39 where the flags were fluttering in a stronger breeze of about 10 knots.
In the west, fog on the water completely blocked out the gate and the Marin Headlands.
As we continued westward, this bright red-hulled sailboat passed to starboard....
.....and her crew members were all bundled up against the chill in the afternoon air.
Skies over the city were clear and the city was enjoying hazy sunshine.
This Islander 30 passed to starboard as we continued westward.
This small pocket cruise was headed east and then gybed to the north.
Out of the fog emerged a tanker with a coast guard fast boat escort, and a pilot boat alongside to do a pilot change. For a few moments, I thought the fast boat might be headed our way to warn us to stay away from the taker, though we were already well clear of her....
.... but she steamed past us, headed east toward the Bay Bridge.
After the freighter passed, we tacked and sailed to near the cityfront before tacking back to the west again, now noting that the fog was beginning to lift and the lower part of the Golden Gate Bridge was visible.
Sausalito was enjoying sunshine with Mt. Tam towering above in the hazy air.
Angel Island was also enjoying hazy sunshine.
As we approached the gate, the fog had eased away from the north tower.
Fort Baker was enjoying sunshine,but the hills of the headlands were frosted with fog.
That single tack from the cityfront took us, with ebb current assist, into Horseshoe Cove, just inside the north tower, and after a couple of tacks we were sailing out the gate between midspan and the north tower.
We just ducked out the gate a short ways and then came about and headed back inside, fighting against the ebb current as the fog was starting to obscure the north tower again.
The south tower ramained socked in fog above the bridge desk.
As we sailed eastward toward home port, a sailboat left the San Francisco marina and headed north under main only, and it appeared to be a non-profit boat.
Russian Hill was locked in fog...
.....but Telegraph Hill was still enjoying hazy sunshine.
The financial district and north beach were also enjoying sunshine, but the north waterfront was in the shadow of the fog.
Futher east, the city and the shore were still enjoying sunshine.
A small flock of three pelicans was flying westward, low over the water.
Pier 39 flags were still fluttering in a breeze of about 10 knots as we passed.
We doused sail after passing the marina and headed into port, happy to have spent a couple of delightful hours on the bay.
# posted by charlie bergstedt @ 9:21 PM 
