Sunday, December 30, 2007
SUNDAY, 30 DEC. 07-- AFTERNOON AND SUNSET SAIL IN LIGHT WINDS
Weather and winds have not been conducive for sailing for about a week now, but today turned out to be a nice sunny, though chilly, day with a northerly breeze that was blowing in the 5-10 knot range about mid-day.
However, when we left port about 3 pm, the breeze had softened to just a few knots out of the northeast.
A small sailboat was sailing westward on starboard tack as we headed out toward the central bay.
As we motored out past the marina seawall, this sailboat passed to starboard, just ghosting along, and we later saw that her name was WAYFARER.
Her 2 person crew was enjoying the sunny afternoon, though in my opinion, it was not warm enough for a short sleeve shirt.
As we headed west on starboard tack, this catamaran crossed in front of us, heading north.
This small sailboat was heading west as well.
A small Hunter sailboat, named DUVAL, was motorsailing eastward....
....as was this Catalina named IRISH AYES.
Unfortunately, the light breeze began to soften down to almost no breeze, so we came about and headed east, going with the declining flood current, so we could eventually ride the ebb back toward home port if necessary, and soon spotted WAYFARER motorsailing back to the west.
Way over in the east, the cranes of the Port of Oakland were all lined up like a group of ravenous dinosaurs.
The Ferry Building was in shadow at about a half hour to sundown.
This small sailboat was motorsailing westward.
As sundown neared, the sun was glinting off a window on one of the financial district buildings.
At sundown, a cloud pattern in the southwest looked like a space alien running through the sky.
The clouds in the north and west were now painted with sunset colors.
The sunset in the southwest gradually intensified in color.
The breeze freshened again to a few knots and this sailboat passed to port, heading west....
....into the sunset.
Sunset color persisted in the southwest....
.... as city lights on shore began to brighten.
Lights on the Ferry Building came on.
The sunset began to fade toward the horizon.
City lights continued to brighten in the dusk sky....
...and brightened more at twilight.
It was dark on Telegraph HIll as we motored into port.
+++
Weather and winds have not been conducive for sailing for about a week now, but today turned out to be a nice sunny, though chilly, day with a northerly breeze that was blowing in the 5-10 knot range about mid-day.
However, when we left port about 3 pm, the breeze had softened to just a few knots out of the northeast.
A small sailboat was sailing westward on starboard tack as we headed out toward the central bay.
As we motored out past the marina seawall, this sailboat passed to starboard, just ghosting along, and we later saw that her name was WAYFARER.
Her 2 person crew was enjoying the sunny afternoon, though in my opinion, it was not warm enough for a short sleeve shirt.
As we headed west on starboard tack, this catamaran crossed in front of us, heading north.
This small sailboat was heading west as well.
A small Hunter sailboat, named DUVAL, was motorsailing eastward....
....as was this Catalina named IRISH AYES.
Unfortunately, the light breeze began to soften down to almost no breeze, so we came about and headed east, going with the declining flood current, so we could eventually ride the ebb back toward home port if necessary, and soon spotted WAYFARER motorsailing back to the west.
Way over in the east, the cranes of the Port of Oakland were all lined up like a group of ravenous dinosaurs.
The Ferry Building was in shadow at about a half hour to sundown.
This small sailboat was motorsailing westward.
As sundown neared, the sun was glinting off a window on one of the financial district buildings.
At sundown, a cloud pattern in the southwest looked like a space alien running through the sky.
The clouds in the north and west were now painted with sunset colors.
The sunset in the southwest gradually intensified in color.
The breeze freshened again to a few knots and this sailboat passed to port, heading west....
....into the sunset.
Sunset color persisted in the southwest....
.... as city lights on shore began to brighten.
Lights on the Ferry Building came on.
The sunset began to fade toward the horizon.
City lights continued to brighten in the dusk sky....
...and brightened more at twilight.
It was dark on Telegraph HIll as we motored into port.
+++
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
TUE., 18 DEC. 07-- SHORT SUNSET SAIL IN CHILLY HAZY AIR
A nice westerly wind was blowing in the late afternoon yesterday as we left port, but the air after the overnight and morning rain was heavy and hazy.
As we headed out into the central bay, we spotted this sailboat heading downwind to the east.
In the northwest, an inbound container ship was heading for the port of Oakland, but was using the normal outbound shipping lane for some unknown reason.
As we headed west against the waxing flood current, we noticed that the flags on teh end of pier 39 were fluttering lightly in the declining breeze.
The Alcatraz ferry was heading back to port with far fewer passengers than one would see in the warmer weather, and with puffy low clouds overhead.
A Red and White ferry passed with few passengers aboard.
A short time later, the sun went down behind the Presidio hills.
In the northwest, an inbound tanker's starboard hull was illuminated by the setting sun.
A bit of sunset color was showing up on the underside of the low clouds in the northwest, as a Blue and Gold ferry rounded Alcatraz.
The breeze was declining to just a couple of knots, so we tacked and headed back toward home port as the half moon brightened in the sky.
The Blue and Gold ferry passed to port, also carrying few passengers.
A heavily loaded container ship was steaming westward in the outbound sea lane.
As the sky darkened, the half moon brightened.
As we approached home port, the city lights began to shine in the dusky sky.
We doused sail as we approached the marina, and city lights were brightening as we steamed into port.
Later in the evening, the half moon was shining brightly in the night sky.
\\
A nice westerly wind was blowing in the late afternoon yesterday as we left port, but the air after the overnight and morning rain was heavy and hazy.
As we headed out into the central bay, we spotted this sailboat heading downwind to the east.
In the northwest, an inbound container ship was heading for the port of Oakland, but was using the normal outbound shipping lane for some unknown reason.
As we headed west against the waxing flood current, we noticed that the flags on teh end of pier 39 were fluttering lightly in the declining breeze.
The Alcatraz ferry was heading back to port with far fewer passengers than one would see in the warmer weather, and with puffy low clouds overhead.
A Red and White ferry passed with few passengers aboard.
A short time later, the sun went down behind the Presidio hills.
In the northwest, an inbound tanker's starboard hull was illuminated by the setting sun.
A bit of sunset color was showing up on the underside of the low clouds in the northwest, as a Blue and Gold ferry rounded Alcatraz.
The breeze was declining to just a couple of knots, so we tacked and headed back toward home port as the half moon brightened in the sky.
The Blue and Gold ferry passed to port, also carrying few passengers.
A heavily loaded container ship was steaming westward in the outbound sea lane.
As the sky darkened, the half moon brightened.
As we approached home port, the city lights began to shine in the dusky sky.
We doused sail as we approached the marina, and city lights were brightening as we steamed into port.
Later in the evening, the half moon was shining brightly in the night sky.
\\
Friday, December 14, 2007
THURSDAY, 13 DEC. O7-- NICE AFTERNOON AND SUNSET SAIL!
In the early afternoon, a light westerly wind was blowing and the sun was shining brightly through a thin layer of cloud covering part of the sky.
We headed out of port about 2:30 pm, hoping to have enough wind to sail out to a position for watching the sundown through the gate and to then sail back to port, though at that time, the breeze was only a few knots in strength.
Out on the central bay, this sailboat was headed west, sailing with the waxing ebb current.
We headed northeast on a broad reach with the moderate ebb current dragging us northward as we sailed along, with the city receding behind us.
The air was a bit hazy, and out in the west, a sailboat was enjoying some time at the gate.
In the north, by the shore of Richmond, a couple of sailing yachts were visible, one headed west, after leaving port, and the other headed east, going back into port.
Over by Angel Island, a sailboat was sailing southward, heading toward us.
Way in the west, in the hazy air, we spotted a couple of other sailboats, one headed toward Sausalito and the other heading east across the bay.
Angel Island was enjoying the hazy mid-afternoon sunshine.
As we ghosted toward the northeast, this catamaran ferry, named MENDOCINO, blasted past, heading toward Vallejo probably.
A bit later, that sailboat over by Angel Island was passing the lee shore of Alcatraz....
....while that ketch out of Richmond was heading west toward Raccoon Straits....
...and that golden-hulled other sailboat was continuing toward the Richmond marina.
The city was almost hidden in haze as a sailboat passed, heading east.
We eventually headed up to the north as the breeze freshened out of the southwest and sailed almost all the way to the stationary navigation platform on Southhampton Shoal where a flock of birds was holding a convention.
Behind us, the far away city was still enjoying some hazy sunshine.
We came about and headed southeast on close reach starboard tack with a now-almost-southerly breeze, and then tacked over toward Angel Island, passing the buoy just east of the island.
The sun dropped behind the hill on Angel Island as we sailed westward toward it.
We then tacked to head southeast again out into the central bay, where the sun was beginning to set over the gate, but still had 10 or 15 minutes until sundown.
Wanting to catch the sundown through the gate, and zipping along on a good breeze, we decided to tack back to the northwest to kill some time while awaiting the sundown, and soon caught the sun dropping behind Angel Island again.
We then tacked back to the southeast and headed out into the central bay again, as the sun was dropping further toward the surface of the sea, outlining this outbound freighter.
The atmosphere over the southwestern horizon enlarged the setting sun to a size almost the height of the Golden Gate Bridge off the surface of the sea.
The setting sun stayed a hazy round ball as it began to drop into the ocean.....
....... but soon was distorted in shape by the atmospheric lens .....
...and again outlined that outbound freighter as it started to disappear in a blaze of sunset glory! [You can see the entire progress of the sundown and sunset in the photos on my photo album for this outing at this url:
http://cbergstedt.myphotoalbum.com/view_album.php?set_albumName=album28
After sundown, a colorful sunset sky lingered above the horizon and over the Presidio Hills.
A sliver of moon was shining ever more brightly in the sky at dusk.
The sunset began to combine brilliant oranges with pale pinks....
...and the sun was brilliantly illuminating a jet contrail above the Presidio Hills.
City lights began to brighten at dusk-- magic time on the bay!!!!
The sunset color eventually receded toward the horizon as we sailed past Alcatraz.
The lights of the financial district buildings were bright and beautiful as we approached the shore of the city.
In the dark sky of the southwest, the sliver of the moon glowed like a silver bowl.
We motorsailed the last eighth of a mile or so to the cityfront, dousing sail as we went, then prepared for landing just west of pier 35 and motored into the marina filled with the pleasure of over 3 spectacular hours out on the bay and nature's grandeur!
In the early afternoon, a light westerly wind was blowing and the sun was shining brightly through a thin layer of cloud covering part of the sky.
We headed out of port about 2:30 pm, hoping to have enough wind to sail out to a position for watching the sundown through the gate and to then sail back to port, though at that time, the breeze was only a few knots in strength.
Out on the central bay, this sailboat was headed west, sailing with the waxing ebb current.
We headed northeast on a broad reach with the moderate ebb current dragging us northward as we sailed along, with the city receding behind us.
The air was a bit hazy, and out in the west, a sailboat was enjoying some time at the gate.
In the north, by the shore of Richmond, a couple of sailing yachts were visible, one headed west, after leaving port, and the other headed east, going back into port.
Over by Angel Island, a sailboat was sailing southward, heading toward us.
Way in the west, in the hazy air, we spotted a couple of other sailboats, one headed toward Sausalito and the other heading east across the bay.
Angel Island was enjoying the hazy mid-afternoon sunshine.
As we ghosted toward the northeast, this catamaran ferry, named MENDOCINO, blasted past, heading toward Vallejo probably.
A bit later, that sailboat over by Angel Island was passing the lee shore of Alcatraz....
....while that ketch out of Richmond was heading west toward Raccoon Straits....
...and that golden-hulled other sailboat was continuing toward the Richmond marina.
The city was almost hidden in haze as a sailboat passed, heading east.
We eventually headed up to the north as the breeze freshened out of the southwest and sailed almost all the way to the stationary navigation platform on Southhampton Shoal where a flock of birds was holding a convention.
Behind us, the far away city was still enjoying some hazy sunshine.
We came about and headed southeast on close reach starboard tack with a now-almost-southerly breeze, and then tacked over toward Angel Island, passing the buoy just east of the island.
The sun dropped behind the hill on Angel Island as we sailed westward toward it.
We then tacked to head southeast again out into the central bay, where the sun was beginning to set over the gate, but still had 10 or 15 minutes until sundown.
Wanting to catch the sundown through the gate, and zipping along on a good breeze, we decided to tack back to the northwest to kill some time while awaiting the sundown, and soon caught the sun dropping behind Angel Island again.
We then tacked back to the southeast and headed out into the central bay again, as the sun was dropping further toward the surface of the sea, outlining this outbound freighter.
The atmosphere over the southwestern horizon enlarged the setting sun to a size almost the height of the Golden Gate Bridge off the surface of the sea.
The setting sun stayed a hazy round ball as it began to drop into the ocean.....
....... but soon was distorted in shape by the atmospheric lens .....
...and again outlined that outbound freighter as it started to disappear in a blaze of sunset glory! [You can see the entire progress of the sundown and sunset in the photos on my photo album for this outing at this url:
http://cbergstedt.myphotoalbum.com/view_album.php?set_albumName=album28
After sundown, a colorful sunset sky lingered above the horizon and over the Presidio Hills.
A sliver of moon was shining ever more brightly in the sky at dusk.
The sunset began to combine brilliant oranges with pale pinks....
...and the sun was brilliantly illuminating a jet contrail above the Presidio Hills.
City lights began to brighten at dusk-- magic time on the bay!!!!
The sunset color eventually receded toward the horizon as we sailed past Alcatraz.
The lights of the financial district buildings were bright and beautiful as we approached the shore of the city.
In the dark sky of the southwest, the sliver of the moon glowed like a silver bowl.
We motorsailed the last eighth of a mile or so to the cityfront, dousing sail as we went, then prepared for landing just west of pier 35 and motored into the marina filled with the pleasure of over 3 spectacular hours out on the bay and nature's grandeur!
