Sunday, December 02, 2007
SATURDAY, 1 DEC. 07-- AFTERNOON AND SUNSET SAIL-- LIGHT WINDS AND FANTASTIC CLOUD FORMATIONS PRODUCING SPECTACULAR SUNDOWN!!!
John Navas joined us for our afternoon outing about 1:30 pm. Winds had been strong-- in the range of 15-20 knots in the morning so we were hoping for good winds to sail to the gate and back again.
However, by the time we left port, the breeze had already started to soften, and the city was mostly overcast with lowering clouds.
Out on the central bay, this small sailboat was sailing north with a reefed main.
As we entered the central bay, heading west on the light southwest breeze, BREAKOUT passed in front of us, motorsailing downwind after finishing the earlier mid-winter race.
This sailboat was sailing downwind in the light 2-3 knot winds that were only slightly ruffling the flags on the end of pier 39.
A lovely dark-hulled Beneteau passed us to port, heading for the cityfront and looking good with its large genoa flying.
We sailed to just inside the east shore of Alcatraz and then tacked back toward the cityfront as the sun was beginning to create some dramatic light and shadow shows on the clouds over the bay.
Beautiful lowering cloud patterns extended over the south half of the central bay and the city.
As we sailed toward the cityfront on starboard tack close reach, the flood current was pushing us eastward, and we enjoyed watching this nice ketch sailing downwind along the cityfront. with some of the buildings on shore in sun and some in shadow of the clouds.
After sailing near the cityfront in the lee of pier 45, we tacked to the west again and watched as this nice sailboat passed, flying a colorful spinnaker and looking good.
Behind us, a cat boat was also flying a spinnaker-- first time I've seen this-- and sailing down the cityfront to the east.
A bit later, this Santana 22, flying a spinnaker of gawd-awful-color, passed us.
A lovely old traditional sailboat with large main sail passed us a short time later.
Clouds over the city were beginning to part somewhat, leaving the city more in sunshine than in shadow, and looking beautiful as always.
As we ghosted toward Alcatraz again, PRIVATEER passed to port, heading home to pier 39 from a charter outing.
Off to the north, this lovely Cal sailboat was enjoying brilliant sunshine and looking good.
Alcatraz and the beautiful old lighthouse there was enjoying strong sunshine as well.
The old water storae tank on the island is almost beautiful in its decrepitude....
....as is the abandoned factory building with broken out windows.
We managed to ghost past the weather side of Alcatraz, and soon saw our old pal ADVENTURE CAT heading for the gate.
Dramatically beautiful light and shadow patterns now began to display on the cloud patterns between us and the gate....
...between us and Mt. Tam.....
....over Angel Island....
....and between us and the Marin Headlands.
We came about and headed downwind to the northeast to stay in position to watch the sundown through the gate, and watched as this canary yellow-hulled sailboat approached from the east.
Soon the sun began to set into a cloud bank on the horizon, creating a fantastic light and color display on the clouds.
As the sun dropped behind the cloud bank over the horizon, the color display on that cloud bank and the overhead clouds was strong and beautiful.
Dramatic color filled the sky over the horizon as the sun set.
We headed up toward home port and watched as the city lights came up in the darkening skies after sunset.
The city is especially beautiful as lights come up at twilight, and here the sunset is reflected off the flat face of the lovely 101 California building.
A monstrous cloud bank hung over Russian Hill and seemed ready to gobble the building there as we approached home port.
We doused sail after passing the marina and then readied for landing and motored into the marina, happy to have experienced the dramatically beautiful scenes that mother nature arranged for us on this outing.
John Navas joined us for our afternoon outing about 1:30 pm. Winds had been strong-- in the range of 15-20 knots in the morning so we were hoping for good winds to sail to the gate and back again.
However, by the time we left port, the breeze had already started to soften, and the city was mostly overcast with lowering clouds.
Out on the central bay, this small sailboat was sailing north with a reefed main.
As we entered the central bay, heading west on the light southwest breeze, BREAKOUT passed in front of us, motorsailing downwind after finishing the earlier mid-winter race.
This sailboat was sailing downwind in the light 2-3 knot winds that were only slightly ruffling the flags on the end of pier 39.
A lovely dark-hulled Beneteau passed us to port, heading for the cityfront and looking good with its large genoa flying.
We sailed to just inside the east shore of Alcatraz and then tacked back toward the cityfront as the sun was beginning to create some dramatic light and shadow shows on the clouds over the bay.
Beautiful lowering cloud patterns extended over the south half of the central bay and the city.
As we sailed toward the cityfront on starboard tack close reach, the flood current was pushing us eastward, and we enjoyed watching this nice ketch sailing downwind along the cityfront. with some of the buildings on shore in sun and some in shadow of the clouds.
After sailing near the cityfront in the lee of pier 45, we tacked to the west again and watched as this nice sailboat passed, flying a colorful spinnaker and looking good.
Behind us, a cat boat was also flying a spinnaker-- first time I've seen this-- and sailing down the cityfront to the east.
A bit later, this Santana 22, flying a spinnaker of gawd-awful-color, passed us.
A lovely old traditional sailboat with large main sail passed us a short time later.
Clouds over the city were beginning to part somewhat, leaving the city more in sunshine than in shadow, and looking beautiful as always.
As we ghosted toward Alcatraz again, PRIVATEER passed to port, heading home to pier 39 from a charter outing.
Off to the north, this lovely Cal sailboat was enjoying brilliant sunshine and looking good.
Alcatraz and the beautiful old lighthouse there was enjoying strong sunshine as well.
The old water storae tank on the island is almost beautiful in its decrepitude....
....as is the abandoned factory building with broken out windows.
We managed to ghost past the weather side of Alcatraz, and soon saw our old pal ADVENTURE CAT heading for the gate.
Dramatically beautiful light and shadow patterns now began to display on the cloud patterns between us and the gate....
...between us and Mt. Tam.....
....over Angel Island....
....and between us and the Marin Headlands.
We came about and headed downwind to the northeast to stay in position to watch the sundown through the gate, and watched as this canary yellow-hulled sailboat approached from the east.
Soon the sun began to set into a cloud bank on the horizon, creating a fantastic light and color display on the clouds.
As the sun dropped behind the cloud bank over the horizon, the color display on that cloud bank and the overhead clouds was strong and beautiful.
Dramatic color filled the sky over the horizon as the sun set.
We headed up toward home port and watched as the city lights came up in the darkening skies after sunset.
The city is especially beautiful as lights come up at twilight, and here the sunset is reflected off the flat face of the lovely 101 California building.
A monstrous cloud bank hung over Russian Hill and seemed ready to gobble the building there as we approached home port.
We doused sail after passing the marina and then readied for landing and motored into the marina, happy to have experienced the dramatically beautiful scenes that mother nature arranged for us on this outing.
# posted by charlie bergstedt @ 6:33 PM 
