Nice sailing toward San Francisco and the Bay Bridge, Yerba Buena and back to the estuary on Sunday. Just the regular “short trip” with fun conversation and tasty snacks. Guests Cathy and Carol.
The “short trip” with tasty snacks
Permalink: The “short trip” with tasty snacks
Posted on Tuesday, July 15th, 2008. Filed under Log.
Sailing before the fireworks
I’ve never liked to be out on the bay for fireworks on July 4th. I figure it’s one of those days when lots of people who rarely go boating decide to take their boats out, and some of them will be drinking too much. Plus they may not know how to run the proper lights after dark, or how to navigate back safely at night.
The police must figure something similar; when we were heading back to the dock before sundown, all the police boats were gassing up and heading out. They all waved at us, smiling as they got ready for what has to be one of their busiest nights on the water. The little sailboat heading in wasn’t going to cause any problems.
We had left the dock around 3:30pm after an oil change. We motored out past Jack London Square, then raised the sails, with a reef in the main, and short-tacked the rest of the way out the estuary. Good practice and folks quickly got the hang of tacking. The wind was picking up and we got some vigorous sailing outside the estuary. A big ship was coming in, so we tacked south of the channel and headed toward a Coast Guard vessel that was slowly patrolling the area. Back and forth, up wind, until we crossed back over the channel to Yerba Buena and the Oakland side of the bridge. Then we turned around, and went from vigorous sailing close-hauled to a fast and level beam reach. Perfect for a short sail out and about, then back into the estuary, past the houseboats and back home. Kate, Constantine, Eddie, V.
Permalink: Sailing before the fireworks
Posted on Saturday, July 5th, 2008. Filed under Engine, Log.
Spray
Left Alameda at 1pm yesterday afternoon, motored to TI until we found wind. We reefed the main and headed into the slot; it was wild, windy, aggressive and fun. We sailed towards AI until everyone was soaked, then turned around and headed back to calmer waters and lots of big ship traffic in the estuary. Most of our sails don’t involve spray lashing over the boat, but once in awhile it sure is fun. Amelia felt balanced sailing close-hauled with a reefed main. Eddie, John V, Doug and me as salty sailing men.
Permalink: Spray
Posted on Sunday, August 5th, 2007. Filed under Log.
Circumnavigating TI
Today’s sail was from Alameda, southward for a bit, up past the San Francisco Ferry Building and around Treasure Island/Yerba Buena Island, with Lisa, John, Eric and Eddie. The weather was overcast but bright and the winds were moderate instead of howling. Our sailing in the slot was actually pretty smooth and comfortable. Fantastic conversation and lots of things to see including a close look at the new bay bridge structure.
Permalink: Circumnavigating TI
Posted on Saturday, July 7th, 2007. Filed under Log.
To Angel Island
We sailed about 26 nautical miles yesterday (about 30 statue miles), from Alameda to Angel Island and back. It was a blustery windy afternoon; we came across the slot reefed and close hauled and then eased off to duck behind AI as the winds picked up a bit. We stopped at the dock at Ayala Cove at Angel Island for awhile; Cindy, Steve, Lieva and Solon went to get an iced coffee and look around the island; I took some pictures and napped in the cabin. The sail back across the slot and down the Cityfront was equally vigorous and we even had enough wind leftover in Alameda to sail down the estuary at a good speed. A stop for diesel at Jack London and then back to the slip around 7pm.
It was just a gorgeous day with fun conversation, singing bad songs and fairly epic sailing.
Permalink: To Angel Island
Posted on Monday, July 2nd, 2007. Filed under Log, Navigation.