Log
Tuesday, July 15th, 2008Nice 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.
Archive for July, 2008
Sailing before the fireworks
Saturday, July 5th, 2008I’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.
