SATURDAY, 17 JANUARY 09 -- GHOSTING AROUND UNTIL AFTER SUNSET

There was no breeze most of the day, just a little bit of easterly in the morning, but I decided to head out around 4 pm and hope to find a little bit of breeze out there on the bay. I pulled up fill main afer turning the corner at the marina exit and once out in the bay, pulled the jib out to full while heading east with the waning flood current and an almost imperceptible breeze.




This sailboat passed to port, motorsailing and the boat in the background was also motorsailing, but eastward.




We picked up a slight breeze of a knot or two and began making some headway toward the Bay Bridge as the sun dropped and reflected off one of the financial district skyscrapers.




Pacific Star is still tied up at pier 29. Wonder how much longer she will stick around.




We beat back and forth toward the A-B span of the Bay Bridge and watched as this Larkspur ferry steamed out of the Ferry Building dock and headed north, creating a big wake that knoced us around eventually.




This pilot boat was steaming toward home port and blasted past, going astern fortunately so we could ride her wake.




The sun went down behind Telegraph Hill.




The Chardonnay Hornblower steamed past to starboard, probably out on a dinner cruise.




As we continued ghosting southeastward, this sailboat motored past, heading west.




The tops of some of the downtown buildings were still illuminated by the setting sun as the Ferry Building sign came on.




This catalina motorsailed past us, heading for the Bay Bridge.




The southerly breeze died out and we were just drifting with the waning flood current for a while, but eventually spotted some flag movement by a northwesterly breeze on top of one of the Emboarcadero Center buildings, so had some hope of a freshening breeze to take us back home.




The sea between us and the Bay Bridge was flattening.




We were still drifting a bit toward the Bay Bridge, opposite the pedestrian pier when we picked up a slight breeze.




As the sunset produced some sunset color over Yerba Buena Island, we ghosted toward home port in a knot or so of breeze.




The clock tower light and the Ferry Building sign brightened as sundown led to dusk and darkening skies.




Financial District buildings were reflecting in the flattening sea surface at dusk, as building lights brightened.




This catamaran motorsailed past to port as we were ghosting home at sunset with a marmalade sky in the southwest.




We did manage to sail back to the area between piers 33 and 35, where we doused sail as the lights on Telegraph Hill brightened and the lighted Coit Tower stood out against the twilight sky.




Financial District buildings were well lighted as darkness fell.



We motored into port and landed fine in the waxing ebb current then flowing through the marina and the slight surge propagating through. It was nice to be out on the water for a couple of hours even if we didn't get to go very far. At least we had a bit of breeze for a little while and were not just drifting around. Later, around 10 pm, a nice northerly wind started blowing. Sure wish we would have some of that during the day. Maybe it will stick around tomorrow morning.