Sunday started out with mostly sunny skies and a moderate morning breeze out of the NW. After having a morning coffee together at nearby Cafe Francisco, Olivier and I headed out on ANTICIPATION for a sailing outing around 11:30 am. By this time the breeze was blowing at 15-20 knots, so we raised single reefed main and put out single reefed jib and headed out into the central bay, sailing northward toward Angel Island.
We didn't see many boats out there, but as we headed north, we saw three sailboats headed our way from the north, this one in the lead.....
... and these two following her-- a couple of Catalinas that might have been informally racing each other, though one had a reefed main and the other didn't.
Behind us, the city now was lying under partly cloudy skies.
After sailing well to the east of Alcatraz, we tacked and headed toward the gate on the northwest breeze, just barely passing the buoy guarding the rocks on the west side and then having to change course as the wind gradually shifted more into the southwest. This traditional looking ketch passed to starboard as we were now heading toward the shore of the city.
We watched as this tanker towing a tug steamed across our path heading east.
Way off to starboard, the California Hornblower was steaming back inside the bay on her sunday brunch cruise.
Approaching the shore, we tacked to the west and sailed toward Horseshoe Cove, eventually watching this full-canvassed sailboat sailing out the gate.
This smaller sailboat was also headed for the gate...
... and she sailed out the gate as we continued sailing toward the west, with the gate under mostly cloudy skies.
This sailboat passed us to port as we continued across the bay...
.....and this sailboat passed to starboard, heading toward the gate.
We arrived in light air approaching Horseshoe Cove and so tacked to the south to head for the gate, watching as this Beneteau returning from the gate was heading north toward Raccoon Straits.
The winds increased dramatically in the south half of the gate, so we had to ease out the sails and fall off the wind to avoid being overpowered, and so sailing to a point inside the south tower of the bridge where these rowers in outrigger canoes were furiously paddling to make progress against the strong ebb current at that location. It seemed to us not to be a very smart move to be outside the gate in small craft like these with strong winds and a strong waxing ebb coming.
We tacked just inside the south tower and headed out the gate, sailing off the wind and being dragged out the gate by the ebb current, just ducking out before falling off and heading back inside on port tack broad reach.
The city was now completely overcast with clouds and it looked like there could be some rain cells in the south and east.
SAZON passed us to starboard, heading toward the gate.
Ahead of us, this Coast Guard patrol boat was blasting toward her home port in Horseshoe Cove.
This neighbor boat, a lovely Swan named NANEA, was heading toward Sausalito, sailing closer to the wind than we.
This Catalina passed to port heading across the gate.
Way off in the east, this lovely schooner was sailing eastward.
At this time, Sausalito was enjoying sunshine but Mt. Tam behind was covered by cloud.
As we continued sailing toward Raccoon Straits, hoping to sail down the straits against the ebb current, this smaller sailboat passed to starboard, heading toward the gate.
This dark-hulled sailboat also passed us, sailing jib only and still making good headway upwind.
We were now about half way to Raccoon Straits and the clouds were now gone from Mt. Tam.
QUEEN BEE, a J109 that we have seen at least one time before, passed to port, looking good!
Her two person crew were enjoying the good winds and the good breeze.
This nice sailboat was heading toward us from the east, sailing on port tack close reach.
Off in the west, a fleet of small boats was racing in Richardson Bay.
As we continued toward Raccon Straits in winds of changing directions and velocity, this small Cal sailboat was heading south with full canvas flying.
Off to port, this small sailboat was also heading for Raccoon Straits, flying her kite.
These two sailboats were sailing out of the straits, sailing with the rather strong current and making good headway over the bottom in the light winds, with the boat flying a full main gaining on the other.
This smaller race boat behind them was also about to exit the straits.
As we entered the straits, we entered an area where hundreds of seabirds-- seagulls and cormorants-- were sitting on the water and scaring up as passed.
We ghosted down the straits against the current as this Catalina passed us and heading out of the straits.
Angel Island was looking green and beautiful with partly cloudy skies overhead.
We gradually made headway toward Ayala Cove and watched as this smaller Ericson left the cove and headed north under full canvas.
Ayala Cove was mostly deserted, with just a few boats at the docks and none at the buoy field.
We managed eventually to sail out the northeast mouth of the straits and then headed down the east shore of the island, sailing with the current, and eventually passing that same schooner that we saw earlier as she now headed northward.
Winds picked up after we passed the island and we were making fast headway toward home port, with the ebb current working to drag us to the west so we were pointing southeast to play the current as the city ahead was darkly cloudy and a few drops of rain were falling.
Off in the west, skies were mostly cloudy and the bay waters were stirred up by wind and current.
The northwest winds in the north half of the bay gave way to more westerly winds and eventually southwesterly winds as we passed Alcatraz and we were able to sail into the lee of Pier 35 where we doused sails and prepared for landing and then motored around the pier and into the marina, having to power through a bit of keel-dragging as we approached our slip, but landed fine by playing the strong ebb current successfully.
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