As we sailed between pier 39 and pier 45, OLD BLUE steamed out of port and passed us to port, giving us a wake to ride for a while.
BACK BAY was heading east under main only.
With a breeze of about 5 knots, we made steady if unremarkable progress to the west toward the gate, catching up with this small sailboat that seemed ot be just sitting there.
The solo skipper on this red-hulled boat seemed to be speaking on his cellphone and not paying attention to sail trim.
Our boat neighbor SEA FOX was heading back toward home port from the gate. I saw them taking off just after noon when there was no breeze, so they probably motored out the gate and now had a good wind for the return trip.
This small Tartan and another small sailboat were also heading east along the shore.
Off to starboard, a large container ship was steaming into the bay....
... and creating a pretty good size wake, even though her bow bulb was mostly below the surface.
This Santana 22 was also heading downwind. I think it's the same one we saw the day before.
A sailboat was returning to the bay near the north tower of the GGB...
...and she was looking good as she headed past Horseshoe Cove.
Anotehr small sailboat entered the bay shortly thereafter.
This nice cutter-rigged sailboat sailed between the south tower and the shore, risking the south tower demon and surviving.
Her crew was enjoying the warm sunshine.
This small yawl was also returning to the bay and looking good!
The Golden Gate Bridge and the cliffs of the Marin Headlands looked brilliant in the afternoon sunshine and the breeze had freshened so we were making good headway, now sailing on a beam reach. It had taken us about 45 minutes to reach the gate from pier 39 on our single starboard tack.
This small Cal 20 sailboat was heading back toward the bay, initially heading on a course to go between the south tower and the shore, but she tacked and avoided that course-- smart move!
This small Hunter sailboat also was heading back toward the bay and did sail between the south tower and the shore, having no problem with the current flooding and no major swells to create breaking waves.
A small sailboat was heading east closer to the shore of Seacliff.
We sailed past Pt. Diable in a breeze that softened.
The multicolored hills of the headlands are soooo beautiful!
This tractor tug that had steamed past us earlier was now just hanging out in the cove east of Pt. Bonita as we approached....
... but she began steaming toward us to rendezvous with in inbound tug and barge carrying petroleum.
This fishing vessel named CAPT. was heading back toward the gate.
As we sailed past Pt. Bonita, we could see way up the north coast to at least Pt. Reyes, but the visibility wasn't good enough to see out to the Farallones. It had taken us about a half hour to sail from the gate to Pt. Bonita.
From time to time a wave would crash against Pt. Bonita but there were few swells and the sea was relatively calm most of the time.
Hwere's a brief video of the view of Point Bonita and some crashing waves.
Noone seemed to be visiting the lighthouse on the point.
We sailed just a ways past the point and then came about and headed back toward the gate on close reach port tack in winds that started out strong and then softened before increasing again as we approached the gate. The view through the bridge between the south tower and the shore is one of my favorite views of the city.
The cliffs of the headlands and the bridge were dramatically colorful in the declining sunslight with angled shafts of light striking them.
A bunch of people were standing on top of the cliff just outside the gate and some were watching us as we approached the gate.
We approached the gate and enjoyed the views of the geography all around us. It took us about a half hour to return to the gate from Pt. Bonita with some good winds and some light ones. The flood current was not very strong.
I love the colors of the GGB and the headlands near sundowns!
As we sailed northeast inside the bay, awaiting the sundown behind us, this sailboat was heading for the gate from the north.
She sailed past Yellow Bluff, looking good!
That small Cal 20 that we encountered earlier was now heading toward Sausalito.
The sun was starting to set into a cloud bank on the horizon.
The sundown was beautiful!
We fell off to a broad reach to head for home port as the sundown progressed.
Brilliant color developed as the sundown continued.
The last rays of the sun lingered as the sky became flame red-orange!
This Morgan 65 was heading west past the southern shore of Alcatraz as we continued toward home port.
Brilliant sunset color stayed on the clouds for quite some time after sundown.
City lights began to brighten on shore as we continued on toward home port in a softening breeze.
That tanker that was steaming into the bay was a potential problem for us, so I called CG traffic and learnd that it was headed for Pittsburg so I came about and headed back to the southwest until the tanker passed and then came about again to head for home.
The tanker left a flat path on the sea with turbulent water on the sides caused by its large prop.
Darkness was falling and city lights were brightening as we approached home port.
Coit Tower was standing sentinel over Telegraph Hill and the city took on the magic of dusk light nearing twilight-- one of my favorite times of the day.
Some residual sunset color persisted in the southwest as we neared home port, with the wind just about dying out now, so mother nature was very kind to us today!
I furled in the jib in front of pier 39 and then motored past the marina and there doused the main. We then motored into port and landed fine with the light flood current and a bit of surge to deal with on entry. I felt filled up with pleasure! The outing was spectacular-- a single tack all the way to Pt. Bonita, and a single tack all the way back! Great sailing!
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