As soon as we headed out, the breeze started to freshen, and soon was blowing around 8-10 knots and we were making great headway on port tack broad reach, planning to sail around Angel Island and so to skirt the island way to the east. Behind us, this lovely Beneteau was heading east on starboard tack broad reach.
A thin cloud layer covered the city as we left her behind.
Way in the west, we spotted sailboats in a regatta, and we tempted to head over there to watch, but decided against it.
Off in the west, this Islander was sailing past the east shore of Alcatraz.
As we continued northward, this nice smaller Catalina passed to starboard, looking good.
This small race boat was sailing from the north and heading out into the central bay after passing Pt. Blount. She was looking good
This Islander 28 was also passing to port, also looking good.
PHANTOM was approaching from the north ....
... and passed us to starboard.
Way off in the northeast, this Catalina was heading for Berkeley along with a much smaller boat.
This large ketch was sailing past the shore of Angel Island and about to enter the central bay. She was well-heeled-over, rail almost in the water.
With full canvas flying, she was blasting to the southeast after entering the central bay.
This sailboat was also looking good and passing the shore of Angel Island where the old immigration station is located.
A bit later, this sailboat was coming our way-- no we were not on a collision course as they were not that close and we were on course to pass port to port with lots of room to spare.
She was looking great as she passed us to port and especially against the cloud strewn sky as a backdrop.
Off in the east, this lovely yawl was heading for the lee side of Treasure Island.
This Catalina was also looking good as she passed to port, heading for the central bay.
We sailed just to the west of the platform at Southhampton Shoal in a breeze that had softened somewhat. It was now about 2:41 pm and it had taken about 50 minutes to sail to here from pier 39.
Looking ahead, it appeared that there was wind all the way to the Richmond San Rafael Bridge so I decided to try to get there if the breeze held at sufficient strength to fight the waning ebb current, eventually passing this tractor tug that was leaving the area of the Richmond Long Wharf.
This sailboat was passing the Richmond Long Wharf and heading for a port in Richmond.
A lovely schooner was in Raccoon Straits and we could see the GGB through the straits as we continued northward.
Winds were variable but remained steady enough to keep us making good headway toward our goal, and we were soon approaching Red Rock, heaidng for the eastern span of the bridge.
Thjs blue-hulled tanker was docked at the Richmond Long Wharf and seemed to be full, so perhaps had just docked there that afternoon.
This lovely race boat was heading for Richmond and flying a summetrical spinnaker-- looking good!
This Chevron tanker was also tied up at the Richmond Long Wharf and looked to have already been unloaded.
As we sailed past Red Rock, the Vallejo ferry blasted past us to port.
Mt. Tam was in the distance as we sailed past Red Rock.
As we approached the Richmond San Rafael bridge, this push-me tugboat steamed past to port.
It was 3:50 pm when we passed under the bridge, so it had taken us about 70 minutes to sail from the platform at Southhamption shoal to this point.
We just ducked under the bridge and then came about and headed back to the southeast on starboard tack close reach, making good headway and having some residual ebb current assist. It was about 4:20 pm when we again passed the platform on Southhampton Shoal, so it had taken us only 30 minutes to cover the same distance that took 70 minutes against the current and on a less efficient point of sail.
We sailed to the south, heading toward Pt. Blount on the southeast point of Angel Island so we could sail off the wind while heading for the Bay Bridge. Off the shore of Angel Island, these three sailboats were sailing to the south east ahead of us.
Two of the three were sailing well off the wind and heading for Berkeley as we passed astern of them.
As we entered the central bay, this beautiful race boat was sailing northward and flying a colorful asymmetrical spinnaker-- looking great!
This large sailboat was also sailing north against the backdrop of the financial district.
This cutter-rigged center-cockpit sailboat was flying less canvas than we were, and though far ahead at one point, we eventually passed her and left her far behind.
We sailed past the western shore of Treasure Island, passing the Naval Museum on the island.
The Bay Bridge was gleaming in the late afternoon sun as we approached the D-E span.
We sailed under the D-E span, and enjoyed this view of our favorite lighthouse on Yerba Buena before tacking to head back under the D-E span. It was now 5:05 pm so it had taken us 75 minutes to sail to the Bay Bridge from the Richmond San Rafael Bridge.
The almost-full moon was starting to brighten in the eastern sky.
We sailed to the northwest and eventually spotted some sun reflections on the financial district buildings.
The sun was starting to set as we sailed past Alcatraz from the east.
We just managed to sail past Alcatraz to watch the last of the sundown through the gate.
The sun shape was heavily distorted by the astigmatism of the atmosphere.
We caught the last rays of the sun as we now sailed westward on a breeze that shifted from the west into the southwest.
After sundown, a bright spot persisted just above the spot of the sundown into the ocean.
As we sailed past the north side of Alcatraz, this mega-yacht steamed past us to port. I'm bad at guessing the length of boats but this one looked to be at least 80 feet long, perhaps 100 feet long.
Behind us, the almost full moon was now brightening in the darkening eastern sky.
A marmalade sunset sky covered the western horizon as we sailed toward the gate.
Eventually the wind shifted back into the west and we had to beat our way out the gate against a now-waxing flood current, and finally managed to sail out on starboard tack-- just ducking out and then heading back inside. The GGB is beautiful at night as well as during the day. It was now 6:47 pm, so it had taken us about 100 minutes to sail from the Bay Bridge to the Golden Gate Bridge.
With a waxing flood current and now light winds we made good headway over ground, gybing back and forth until the breeze shifted back into the southwest again so we could sail toward home port on starboard tack broad reach. I reefed the jib while sailing past the end of pier 39 and then doused the main just north of pier 35. It was now about 7:40 pm so it took us about 50 minutes to sail back from the gate with some flood current assist.
Coit Tower was not illuminated green any more as we motored into port, but seemed to have a bit of red illumination left over from the holiday illumination.
Seagulls were sitting on the seawall as we motored into the marina and I imagined them welcoming us home.
It had taken us about 6 hours to do the 3 bridge kiss so we averaged about 5 knots. The three bridge kiss is my ultimate day sail and it feels great when we are able to accompish it.
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