We raised full main just outside the marina and headed out into the central bay, then gybed toward the Bay Bridge and pulled the jib out to full for our downwind sail. The city was mostly overcast, but it was cloudy bright lighting.
We were happy to have some company out there, like this sailboat heading north and passing to port.
It was almost one oclock on the Ferry Building clock as we approached the A-B span of the Bay Bridge.
It was a little past 1 pm when we sailed under the A-B span.
We reefed the jib down to a double reef before coming about and heading north toward the lee side of Angel Island, blasting across the central bay in good winds and eventually encountering this Ericson 35 sailboat crossing in front of us and heading for Richmond. We were now under full canvas again as winds were more moderate in the lee of Angel Island.
Her name was Fortuna and, as you can see, she has a steering vane mounted on the transom.
We were hoping to be able to sail to the Richmond San Rafael Bridge on our way to doing a 3 bridge kiss, but the wind didn't cooperate and we ended up heading toward Raccoon Straits, where we passed this nice sailboat heading out of the straits.
Winds in the straits were shifty and we had to beat a few times to sail past Ayala Cove where three boats were tied up at the buoy field and a sialboat was sailing past on a downwind course.
Her crew was enjoying the brilliant sunshine that we were now experiencing.
Ayala Cove was beautiful as always!
We eventually picked up a nice westerly breeze that enabled us to sail directly toward the western mouth of the straits on starboard tack close reach and this nice catalina sailboat passed to starboard.
Over in front of the Corinthian YC, some dingys were doing sailing practice.
We were just able finally to ghost our way out of the straits, fighting a waxing flood current, Mother Nature giving us just enough puffs of wind to avoid haivng to turn on the engine. We then had a good breeze heading for the gate as this lovely large center cockpit cutter crossed in front of us heading toward Tiburon.
She soon tacked and was heading toward Sasualito....
.... but she was soon many boat lengths behind us and eventually doused sail.
As we headed for the gate, behind us Angel Island was basking in the late afternoon sunshine with some lovely cloud patterns above her.
Bob was spending lots of time at the helm and enjoying it as we sailed toward the gate on close reach starboard tack.
The waxing moon was starting to shine brighter in the sky as we approached sundown.
The sun dropped behind the Marin Headlands as we continued on toward the gate, making good headway.
We encountered some sharp ocean swells as we sailed past Horseshoe Cove so we had to fall off to take them at an angle to avoid banging the bow down behind the swells. Eventually, we were able to head up again and sail directly toward the gate again on starboard tack close reach as the south tower of the GGB darkened in the late afternoon sky.
Bob took us out the gate just inside midspan and we were fortunate to have sufficient wind from a good direction to enable us to fight the rather strong flood current at the gate.
We just sailed out a short ways and then came about and headed back inside, following this nice sailboat that was going in ahead of us.
Liberty was her name and she was looking good.
As we headed for home port, this Ranger sailboat was crossing the bay but then fell off the wind and headed toward shore on starboard tack.
As we sailed toward home port on broad reach port tack, the sun dropped into a cloud just above the horizon and gave us some beautiful color as well as light and shadow patterns and sunbeams streaming out of the bottom of the cloud bank.
This nice sailboat crossed in front of us from the north, heading toward the cityfront and in the distance the sun was reflecting off the windows on the hills of the east bay.
The sun dropped below the cloud bank to appear for a while before disappearing into the thick cloud layer on the horizon.
Some lovely sunset color developed and enveloped the Adventure Cat as she was returning to the bay. It's great to have the Cats back on the bay again after being gone for a few months during the winter season.
Soon some sunset color developed in the skies above the thick cloud bank on the horizon.
The sign on Ghiradelli needs some attention-- some lights need replacing-- and it was good to see that the lovely Balclutha is back at the Maritime Museum docks after quite a spate of being in drydock in the East Bay.
City lights were coming on as dusk came over the city.
Sunset color persisted in the west for quite a while as we continued toward home port, gybing back and forth in the weterly wind.
We sailed into the lee of pier 35 to douse the sails and then motored around to enter the marina and landing fine in the flood current with the moon brightly shining above us! 6 hours on the bay in great weather left us filled with acute pleasure sensations-- what a great life!!!
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