Winds were out of the WNW so we sailed toward Alcatraz on close reach port tack as the flags on the end of pier 39 were lightly fluttering in a breeze of just a few knots.
Way off in the west, we could see the J105 fleet heading across the bay toward the windward mark as part of the first race of the J Fest Regatta.
We eventually tacked to the southwest, heading toward the start line of the J Fest races and also toward the area where the college sailing team dingies were racing, like the group of dingies. There were about 24 dingies racing along the shore in the light breezes.
The race boats in the handicap division of J Fest were awaiting their race start sequence.
We tacked and headed north to watch the race boats heading back toward the leeward mark. Here the J120 Chance is leading the pack of J120s.
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Grace Dances seemed to be sailing in an area of lighter winds and her spinnaker was partially collapsing and they were losing ground to their competitors.
Mr. Magoo seemed to be keeping her spinnaker full.
Desdemona was also making good headway with a full spinnaker.
DAYENU and Twist were behind the others but making good headway.
The DAYENU crew was looking relaxed as they passed us.
Desdemona was looking good as she headed for the leeward mark.
Twist was also looking good...
... and her crew looked almost bored by the light winds and slow headway.
Grace Dances seemed to be still having trouble keeping their kite full.
The lagging boat .. always the last in the fleet... was making good headway as she passed us.
The handicap division of the J Fest Regatta had started and here is one boat heading north toward the windward mark with the J105 fleet in the background heading our way.
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We tacked to the southwest to get out of the way of the J105 fleet coming down on us like the group here.
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The lead boat here seemed to be making good headway despite the light winds....
... as did the following J105 race boat.
Since there were three races scheduled for Sunday, I figured we had plenty of time to watch the racing, so we headed for the gate and passed this lovely dark-hulled boat heading east nad making good headway.
As we approached the gate with ebb current assist, the breeze dropped to just a few breaths and we could see that a group of sailboats including this schooner were trapped in an area of little or no wind.
We shot the gate and imediately came about to head back inside, but the breeze was too light to enable us to fight the ebb current and we had to begin motoring to get back inside the bay and finally back into the breeze about a quarter mile inside the gate.
We then passed this small Catalina heading northeast....
... and this Ranger heading west.
We had faster headway than that schooner Seaward and were about to pass her, when the crew turned on the engine and steamed past us and then headed back to the north toward her home port.
This four engine military plane has been flying over the bay for the last few days, probably taking people on sightseeing tours of the bay.
We watched from a distance as the J Fest fleet finished the first race and were hanging around the start line, awaiting the next race start when we heard the 'three gun blasts' that cancelled the further racing, seniding the race boats back into the marina.
We then hung around the cityfront to watch the dingy racing for a while, like the two young women racing in this dingy. The C on their PFDs might stand for Chapman College since we saw that name on at least one of the other dingies.
Here, a group of the dingies were rounding the windward mark.
After tacking back and forth a couple of times to watch the dingy racing, we broke off and headed down the cityfront toward home port, passing this lovely Catalina sailboat, named Sunshine Daydream.
Our old pal, ADVENTURE CAT, was heading out for a sail.
The city was enjoying hazy afternoon sunshine as we sailed between pier 45 and pier 39.
We sailed past pier 39 and headed for the Bay Bridge, passing Aquadesiac, a nice looking sailboat heading east and doing wing and wing.
Most of the financial district buildings were in shadow, though the north side of the Ferry Building was illuminated by the sun.
We gybed back and forth toward the Bay Bridge and finally sailed through the D-E span, watching as a group of other sailboats were sailing past the shore of Yerba Buena like this one.
We sailed around the southern shore of Yerba Buena where that cute lighthouse is situated.
Behind us, the gleaming waters of the bay led to the Bay Bridge and the city behind.
The new bridge deck of the suspension span continues to be built from the west to the east, resting on the temporary support pillars mounted on temporary platorms in the shipping channel.
The final temporary support pillars are being constructed just west of the completed causeway portion of the new Bay Bridge.
We headed back around Yerba Buena and sailed through the C-D span of the Bay Bridge toward the cityfront.
As we approached the shore, we had to tack to the northwest until we were in position to tack into the lee of pier 35 where we doused the sails and then motored around the pier and into the marina, landing fine in the rather strong flood current flowing through the mairna. After tying up, tidying up and making a trip ot the restroom, we sat in the warm sunshine in the cockpit to share some wine and cheese and crackers before heading over to North Beach for a great dinner at North Beach Pizza. Another full pleasure day in San Francisco!!!!
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