TUESDAY, 28 APRIL 09 -- BLUSTERY OUTING WITH TWO NEW SAILING MATES

I was hoping to go out on Monday to make up for missing some outings last week, but the winds were howling in the 25-35+ range, so I stayed in port because it would be no fun out there in such conditions. Today, the winds were strong but not quite as strong. Arik and Alex joined us for the first time around 12:30 pm [thanks to sfsailing.com] and we headed out of port, raised single-reefed main just outside the marina and pulled out a double reefed jib before heading out into the central bay to sail westward on the southwest breeze.



The flags on the end of pier 39 were fluttering strongly in the early afternoon breeze as we sailed westward, being resisted by the waxing flood current that tended to push us northward.





A small J20 race boat was blasting downwind behind her kite.





Eventually, we spotted our old pal, ADVENTURE CAT, heading out on one of her afternoon sails and about to disappear behind Alcatraz.

We had to tack several times to beat our way past the rocks on the southwest side of the island, partly due to the wind shifting more westward as we approached the buoy guarding the rocks.



Arik was at the helm as we beat westward




With two different wind systems again, one southwest and the other westerly, along with the flood current, we didn't make very speedly progress toward the gate, and at one point, barely managed to sail past the buoy at Harding Rock as the flood tried to push us into it. We then sailed to the northwest for quite a while before tacking toward the gate again with Alex at the helm and the boat well-heeled, rail in the water in one of the stronger gusts. We sailed to within about a half mile of the gate and then fell off the wind to head for home port.




The schooner Seaward was also out on the bay, but we didn't see many other boats out there.



The city was enjoying hazy sunshine as we approached home port.





The flags on the end of pier 39 were pegged out in the strong breeze.




We sailed into the lee of pier 35 to douse sail and after flaking and tying up the main, we headed around the pier toward the entrance of the marina as Privateer was dousing her sail-- rolling in the jib-- in the lee of pier 35.



We motored into port and landed fine in the moderate flood current then flowing through the marina. It was a blustery afternoon, but we had the right amount of canvas so had good fun out there.