As we sailed past the end of pier 39, we could see that the flags were fluttering in a breeze of about 8-10 knots.
ADVENTURE CAT 2 motored out of the west marina and raised a full main sail....
and headed our way with a substantial number of passengers aboard for her sunset sail. If you look closely, you'll see that a couple of passengers have their cameras pointed at us. As she passed astern, I heard one of the crew holler out to the passengers: 'The bar is open.' They charge more for a sunset cruise, but passengers are allowed a free drink during the outing.
As we sailed toward the gate, a Hunter sailboat was headed in the opposite direction, sailing downwind.
The fishing boat, MISS FARALLONES, passed astern of us with her load of tourists aboard. She was headed back to port after a trip to the gate and around Alcatraz.
The city was enjoying hazy evening sunshine as we continued westward on port tack close reach, sailing at the cusp of being overpowered.
Alcatraz was also enjoying hazy evening sunshine as we sailed past her southern shore.
We could see some racing and windsurfing activity near the shore and also spotted the schooner SEAWARD heading downwind, so we tacked toward the shore of the city and passed astern of SEAWARD.
She seemed to have about 10 people and crew aboard.
We passed starboard to starboard with this sailboat headed west and sailing a bit off the wind.
The wind had freshened and we were now overpowered, even with the main eased out, so we fell off to dead downwind and reefed the jib down to a double reef before coming about to the west again and then tacking toward the shore of the city again.
Nearer the shore of the city, we started to see some race boats that seemed to be doing race practice, like Snafu here sailing downwind with poled out jib.....
... and this 1D35 heading upwind on port tack.
Snafu's crew seemed to be preparing to gybe as she passed in front of us.
Another sailboat in front of us was luffing up and some small raceboats seemed to be heading back into port.
The wind along the shore was much lighter and this sailboat passing astern of us was just ghosting along downwind with poled out jib.
The 1D35 race boat had now tacked onto starboard tack.
Behind us, a smaller Ericson sailboat passed, heading downwind.
I spotted a lone sailboarder playing around on the water in the light wind.
Snafu had indeed gybed, and was now heading westward on close reach port tack, practicing heading toward a windward mark.
As we sailed west in the light breeze nearer the shore, we spotted a downed kiteboarder pushing his kite toward the beach.
A small sailboat passed to starboard, headed downwind.
Closer to the shore, a small sailboat with fenders dragging was ghosting downwind in light air. She was NOT looking good!
Another kiteboarder was also down and pushing the kite toward the shore.
Eventually the breeze increased dramatically again and we were blasting to the west along with Snafu.
Behind us, another race boat was also blasting westward on the southwest breeze.
Here is a brief video clip of these two race boats blasting westward.
We were sailing more off the wind than Snafu as she continued blasting toward the gate...
....while behind us, a Melges race boat was heading downwind with kite flying.
Snafu soon tacked and headed toward a windward mark, perhaps planning to round the Blackaller buoy near the shore.
That other race boat was starting to catch up with us and sailing closer to the wind than we were.
The wind gradually began shifting toward the west and softening, so we hardened in the main and sailed as close to the wind as possible, passing ADVENTURE CAT 2 as she headed back from the gate.
We had to tack a couple of times to sail out the gate just inside the north tower of the bridge as a large motoryacht was steaming back inside the bay after motoring out a short distance.
We just ducked out and came about to head back inside, pulling the jib out to full again for downwind power. The GGB looked great in the late afternoon sunshine.
That large motoryacht crossed in front of us, heading north.
The sun was setting behind the hills of the Marin Headlands, creating some dramtic skies in the west.
The city was still enjoying sunshine but was hazed out.
A coast guard motor lifeboat steamed past our bow, having earlier steamed toward the shore of the city where the downed kiteboarder were located, perhaps to ensure their safe return to shore.
A container ship was headed out to sea, the only one we saw all evening.
Sunset color developed in the west as we continued sailing downwind toward home port.
Some race boats were still playing around near the shore of the city...
...including that 1D35 that we saw earlier.
Sunset color deepened on the clouds in the western sky.
The 101 California buildingwas reflecting the sunset as we sailed past Aquatic Park.
City lights were turning on as dusk fell.
Pier 39 flags were fluttering in a breeze of about 5 knots or less as we sailed past.
Pastel sunset color extended over the bay on the cloud layers filling in from the west.
We came about and headed back to the west to await the full moonrise, and eventually spotted the ghostly moon rising above the Oakland hills.
PRIVATEER, a charter ketch out of pier 39, passed in front of the rising full moon.
The moon was bright and orange as she rose above the top deck of the Bay Brridge.
The moon appeared not to be completely full as she brightened and was positioned above the center anchorage of the Bay Bridge.
We sailed past the easta marina and headed into the wind to roll in the jib and then dropped the main and tied it up before motoring into the marina and landing okay by playing the flood current successfully.
The almost-full moon was shining brightly through the rigging after we landed and tied up.
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