We headed out of port around 1:30 pm, raised single-reefed main even though winds were then moderate enough for full canvas, and headed out into the bay, gybed toward the east, and pulled out the jib to full for our downwind sail.
As we approached pier 33, a Coast Guard fastboat came blasting toward us, and I thought she would pass to starboard, but suddenly turned into the area between piers 33 and 35 as if there were some situation there, but then slowly motored back toward the bay.
As we passed pier 31, I spotted a vessel headed for the area between piers 31 and 33 where the Alcatraz ferries dock and I wondered if this boat is the new sewage pumpout boat that takes sewage off the island instead of the ferries having to do that task.
As we continued down the cityfront, mostly ghosting along in light breezes, with a few gusts that accelerated us forward for a time, this nice ketch passed to port heading west.
The directly overhead sun tends not to illuminate the sides of buildings at this time of day, so the financial district towers look a bit indistinct.
I keep wondering if that new pier 1 and a half is attracting much use, and it was empty as we passed this time. I hope the pier is used on the weekends.
We eventually sailed under the A-B span of the Bay Bridge and saw another Coast Guard fastboat blasting toward us from the Oakland estuary.
I was considering shortening the jib for the return trip up the cityfront but decided not to since winds had been light,so headed up to sail closer to the city and then tacked to head nnrth again, sailing past the sculpture on shore that was brilliantly illuminated by the overhead sun.
Over in front of the D-E span of the bridge, a tugboat was hanging out, and I guessed she was waiting for an inbound container ship....
... and sure enough, a while later, one was headed toward her.
As we continued northward, a nice-looking Ranger sailboat passed us, sailing closer to the shore and looking good with full canvas flying.
The wind on the central bay had freshened dramatically since we left port, so we were starting to be overpowered with full jib, so we tacked into the lee of pier 27 to shorten the jib, before heading back to the west again to begin beating our way toward the gate.
After sailing to the west toward Alcatraz, we tacked toward the shore again and sailed past the end of pier 39 where the flags were fluttering in a breeze of about 15 knots.
As we tacked away from the lee of pier 45, this lovely Islander 36 was sailing downwind to the east with a solo skipper at the helm.
A dredging barge had dumped it load on Alcatraz shoal and was heading around the island.
As we continued sailing westward, passing the weather side of Alcatraz, this large sailboat was heading east under main only, but looked to be about to raise the dousing sock on her cruising spinnaker.
As we continued westward in winds that kept getting stronger, this Ericson sailboat was heading across the bay in the other direction.
Way behind us, another sailboat was sailing down the shore of Angel Island.
We eventually arrived in lighter winds and watched as this small sailboat crossed in front of us, heading for the gate.
We tacked to get back into the stronger winds and sailed southward toward the shore of the city as this Cal sailboat passed us, heading toward Sausalito.
That small sailboat that crossed in front of us earlier, now passed astern of us, still beating toward the gate and now luffing up her main rather dramatically, though well-reefed.
A bit later, a sailboarder blasted past us.
In front of us, a sailboat with main only flying was heading toward the gate.
Behind us, a ketch-rigged sailboat was returning from the gate and sailing direct downwind with poled out jib.
This NOAA research vessel steamed in the gate and then turned toward shore and hung around out of the inbound sea lane for some unknown reason.
Behind us, that small sailboat was now on a starboard tack beat toward the gate....
.... but soon tacked onto port tack again, well heeled-over and luffing up the main again in the strong wind.
We sailed to near the shore at Crissy Field, well as near as one wants to get without chancing running aground, and then tacked toward the gate and sailed out between midspan and the north tower.
We sailed out a short ways and then came about and headed back inside, pulling the jib out to full...
... as a couple of people on the top of the headlands looked on.
Some kiteboarders like this one were blasting around on the bay...
.... as were sailboarders like this one that came shooting at us, and passed closely astern of us.
As we continued our downwind sail toward home port, this Ericson sailboat crossed in front of us, heading toward the shore. Wow... two Ericson sightings in one outing-- very unusual.
The whole city was enjoying the brilliant sunshine with just some whisps of cloud around overhead.
Winds were around 20 knots as we sailed past pier 39.
We ducked behind pier 35 to douse sails and then motored around and into the marina. It was really nice to be sailing in sunshine for several hours and have that thermal radiation keeping things a lot warmer than when under a high marine layer.
After dinner, I took the ferry to Alameda to visit some friends and was greeted by a nice sunset as I walked off the ferry and started hoofing my way toward their house.
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