We soon began encountering some other sailboat out there, like this nice center-cockpit sloop passed to port, heading west.
The city was grayed out by a high marine layer.
A large Beneteau passed us...
....with four crew in the cockpit enjoying their outing.
Boats were tied up at the new public dock at pier 1 and 1/2.
We passed starboard to starboard with CATCHER as she sailed northward.
The Bay Bridge was grayed out by the overcast.
As we sailed under the A-B span, this small center-cockpit sloop was heading in the opposite direction.
We sailed under the A-B span and then shortened the jib and headed up before tacking back to the north, passing this lovely cutter heading in the opposite direction.
We caught up and soon passed that small center-cockpit sloop.
As we entered the central bay, this lovely Catalina was heading for the Bay Bridge.
As we sailed across the bay, heading for the lee side of Angel Island, this ketch passed to starboard, looking sloppy with fenders dragging. The graphic on her hull would be appropriate for a delta houseboat, but looks very strange and unbecoming on a sailboat.
MAGICAL MOVES passed us, heading toward Berkeley...
...as was this smaller sailboat.
As we started sailing up the lee side of Angel Island, this sailboat flying full canvas was headed for the central bay.
Tenacity was also heading for the central bay and passed us to starboard.
I decided to continue northward to head for the Richmond San Rafael bridge rather than to head up toward Raccoon Straits and soon we watched this pair of sailboats heading southward, one of them being twice the size of the other and probably around 65 feet in length. Both were looking good! and flying full canvas.
Eventually, we could see the Golden Gate Bridge through Raccoon Straits, hazed out in the distance.
As we continued northwestward toward the RSR bridge, we continued to see other sailboats, like this Cal passing to starboard.
With steady winds and now with full jib flying, we made good headway toward the RSR bridge and soon were approaching the west side of Red Rock.
As we approached the bridge, the race boat 'escapade' was heading south and approaching the bridge from the opposite direction.
This catboat sailed through the same bridge span that we were headed for and passed us to port.
We sailed under the bridge and then shortened the jib again before heading back to the south again.
A small sailboat was heading northward and sailed under the same bridge span.
As we headed south, this lovely ketch was also heading north on the sun-sparkled water of the bay.
We were approaching Raccoon Straits again and watched as this lovely dark-hulled sailboat approached us from the east and eventually passed astern of us....
... with her lone skipper in the cockpit.
We sailed across the east mouth of the straits, heading toward Angel Island as this little red sailboat headed for the straits on port tack.
A lone sailboat was anchored out in the cove just east of Pt Campbell, as we tacked into the straits and begain beating against the wind.
This lovely J133 was sailing up the straits flying main only and sailing closer to the wind than we could.
This sailboat with full canvas flying was heading across the straits after leaving Ayala Cove.
We were sailing directly up the straits on a westerly breeze as this smaller sailboat passed us, heading into the straits.
We sailed out of the straits and passed this small Islander heading toward the west mouth of the straits.
As we sailed across the bay on the southwest breeze, we were accosted by the sloop RUBY motoring toward us, and then changing course behind us. She then stopped and some passenger dropped a fishing line in the water....
.....as other fishing boats around were trying their luck in the same area of the bay.
This small Catalina sailboat was also crossing the bay and looking good.
As we crossed the bay, getting pulled toward the gate by a light ebb current, this kiteboarder blasted past us while a ketch further west was also crossing the bay in out direction.
Behind us, this dark-hulled sailboat was crossing the bay in the other direction...
...with a completely enclosed cockpit. Perhaps the owner is allergic to the sea breeze.
Only a few windsurfers were out there, but this sailboarder blasted past us withing a few yards and headed away.
That ketch that was heading south earlier, came about and headed back northward as we continued sailing toward the shore of the city.
We eventually tacked to sail out the gate, falling off to give right of way to this small sailboat approaching from the north...
... and then sailed out the gate with Duncan at the helm and having the thrill of shooting the gate for the first time.
We soon encountered some rather large swells outside the gate and came about to head back inside, pulling the jib out to full for more downwind power. We were quite alone out there now, and soon were approaching home port with the city in partial sunshine.
We sailed past the end of pier 39 where the flags were fluttering in a breeze of about 10 knots, having earlier pulled in the jib so we could sail direct downwind in the breeze that was westerly instead of the usual southwesterly.
We sailed into the lee of pier 35 to douse the main and then motored around and into the marina, landing fine in the now flooding current. We did the 3 bridge kiss in about 5 hours of delightful sailing, probably a record time for us.
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