SATURDAY, 16 FEB. 08-- AFTERNOON SAIL WITH SPECTACULAR SUNDOWN!!!

We were hoping to get out to watch some of the Corinthian Midwinter Regatta starting in the early afternoon, but we had very little breeze all morning and the marina was too shallow when a breeze finally came up around 1:00 pm.

We headed out about 4:30 pm for a sunset sail, and were we ever glad that we did, as you will see toward the end of this post.



On the central bay, southwesterly winds were blowing at about 8-10 knots, and we breezed past pier 39, heading west on port tack close reach and banging through some residual ebb-generated wind waves.



Very soon, we began to spot some fellow sailors heading home from the west, like WIND DOCTOR here....




...and this lovely dark hulled sailboat over near the cityfront.




A bit later, the race boat JAM SESSION passed to port, probably heading home after the race.




ATHENA, sailing main only was passing the shore of Alcatraz....




...with the island enjoying brilliant late afternoon sunshine.




A bit later, we spotted two other sailboats passing the Alcatraz shore-- this Ericson...




... and this nice boat that may have been in the race.




As we continued westward, we spotted several sailboats way off in the north in Raccoon Straits.





We managed to sail past the weather side of the buoy at Harding Rock with the waxing flood current pushing us toward the buoy---note the sailboat passing the shore of Angel Island in the distance.




We continued sailing westward until the sun was hidden by the Marin Headlands, and then tacked to head back to the south and get in position to watch the sundown through the gate.




Behind us, this sailboat was heading toward Sausalito.





The sun was just above the deck of the GGB when we arrived at a point where it became visible.




As we sailed toward home port, the sun gradually lowered in the western sky.




In the east, the 2/3 moon was brightening-- causing the waxing flood current that we were experiencing due to its gravity.




Soon we were privileged to see one of the most spectacular sundowns that we have ever witnessed!!!!




We were making great headway toward home port as the sun dropped lower in the western sky.




It was a great big beautiful orange ball in its position just above the horizon, intersected with some thin cloud layers-- FANTASTIC!!!!




A bit later, it looked as if the sun were leaking into the surface of the ocean!




The sunset spectacle continued for many minutes as we continued on toward home port.





City lights were coming up at dusk as we approached home port.


We doused sail after passing the marina and motored into port, so greatly pleased to have had a couple of great hours on the bay and to have witnessed one of the greatest sundown displays in history!