SATURDAY, 1 MARCH 08-- BRILLIANT SUNDOWN AND SUNSET AND TWO MATES RETURN TO THE BAY

A few days ago, I received an email from a former sailing mate, Vincent, who, with his wife, Judy, moved back to Canada after his job here in the Bay Area ended. He is back in the area, working for a company on a 3 month contract, and reconnected with a wish to return to doing some sailing with us.



We arranged to go out yesterday around 3 pm, and actually left port around 3:30 with a lovely 10-15 knot westerly blowing.




Vincent was enjoying some time at the helm as we blasted westward on the WSW breeze.




Ahead of us, a catamaran was moving much slower than we, which seemed strange until we caught up with her and discovered that she was hove-to and just drifting with the waxing flood current.




We passed her and looking back enjoyed the view of the city in the mid-afternoon sunshine.




We tacked back toward the cityfront a bit later, and soon passed ELIXIR as she sailed toward the northeast....




...with her crew enjoying the chill afternoon sunshine.




The city was enjoying the brilliant mid-afternoon sunshine with some thin clouds overhead.



This small sailboat was passing pier 45.




After approaching the cityfront and tacking back to the west, ADVENTURE CAT 2 passed, heading back toward home port. WELCOME BACK, ADVENTURE CAT! She has been gone from the bay for the last 4 months.




Behind us, this Hunter was heading across the bay.




Now the wind started to soften and get flukey in direction and velocity, so we no longer had sufficient velocity to make headway against the flood current. Eventually, a more sustained westerly blew up and we again started to make some headway toward the gate, along with ADVENTURE CAT 2 who soon passed us about a half mile to the north of us.




This lovely sailboat was heading for the gate just inside the north tower of the GGB and looking great!




After a couple of tacks, we were heading for the gate, and ADVENTURE CAT 2 passed, returning from being outside the gate already.





That other sailboat that had shot the gate was crossing the sundown as we approached the gate.





The sun was going down behind a thin cloud layer over the horizon.




The sundown was progressing as we continued making progress toward the gate.




The sun was now dropping into a thick fog bank on above the horizon.




The sun developed a smile and a mustache as a seagull flew past.




Eventually the sun began to disappear behind the fog bank.




We were almost at the gate as the sun continued to set...




... eventually disappearing behind the fog bank.




We sailed out the gate after sundown, just inside the south tower, and sailed out a short distance before coming about and heading back inside the bay.




As we headed toward home port on broad reach port tack, the sunset began to develop behind us.




The sunset color started to intensify as we rode the flood current and ghosted along in light winds.



Eventually, brilliant sunset color developed in the western sky.




Eventually the sunset began to fade toward the horizon.




As sunset faded to dusk and then to twilight, city lights came up -- magic time on the bay-- but with little wind, we had to begin motoring, enjoying the city lights as we passed between pier 45 and pier 39.


We motored into port, tied up and then went below to have some wine and cheese and crackers and then headed over to north beach for a pizza dinner.... a great afternoon and evening!