We ghosted past the end of pier 39, where the flags were barely fluttering and we were assisted by some residual but waning ebb current.
The city was enjoying clear air and brilliant sunshine as we passed the west marina.
Way off in the north, a sailboat flying a colorful kite was heading southeast.
A small Hunter motorsailed past us.
We were virtually becalmed for a while and then later we could see a light breeze propagating our way from the west, and this sailboat way in the west had a bit of that breeze.
We now began to beat slowly westward on a westerly breeze that was only around 2 knots in velocity, and watched as this lightly loaded tanker steamed into the bay, belching pollution!
We ghosted past this Santana 22 that was heading east...
...and she was named TRADEWINDS and had a full crew of five people filling the cockpit.
We watched as the Airship Ventures Zepplin passed us, heading for the gate.
A short time later, she passed directly overhead.
The breeze died away again to a bare whisper and we were now at the mercy of the waxing flood current as we passed this sailbaot headed toward the shore of the city.
Her crew was bundled up against the afternoon chill.
Our crew was enjoying the outing as we now ghosted eastward, mostly drifting with the current, but making a little bit of hearway to the north.
We were almost opposite Pier 39 when we picked up another light breeze and began beating to the west to try to stem the current as the city clouded over.
The sun began to go down in the southwest over the Presidio Hills.
In the east, a nice saiboat was motoring toward home port.
Jade took the helm for a while as we ghosted away from the city. She takes sailing classes in Optimist dingys at the marina on Treasure Island. She stayed at the helm as we tacked toward home port and then steered for a while on our starboard tack before handing back the helm to me.
The sundown gave us some fantastic colors in the southwest as we now headed for home port.
This small sailboat was ghosting downwind with the current.
I turned on the engine to make sure we would pass well in front of an inbound freighter and we enjoyed the developing sunset as we motorsailed toward home port.
Sunset colors built into a dramatic sky...
... and we passed in front of that small sailboat before going into neutral to sail toward home port. and watch the developing sunset.
Sunset color began to fade toward the horizon....
... as a pilot boat did a pilot change on the inbound freighter that was carrying a load of huge pipe sections. Wonder what they were to be used for here in this area?
Some sunset color persisted over the gate as we approached home port....
... and over the city as well.
I furled in the jib as we approached the cityfront and then came into the wind to douse the main. We motored toward the marina entrance as I tied up the main and we motored in and landed fine with some small flood current flowing through the marina. We didn't sail very far, but it was a pleasant outing with nice crew-company.
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