The SF bay was incredible. A rare day on Sunday with lots of wind and zero
chop. It was even warm. Taught a two-day class starting on Saturday on my
boat. Sat. was devoted (mostly) to motoring/dock skills, then we did some
late-day sailing down the Richmond channel and back. At about 10:15 on
Sunday, the ebb brought us out of the marina, we practiced
tacking/jibing/reefing/de-reefing just outside the breakwater, then did some
COB practice. We tacked up Raccoon to Richardson Bay and anchored for a
short lunch. Just as we were anchoring, the Sheriff's boat zoomed by and
asked if we were the ones who called in about an injury. Nope, just
anchoring for lunch sir. Then they charged off to the next boat, looking
worried. We'd been monitoring 16, but I didn't hear a distress call. I'm
betting someone called on their cell.

After about a 1/2 hour near Cone Rock we picked up the hook and set sail
across the slot, tacking back and forth toward the Gate. The flood was on
us, and the wind and water moving in the same direction made for a flat
ride - nothing bigger than small ripples or a rolling, gentle wake from a
distant tanker, but the wind was up in the high teens/low 20s, rail in or
near the water. We watched some moron try to cross in front of a container
ship, get a huge blast, then he change his mind and tack away. Sheesh.

We got within 1/4 mile of the bridge, but it was getting to be 4pm, so we
turned downwind and went along the city front, edged over to Alcatraz, then
did a chicken jibe in over 20kts air and headed back across the slot toward
Angel. Some small chop finally appeared and we got some surfing in. COG was
around 7kts, with the speed through the water over 8.5. Not bad for a 30'
boat with a high-foot jib and number 1 reef on her. We crossed fairly close
behind Angel Island, watched one of the catamaran ferries rooster tail by,
then headed across the opening to Raccoon and along the Tiberon shore before
jibing back toward Richmond. Furled the jib, popped the main halyard inside
the marina, and we were back in the slip by the predicted 6pm.

Here are some pics from my iPhone. I'm hopeful someone else we send me
better ones.

http://picasaweb.google.com/SailNOW....LessonCharter#

Even better news, I got paid for having a great time!

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com