Indian Summer Boat Blog

OK, after seeing this, I feel much better about my own "scrapes."

The guy who posted this picture of his boat entitles it "when morons go sailing……"

http://www.pbase.com/dan_123/image/45965549

I did my first away from the dock overnight with my trusty crew of Rebecca, Janet and Gabe.  Janet was first mate since she had some sailing background, Rebecca was our security officer as she is a ninja, and Gabe was our cabin boy as he can stand upright inside the cabin.  I was a little concerned about the weather when we left the dock Saturday morning - although the news had predicted clear albeit cool weather, it was socked in foggy.  Reminded me of Maine.

It started to clear a little, enough so we could see the fog sitting on San Bruno Mountain as we sailed away.  Some wind, but not a lot.  We had to motor about to Hunter’s Point, then could sail on.

After we went under the Bay Bridge, we saw that a bank of fog was ahead of us, so that the north didn’t exist.  We could barely see Alcatraz and couldn’t make out Angel Island or Sausalito at all.  But we had to go through it to get where we were headed.  Since I don’t have a GPS, we got to steer by compass for a bit until we could make out the edge of Angel Island, I kept expecting to see the Black Pearl loom up ahead of us.  As we rounded the western edge of the island, we suddenly fell out of the fog bank into bright sunshine; we could just make out the apex of the north tower of the bridge.  The fog was rolling in so quickly that by the time we found a camera it was about gone.

Ayala Cove sneaks up on you.  I followed the ferry towards it, started the motor and the crew got the sails down then we sailed in.  There were a lot more boats than I was expecting and only a few moorings left, so we had to go to plan B and immediately hook a mooring.  Plan A was to go ashore and BBQ then come out and moor for the night, but I was worried (all right, panicked) that we wouldn’t be able to get a mooring if we waited.  I brought the boat alongside the mooring and my crew hooked the ring with the boathook on the first try - which is really good!  We tied off and looked around.

The sun was setting, there were other boats around, the ferry at the dock and a palm tree ashore.  It made me think we had sailed all the way to the Caribbean.

Since we had no way to go ashore, we cooked on my little single burner backpacking stove and mess kit.  Janet had brought a fabulous dinner with enormous steaks.  It took a little figuring out but we got the steaks cooked and ended up with fine dining by candlelight.

Then cleaned up, scrabble and to bed.  I didn’t really sleep, because I was hyperaware of every sound.  I kept getting up to check that the mast light was still lit, we were still attached to the mooring and that the mooring hadn’t drifted (I’ve heard horror stories).  Plus, turns out a lot of my crew snores.  And Rebecca kind of talks in her sleep.  But my bed was really warm and comfy and it was amazing to get up and go out on deck in the middle of the night in the cold and fog to check on things.  Then getting up in the morning was magical.  The fog had socked in again and all was quiet.  We could see deer walking on shore and I noted the exact moment when the birds woke up and started making noise.

Made coffee and snide comments about our neighboring boats (sailboats good, ostentatious yachts with generators and tv’s bad) then motored over to the dock.  Wandered around shore a bit, paid the $15 for our mooring and found out I was supposed to moor to 2 (1 fore, 1 aft), not just 1, and someone asked the smart question "since we only tied to one can we just pay $7.50?"  Good question, but not one I want to ask a government employee.

Then for some excitement to start off the day.  Rebecca, Gabe and I were on-shore and Janet had gone back to get the camera.  I was admiring my boat from afar when I noticed that the nose was, hmm, a little farther from the dock than I’d expect.  I realized that the bowline had come loose and the boat was only attached by the sternline.  I started running but luckily Janet was closer.  I yelled over that the boat was loose.  She went running, a man from a neighboring boat came running, I started running and by the time I got back to it they had it tied back up.  I’d like to especially acknowledge Janet’s injury in the line of duty - docks are pretty slippy and she got a pretty nasty scrape running to save the boat.

Yay for Janet!  That’s the sort of dedication I like to see in my crew.  Risking your own life and limb for my baby.  (Prospective crew take note).

We left harbor around 11am, again with light winds, but they picked up once we got off of Sausalito.  We sailed out to the Golden Gate Bridge with Cabin Boy Gabe at the helm most of the way.  Went under the bridge then turned around and got chased in by fog.  As soon as we cleared the bridge we could no longer see it.  Couldn’t see a single coast line anywhere so we were heading southeast to try to find the coast to follow home.  Then I saw this big, 3 masted sailboat that looked like a tourist boat.  "Aha!" I thought, "they must have GPS and a depth sounder and they seem to be heading towards SF."  So I followed them until we were out of the fog and back in the sun.  One of the amazing things about the bay is how you can be in sunlight for one minute, dense fog the next, back into sunlight, then rain, then gale force winds, then no winds, all within sight of each other.  Its like some giant decided to make a diorama of all possible sailing climates within 1 little bay.

Heading home there was some excitement - upon intentionally gybing a piece of the traveller broke off, leaving the main sheet fiddle with nothing to hold it in place but my hand.  The crew kept it together really well though and we were able to find a spare part and put it on and keep sailing home.

By this time we were all pretty wiped out.  We got back to dock at about 5 (I had one of my bad docking experiences but I think this time I figured out what I’m doing wrong so I hope to not do it again).

All in all, a fabulous experience and I can’t wait to do another overnight.

In life, there are sacrifices that we all must make.  My most recent sacrifice was of my gag reflex and my self-respect as a white collar worker.  Yes, to enhance the sailing experience for my guests I emptied the port-a-john.

Damn thing was heavy.

There is a handle on the side so that you can carry it "like a briefcase."  Only problem is, it leaks.  So, I carried it upright by tieing it up like a Christmas present.  I swear the seagull was laughing at me.

I get it down to the end of the dock, put it in my car, drive it over to the bathroom and bring it in to the larger of the two stalls.  Open the dumping valve and start to dump.  I was really shocked at how ungross the whole procedure was.  All that there was in there was blue liquid and it didn’t even smell bad.  Which is kind of bizarre because I know some of what was put in there, and I didn’t see it come out, but its not in there now.  Whatever that blue additive is, I think they need to get gallons of it and wash down New Orleans with it.  Then there’d be no problem.

Either that, or the port-a-john is actually from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and is magically transporting sewage into another world so I don’t have to deal with it.

This is one of my favorite details on my boat.  Its hidden way up front in the V-berth, on the ceiling and is the reinforcement plate for the front anchor attachment dohickey (if anyone can come up with the technical terms for either of these things, you win a free boat ride).  I don’t know if its original to the boat (could be, kind of has a 60’s flair) or was added later by some artistic owner.

The amusing thing about it is that after the boat was repainted and the non-skid redone, this reinforcement plate was reinstalled upside down.  So, to really look at it, this is the only way.

I’d like to take a vote: who thinks its original and who think added later?

(Granted, I could ask the Coronado website if other boats have this feature, but I kind of like thinking my boat is unique and special)

Fleet Week centered on this past weekend, with the Blue Angels performing in the afternoons.  Sunday, sailed with Chris V. (he of the "Dispatches from the Front") and Meredith (a new find, great crew).

We started out with no wind whatsoever so had to motor almost all the way to the Bay Bridge, with me saying every 5 minutes "The wind will pick up any minute, look, just ahead, isn’t that wind?."  Here’s the amazing thing.  We started out with the tank of gas just under 3/4 full and motored for almost 2 hours to get to the bridge at which point the tank was at 1/2 full.  Holy crap!  With a full tank I think I could get to Hawaii!  I loooooovvve my new outboard.

Sailed smartly under the bridge and entered the parking lot.  Seriously, a parking lot.   Click on the photo and look at the horizon.  I’ve never seen anything like it, this is where all those boats that never leave the dock 364 days a year are on that 1 day a year. 

Seeing the Blue Angels from the water was really cool.  We didn’t stay around to watch because that would have meant finding a parking spot and you know how aggro some of those SUVs get around the holidays.  Plus, sailing is way more fun than watching planes.  However, while we were sailing back we had a meaningful encounter with 4 of the Blue Angels - they buzzed us.  I swear they almost took off the mast.  Meredith tried to get one of the pilot’s number but then his wing man got in the way.

Oddly enough, this was the first sail I’ve ever been on where I didn’t see a sea lion.  I think they all left town in preparation for Fleet Week.

Here’s a tip for anyone who may be planning to go boating next year during Fleet Week: Do not sail too close to the navy ship.  They keep a small boat with heavily armed guards just off it to make sure you don’t get too close.  Machine guns are really scary when they aren’t on tv.  Many thanks to Chris for letting us find that out!  ;>)