About Last Week...

Not sure why I have not written this report earlier but here goes: Made it over to pick up John at Sam's in Tiburon.  It was a gorgeous day and the wind was in the 20's.  We sailed to the city front and there were the America's Cup boats racing away.  There were lots of spectator boats so we sailed just outside them and took in what we could of the racing.  As we were heading north along the course I saw something I never thought I would see with my own eyes...cruising by in a cloud of spray was the fastest boat in the world, l’Hydroptère DCNS (check out their site http://hydroptere.com/).  It was a blogger/sailors dream come true.  The boat is waiting for a weather window to break the LA to Honolulu record of 4 days and change.  They got tired of windless LA so they shot up the coast for some good old SF blastings.  It was amazing to watch this boat top out at 35 knots right in front of us.  I heard that with some stronger winds on Saturday, they hit 45 without a problem.  Surely they did not men to upstage the AC but in fact, they blew them out of the water!!!  We sailed back to Sam's for dinner and then I headed to Angel Island for the night.

After getting situated on the moorings, not easy if you are alone with a front and end tie off, I slipped into a deep slumber.  As I was the only boat in the anchorage, I felt a little bit that the famous explorer Juan de Ayala, he being the first to sail a ship into the SF Bay back in August of 1775.  He spent his first night in this cove.  How cool.  Woke up in the morning to get ready for the event I was hosting for a local company.  I was supplying the drinks and fun for a group of 20.  Lunch was being catered by the cafe on the island.  Another glorious day and the group took the ferry over for the 11am arrival from Palo Alto.  We had a ton of fun playing Frisbee golf and bocce after lunch.  The group went for a hike and my buddy John showed up with a couple ladies and they had a picnic too.  After the hike it was on to volleyball for the group and I departed.  The engine was not receiving fuel so after some trouble shooting I decided to slip the lines and sail her home without the engine.  Off the dock with out a problem, I sailed out the strait and into a huge lee behind Angel.  I got stuck for an hour trying to get to the wind.  Finally it filled in and I took off like a rocket on a perfect reach for the end of the pier.  I was heading in about 7 and the wind was way down in the low teens.  I needed that wind to get me into the slip.  I made it into the harbor and there was just enough to get me down the fairway and into the slip without the engine.  It was a thing of beauty!  Exhausted, I cleaned up and then headed home.  It was an adventure to remember and cherish!  Thank you, Addiction!!!