Underway and Heading South

We left Alameda yesterday mid morning after 4 weeks at the Oakland Yacht Club and over 6 weeks in total in the Bay area.   Shakespeare wrote in Romeo and Juliet “parting is such sweet sorrow”.  This has always seemed to me that he was a bit of a masochist, what the heck is “sweet sorrow” anyways.  We will miss our new friends from OYC, but sweet sorrow, come on, enough already (alright, I’ll move on now).  Paul Cahill and partner Tamara on Xanadu were so helpful and supportive.  Always with an offer to drive us around to get groceries or boat bits, always with an offer of the use of the jeep to drive ourselves around.  Paul, I will miss out lattes in the morning (and afternoon for that matter).  Ivan and Cheryl off Thumbs Up (by the way, in the Arab world, this is the equivalent of “flipping the bird” if you catch my drift) showed us where to get great food at great value (we did get to Tillies for breakfast Saturday).  Mike Jackson and Bob Paulson were always there with a good word or coffee on Saturday mornings.  Craig (manager) and Elaine (food and beverage manager) were fantastic, getting us a slip for a month despite the fact that the club is preparing for a major dock re-shuffle.

NOTE: I feel like I’m giving an acceptance speech, and thanking all the supporting players.

On to more exciting things, sailing.  We set sail after we got under the Oakland-Bay Bridge and sailed around the east side of Alcatraz and towards Sausalito, trying to sail under the Golden Gate.  The wind was 20-25 gusting and we were close hauled.  WE WANT TO SAIL DOWN WIND NOW PLEASE.  We motor sailed under the Golden Gate and once we got out to Point Bonita, we headed off south towards Half Moon Bay.  We rigged up the wind vane and let it sail us down the coast.  Cathy and I are both ecstatic that it works so well.  If only we had set it up properly BEFORE we left Canada.  We sailed to Pt. Montana on a close reach (funny NW winds here, they come from the SW).  The wind died and we motored the rest of the way to Pillar Point Harbour in Half Moon Bay.  Dropped the hook in about 4 meters of water and listened to the fog horn every 10 seconds.  It’s grey, cloudy, and not much wind.  We’re planning to explore the land bits this afternoon (Friday) and then leave early tomorrow for Santa Cruz.