I’ve never liked taking the boat out on the night of July 4th. I figure it’s one of those days when lots of people who rarely go boating decide to take their boats out so people will be making mistakes out there and it’s all just kind of mayhem.
The police must figure something similar; when we were heading back to the dock before sundown a bunch police boats were gassing up and heading out, no doubt excited to chase boats around and be… uh… the way the police like to be. Anyway…
We had left the dock around 3:30pm after an oil change. We motored out past Jack London Square, then raised the sails, with a reef in the main, and short-tacked the rest of the way out the estuary. Good practice and folks quickly got the hang of tacking. The wind was picking up and we got some vigorous sailing outside the estuary. A big ship was coming in, so we tacked south of the channel and headed toward a Coast Guard vessel that was slowly patrolling the area. Back and forth, up wind, until we crossed back over the channel to Yerba Buena and the Oakland side of the bridge. Then we turned around, and went from vigorous sailing close-hauled to a fast and level beam reach. Perfect for a short sail out and about, then back into the estuary, past the houseboats and back home. Kate, Constantine, Eddie.