Home	'Round Alameada - January 1, 2016

(If you like, you can skip down through the prose and go straight to the pictures below!)

Neither bright sun, blue skies, light wind nor a low tide kept your intrepid Islander 36 sailors from kicking off a New Year of sailing on San Francisco Bay. It sure looked like your Islander fleet, though only two in number on the water but joined by two more crews ashore, was still the largest fleet at Aeolian for the traditional noon gathering for delicious chili and libations. The low tide kept many away, and the many empty slips attested to the dearth of boats venturing to Aeolian.

But, once again, it was Smokey Stover leading the effort aboard Evanescence. Though wife Laurie was home with a cold, Rick & Sandy Van Mell (Vanishing Animal) joined Smokey to attemt the shallow channel to Aeolian Yacht Club at the south end of Alameda Island. Leaving Fortman Marina at low tide about 1120, the Evanescence crew was betting that if push came to stop, the coming flood tide would lift us free.

Gene & Cheryl Novak's Fantasy braved the tides and joined the fun with a full crew.

Together they cleanly cleared the three bridges, with just one power boat ahead. We heard on the radio, and quickly found, a blue 34 footer that was aground in four and a half feet of water. They had tried to turn west too early from the modest channel used by barges heading to Oakland airport. As we slowly motored past looking for the correct point to turn (there are not buoys at the junction) a small outbard came by and Rick asked if they knew the right spot. While Smokey was giving Rick a ration for asking for help, they said, "sure, follow us." We did and made the first turn with about 8 feet of water. Fantasy turned a little later, and that extra 100 feet, though surrounded by a quarter mile of open water, was enough for them to kiss the mud. A turn to starboard and a little more engine quickly got them free and back under way. As we neared Aeolian, Evanescence also brushed the bottom by again being too far off the red day marks. But by noon we were both safely tied up at Aeolian Yacht Club.

When we arrived we were greeted by Charles & Kathryn Hodgkins (Mischief) and Bill Nork (Zenith, who had paddled over from Encinal Yacht club in his new Christmas present kayak! We enjoyed chili, beans corn bread and libations sitting on the sunny deck and feeling just a little smug that your Islanders were the only fleet that had an organized presence.

A little after 1300 Evanescence and Fantasy headed back toward Encinal Yacht Club - with no intention of trying to go out under the Bay Farm Bridge and the unmarked channel that sees two feet of water at datumto get out into the south Bay and go on around Alameda Island. We made it uneventfully back to Encinal and said hello to all before declaring victory and retiring for the day.

This annual tradition is called various names: " 'Round The Island Parade"; " 'Round Alameda Parade"; or just the New Year's Day Island Circumnavigation. There's talk of visiting "all six yacht clubs", and "getting your circumnavigation" certificate. But, whatever the name, it can be great fun when conditions are right. Despite being able to find just about anything on the Internet these days, even going to individual yacht club web sites didn't fill in the picture very much. You can check for yourself what they did (or didn't) say about this annual event: Island Yacht Club, Oakland Yacht Club, Encinal Yacht Club, Alameda Yacht Club, Aeolian Yacht Club, and Ballena Bay Yacht Club.

For those that would like to know more, here are some basics. Alameda, CA is actually an island, just west of Oakland, separated by the Oakland Estuary. While the Estuary, particularly at it's entrance, is wide and deep enough for 1000' container ships, when it narrows at it's eastern end where three bridges connect it to Oakland, it's quite narrow and getting shallow fast. At the southeastern end, at San Leandro Bay, it is connected to Bay Farm Island - where Oakland Airport is located - by a 4th bridge. Going west from there into San Francisco Bay, there is an unmarked tidal slough that has 6-8 feet of water in a very narrow band and then a stretch of 2-4' of water to cross into the Bay itself. It's about 15.5 miles around the Island. Here's what it looks like on the chart:

Alameda - Overview

Alameda - Bay Farm

Alameda -Little channel

As you can see, there's not enough water to take 6' of draft out into San Francisco Bay at low tide. At least 5' of tide is necessary, so that's the first requirement for a successful New Year's Day 'Round Alameda parade!

So enjoy the pictures and have a great 2016 season on the water.

Pictures by Smokey Stover and Rick Van Mell. Click on images to enlarge, click "Back" to return.

Fortman Marina	Heading out ...	Smokey and Sandy are ...	well protected.	Marina astern ...
flag abeam ...	bridge ahead.	We are joined by ...	Fantasy ...	Gene at the helm ...
crew clicks ...	all are cozy!	Park Street Bridge ...	going up ...	thank you!
Plenty of water here.	Heading south.	They're headed back.	Fruitvale bridge astern.	High Street ahead ...
and safely astern.	Pretty boat, but ...	very low tide.	G1 to port ...	shallow channel ahead ...
Smokey's not stressed ...	Fantasy briefly aground ...	back under way.	Gulls are walking ...	we touched bottom ...
Aeolian ahead!	Find a spot ...	nicely done.	Fantasy ...	slides into ...
a slip.	We're the only big boats!	A nice welcome ...	Get your tickets ...	Chili is great ...
corn bread too.	Warm and hearty.	Bill joins Sandy & Smokey	Kathryn & Charles ...	with Smokey too.
Fantasy crew.	Time to leave ...	Rick & Sandy	Fantasy backs up ...	Bill paddles astern.
Back in deep channel ...	want a tug?	Locals watch ...	mugs in hand.	High Street frames ...
Islander burgee.	Safely through ...	Fruitvale next ...	piece of cake.	What is that? (Google?!)
Making knots for ...	Encinal Yacht Club ...	Fantasy secure ...	Evanescence too.	Picture perfect start for ...
a great Islander 2016.

Return to Main Menu