Home	'Round Alameda Cruise January 1, 2012

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

Even by Bay Area standards, you don't expect to usher in the New Year in shirtsleeves and sun screen. But that's just what Saturday the 31st and Sunday, January 1st brought with blue skies and light winds for an almost perfect welcome to 2012.

Gary & Pat Salvo, with granddaughter Skyler and friend Bryanna, (Ophira) we the first boat to arrive at Marina Village in Alameda. Marina Village with just over 800 slips, is the largest of several large marinas on the Alameda Island side of the Oakland Estuary. Gate 8, with 217 slips, is home to many members of the I-36 fleet, particularly on docks A and B. It was there that Ophira tied up to join with residents Roger & Linda McClellan (4 R Sanity), and Dennis & Judy Bush (Natural High) for a New Year's Potluck aboard Natural High. Rick Van Mell was going to bring Vanishing Animal to the potluck too, but you'll just have to wait for Bill Ray's Spring Newsletter and read his Mea Culpa to learn the rest of the story!

Rob Blenderman and Ruby Wallis (Wild Horses) were next to arrive, tying up at Oakland YC next door to Gate 8. They were joined by Gate 8 residents Dan Knox & Myphi Alloy (Luna Sea) and Corky & Anna Stewart (Brigid) at Oakland Yacht Club for their big New Year's Eve party -- just check out the menu and pictures to see it was a smashing success.

Commodore John & Nanci Melton (Freedom Won), fresh from celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary and Nanci's retirement the day before, joined the gang by land yacht on Sunday morning, as did Rick (Vanishing Animal), Art Fowler (Zenith) and Fred & Barbara Cucksey (ex-Misfit) to participate in the annual 'Round Alameda cruise. In a perfect world, this January 1st event sees dozens of boats of all kinds participate.

It's called various names: " 'Round The Island Parade"; " 'Round Alameda Parade"; or just the New Year's Day Around Alameda parade. 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, your author was unable to find any cogent description of the event, a starting time, specific stops to make, or any mention of the history of the event. Even going to individual yacht club web sites didn't fill in the picture very much.

For those that have not been there before, let's start with 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's 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' 2" 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! Unfortunately this year it was LOW tide at 1208 with only 1.6 feet above datum. That led to some interesting results.

Your Islander flotilla departed the Gate 8 docks at 1025, with Luna Sea leading the way. Skipper Dan Knox turned the helm over to Commodore Melton for the day, and the rest of the crew included Nanci, Myphi, Rick & Art. Natural High, with Golden Retriever Tucker patrolling the deck, followed with Roger & Linda aboard, and stopped at Encinal YC (just a short 5 minutes down the Estuary) to pick up Fred & Barbara. Ophira hauled Gary & Pat plus Skyler & Bryanna, and Wild Horses with Rob & Ruby rounded out the 4-boat fleet. In total we had 9 boats represented by 18 people.

The trip down through the 3 bridges was delightful and uneventful. That is unless you include Ophira's compressed-air New Year Streamers attacks on Natural High (as captured below and as our January Picture of the month) and Luna Sea! Way to go Skyler & Bryanna.

Then came the tricky part. We let a similar sized boat lead the way under the last bridge, and commented that we thought she was turning too soon to starboard to find the questionably marked non-channel to Aeolian Yacht Club. Sure enough, she was soon aground. As she worked her way slowly out of the soft mud, John steered us to port to stay clear. Turned out it was just a tad too far to port, and Luna Sea (no jokes here please) was in the mud. Lots of engine revs and about 10 minutes later she was back afloat. Since the tide was still falling for half an hour, common sense prevailed and all four Islanders reversed course back toward deeper water rather than attempt the even shallower waters to Aeolian. A J-105 (drawing 7' 3") had also found the mud a short way astern, and they too were able to work free and joined our retreating armada.

We were quickly back at Encinal Yacht Club. Dan served up a quick round of martinis on Luna Sea to fortify the crew for an attempt by land yacht to reach the chili, bloody marys, and gin fizzes at Aeolian, and, if stamina permitted, moving on to Balena Bay yacht club. Dennis and the Natural High crew however, took the practical approach and explored what Encinal was serving. Turned out chili, hot dogs & bloody marys were both close at hand and very well priced. The entire gang trooped up the stairs, staked out tables in the sun on the balcony and proceeded to fill their plates and glasses. Yes, sun screen and hats were in order, and several were seen moving their chairs into the shade to cool off.

So at least one small group of our members did their best to start off the 2012 Islander season in style and fun, and wish everyone a safe and memorable 2012. Enjoy the pictures.

Pictures by Rob Blenderman, Ruby Wallis, Roger McClellan and Rick Van Mell. Click on images to enlarge, click "Back" to return.

Friday afternoon ...	Vanishing Animal at Brisbane Marina	Here we come ...	light going.	Friends & food ...
Judy, Gary ...	Roger.	Judy, Gary, Ruby ...	Ruby & Rob	Tucker's cave.
Oakland YC New Year ...	program & menu.	Ruby & Rob Wild Horses	Mr. Hat!	Myphi & Dan Luna Sea
Corky & Anna Brigid	Too much fun?!	Islanders Rock!	Gate 8 Marina Village	Looking left ...
looking right.	A Gary & Judy welcome ...	Ophira is ready	'Moring Dan	Tucker ...
on Natural High	Mirror perfect.	Luna Sea	Ophira	You again?
New sheet labels	Art, Judy, Nanci	Great line	Skyler, Bryanna & Pat ...	greet Tucker.
Roger gets aboard ...	Linda too ...	ready to shove.	Art Fowler ...	leaves Zenith at home
Mischief	Roger & Linda left ... 4 R Sanity	Jack London Suqare	Oakland Yacht Club	Dan, Myphi, Art, Barbara & Fred
Commodore Melton commands Luna Sea!	Ready to go	A beautiful day.	Wild Horses	Rick, Dan, Art, John, Nanci
Dan & Myphi	Quite a strain.	But now are ...	happy campers.	John, Dan & Rick ...
who clicks ...	back at Roger.	Heading south	Art & Dan ...	Myphi too.
Islander patrol.	Next marina south.	Always prepared	ditto.	Cassiopeia
Rob & Ruby ...	Rob's happy ...	Good Boy!	Judy's happy too.	Parading south
Heavy lifting	Park Street has a ...	nice bridge.	Take that!	another attack!

Getting Under Way

After The Attack

Double click	Continuing south	Roger, Dennis, Judy, Linda, Fred	Last Bridge	Nice restoration ...
varnish anyone?	Followers	Shoreside crowd!	Pocket tug	Flank Speed
Too Shallow	Luna Sea aground	Better	Too shallow to get there	Puffins away ...
in flight.	Returning	They're still happy.	OK	Others press south ...
as we head back ...	Waiting for Godot ...	the details.	They're too deep too ...	but don't mind.

Park St. Bridge
Bow to Bow	Heading for Encinal

Racing back ...	catch me if you can ...	all smiles.	Island Yacht Club	Renaissance of Tahoe Vista
Triple trouble	Flank speed ...	bob to bow.	Bow line ashore ...	stern too.
All tucked in.	A fun day.	Happy New Year ...	it was a great way ...	to start 2012!

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