Home	'Round Alameda 1/1/2024

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

Rinse and Repeat! Just like last year it rained like crazy on 12/31, but the 1st was glorious. 19 Folks aboard 4 Islanders representing 7 Islanders in total enjoyed a beautiful, sunny 6o degree day with little wind in the Estuary. What's remarkable is that three of the four boats also had an I-36 skipper aboard. Commodore Rick Egan (Kapai) had Rick and Sandy Van Mell (Vanishing Animal) aboard; Luna Sea had Ruby & Rob Blenderman (White Horses) aboard, Cassiopeia had Barney Brickner (Barnacle) aboard, and crew Anne Dompe also has her own 27' boat at Alameda (we like her just as much as if it was also an Islander.) Here's the list.

Before we get into the rest of the story, here are some basics. Alameda, CA is actually an island, just west of Oakland, separated by the Oakland Estuary. While the Estuary, particularly at its entrance, is wide and deep enough for 1000' container ships, when it narrows at its 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 an unmarked 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. Take a close look at the depths in the center chart at the left end of San Leandro Channel. Here's what it looks like on the chart: (click for larger image.)

Alameda - Overview

Alameda - Bay Farm

Alameda -Little channel

Here is a link to Aeolian's navigation page with a dramatic picture of the "channel" at low tide.

The four Islanders afloat, Evanescence, Kapai, Cassiopeia and Luna Sea arrived at Aeolian between 1045 and 1120 to find lots of empty slips. We were greeted with the usual warm Aeolian hospitality pointing out slips and helping grab dock lines. Once secure, we all walked up to the deck to enjoy their traditional Chili & Cornbread. There was even a choice of Vegetarian Chili and Jalapaneo Cornbread. They also served their famous Bloody Mary's - with practically an appetizer in the trimmings of celery, olive, jalapeno, and mozzarella cheese. The 9-strong crew of Luna Sea grabbed one big table, while the Kapai and Cassiopeia crews grabbed another. The first to arrive Evanescence crew had already grabbed their own table. It was positively shirt sleves weather sitting on the deck and enjoying the day.

There was a "low" tide at about 3' around 0900, and, as we arrived, it was on the rise heading for about 5' at 1400. Even at 5' that's not a lot of room to spare if going out the San Leandro channel past the Bay Farm Bridge. Since, as you saw on the chart, there is only about 2 - 3 feet of water at the end of the passage under Bay Farm bridge and along Bay Farm Islnad until you reach navigable water in South San Francisco Bay. Those that are bold and brave enough to try the San Leandro Channel at barely 5' will head west under the Bay Farm Bridge to actually circumnavigate Alameda Island. Less bold skippers may enjoy the thicker water heading back under the 3 bridges to Encinal. (What is the saying: "There are bold skippers and old skippers, but few old, bold skippers.")

Evanescence and Kapai took the conservative approach and headed back at 1300 through the 3 bridges and their home ports. Kapai dropped Rick & Sandy off at Encinal for their drive home to Mountain View.

But the bold Luna Sea and Cassiopeia braved the shallows and headed west under the Bay Farm Bridge. A text to Rick from Ruby at 1538 declared: "Dan popping the Champagne cork and Michael Blenderman catching it in his glass!!!" Not only did they make it to deep water, but the wind filled in to maybe 7 knots and they set sail. They eventually even set a spinnaker.

Here is a link to Luna Sea going out the San Leandro Channel and setting sail. After reaching deep water, Dan celebrated with champagne. You can see one bottle popped at 1:21:47 where Michael keeps the popped cork on board and drops it in his glass. However, starting at 1:25:30 you see Dan opening another bottle and this time Michael catches the cork in his glass! What a great way to start off 2024.

With lots of people clicking, we hope to add more pictures, so enjoy these and stay tuned. Mark your calendars for our Islander 36 Spring Meeting at Richmond Yacht Club on Saturday, March 16, 2024.
If you would like original images (these are reduced to 800x600) email Rick Van Mell with the caption and picture number.

Pictures/Videos by Dan Knox, Ruby Wallis and Karen Kleckner aboard Luna Sea, and Rick Egan and Rick Van Mell aboard Kapai. Click on images to enlarge, click "Back" to return.

Departing Encinal dock ...	Commodore Egan & Cathy	Sandy smiles	Tracking our course	A beautiful day ...
Oakland Estuary	Looking south	Big rowboat ...	and kayaks!	Here comes ...
Luna Sea ...	all alert ...	taking pics ...	having fun!	Here comes ...
Cassiopeia ...	at attention ...	"Yes Captain!"	Coast Guard ...	standing by.

Who had more fun passing the Park Street Bridge?

        

Park St. Bridge ...	Going up.	Park St Bridge	Brig Kasei	Approaching Fruitvale ...
We're ready!	Wide open	Luna Sea leads ...	all hands on deck.	Cassiopeia too.
Fruitvale Br	Closing astern.	On to High Street ...	burgee flies ...	"You go first!"
Opening ...	Thanks for opening.	High St Br	Friendly wave.	Closing astern
Mark "G" / Tower	Making the turn	The Turn	All in a row ...	Nice and easy ...
Approaching Aeolian ...	right behind ...	arriving Aeolian.	At Aeolian	Evanescence
Kapi in slip	Luna Sea	Kapai	Happy campers	Coming ashore
Aeolian Yacht Club	Luna Sea table	Kapai / Cassi table ...	with Rick.	Food table ...
Chili ...	condiments ...	cornbread ...	and Drinks.	Good eats.
Smokey, Grandson,friend, Sandy	Smokey, Myphi	A great gathering!	Ready to depart ...	ready forward ...
Cassiopeia departs	Next out is ...	Evanescence.	Bay Farm going up ...	traffic passes ...
Luna Sea charges ...	out.	Kapai ready to go.	Stik to the channel.	Opening for Evanescence.
A great day.	Back to Fruitvale	Kasei	again.	Park St. sign.
One more opening ...	back into the Estuary.	Encinal YC	Kapai heads home ...	Well done!
Dan pops Champagne ...	Michael enjoys ...	Spinnaker flies!

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