Clipper Cove, Treasure Island Memorial Day Weekend May 24 - 26, 2008

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

Plan B for Memorial Day!

Mother Nature huffed and puffed and blew out the Drakes Bay cruise plan. While the forecast was for lighter winds and decreasing seas by Memorial day weekend, the 30 - 40 knot breezes all week built up seas to 16' with short periods. Your Cruise Chair and Commodore decided it was best not to depend on winds and seas decreasing sufficiently to hold an enjoyable sail out in the ocean. So Corky announced a destination switch to Clipper Cove at Treasure Island inside the Bay. A hearty group of six boats made the scene with a mix of weather from a dark and damp Saturday through a generally sunny, typically breezy Sunday, and a "foggy" Memorial Day. But let's take it from the beginning.

Commodore Ron & Karen Damsen sailed Woodbine into Clipper Cove around noon on Saturday adn dropped anchor in their favorite spot, close in off the stairs leading down to the beach in about 15' of water. The standard westerlies blowing through the slot and over the sloping causeway from the Bay Bridge down to Treasure Island itself still manage to swirl down to the water, but are significantly reduced from anchoring spots even a few boatlengths farther north.

Vern Verling and Cheryl Lawson with their gleaming, beautifully refinished black beauty Dream Catcher anchored perhaps a hundred yards east, and John Melton anchored Freedom Won in between and a little north. Then Dan Knox laid Luna Sea along side John and the Saturday contingent was complete.

Fresh from taking second in the first race of the Season's Championship series, John and Nanci worked all week to transform Freedom Won into a cruising boat. The dodger went back on, complete with bimini, and the propane grill added a definite cruising touch.

Cloudy weather and an occasional spit of a sprinkle didn't damped the fun however, and all had a great evening. Even Dream Catcher's four legged mascot was at attention riding the dinghy to the beach as chief bow dog.

If you'd like to think of one of the joys of cruising, look at the breakfast pictures below -- what a great way to start Sunday. About 1300, Rick, Sandy and Teak Van Mell sailed Vanishing Animal north to join the crowd with sunny skies and winds growing from nothing to 15 - 20 knots by early afternoon. Invited to raft up alongside Freedon Won & Luna Sea, lines were made fast and the trip hung on one anchor. John had his GPS on to check for dragging, and ever so slowly it seemed we three were inching eastward -- or the old catamaran astern was working it's way upwind. So Rick cast off, as did Dan while John re-anchored Freedom Won.

Corky & Anna Stewart arrived with Birgid in the midst of the exercise and at first tied alongside Woodbine. But then Corky peeled off and set his own anchor while Rick tied up alongsideWoodbine, then Ron & Rick used the dink to set Vanishing Animal's anchor to they would be on 2 hooks. Meanwhile Dan brought Luna Sea back alongside Freedom Won and all six were now settled in.

Happy hour was declared on channel 72 to begin at 1600 hours, and all hands were ferried over to Woodbine and Vanishing Animal. Nibbles ranged from the simple and routine nuts and pretzels to fine cheese and delicious sushi. By and by the grill was lit, and when hot about 1730, John took the roll of BBQ Master and covered the grill with Dan's fine thick steaks. Meanwhile, Nanci had perfected two slabs of ribs and Sandy a potfull of angel hair, meatballs and veggie-rich sauce. Karen had green and potato salads, plus plates and silverware ready to marry it all up. Even Teak managed to fit under the table and got one or two fine morsels. It was Karen's home made cake, plus some slivers of Teak's store-bought birthday cake that finised off the meal.

Being anchored out, and Teak having just passed her 11th birthday, Rick & Sandy cast off about 1915 for their home docks and an easy place for Teak to get ashore. It was a fine power sail back to Brisbane in 10-15 knots as the wall of stratus ("fog" as the locals call it) cascaded over the coastal hills and filled "the slot" from the Gate into Berkeley astern. In the last light Vanishing Animal found her channel entrance and slip, and Teak dashed ashore!

Rick & Sandy hosed off the anchor and cleaned up, then stayed aboard Sunday night. Monday morning Sandy wanted a fresh cup of coffee ashore, so they headed into Brisbane for breakfast. Alas, they found nothing but a Mexican taquerita open, and ordered a breakfast burrito - and a cup of coffee. But, they had broken their coffee caraf on their version of Mr. Coffee and didn't have any. With nothing else open, while the burritos were cooking, Rick & Sandy asked for two big styrofoam cups of water, put some coffee grounds in the filter basket, then poured the water into the tank - catching the brew in the cups as it came out. Actually, Rick has put too much coffee in the filter and it was really, really strong. Great burrito though. And with that they headed home.

Meanwhile, back in Clipper Cove, Memorial Day morning unfolded with chilly weather again on Monday morning. We were all waiting for the tide to come in to clear the bar at Clipper Cove. Dan, on Luna Sea, was the first to leave around 1:30 pm. He seemed to slow to a stop, do a bit of wiggling, and finally go on his way. About a half hour later, Freedom Won weighed anchor and departed, followed by Woodbine and Dream Catcher. Brigid's crew, being on vacation for the week, decided to stay put and kick back. Woodbine and Dream Catcher had a nice leisurely sail back across the Bay flying only their jib, making good time with the help of the incoming flood tide.

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

Freedom Won	Karen & Nanci = Good Eats	Makes John happy	Dream Catcher and ...
new Bay Bridge	Woodbine	Vern & mascot	Ready for goodies
Chilly Dan	Now this is my kind of ...	breakfast!!!	Thanks Karen!
Fresh air time	Looking beautiful	Dog on watch!	Heading for fun
Yerba Buena ...	San Francisco ...	up close and ...	pointy ...
Bay Bridge & Alcatraz ...	Oakland docks ...	anchored ships.	Are we there yet!
Almost	Familiar flags	look good ...	but brisk.
Woodbine rigged for cruising	Dream Catcher ...	sparkles.	New bridge tower base
Got room for me?	Thanks!	Ron is protected	Time for a plan
Corky is anchored	Dinghy launched ...	coming alongside ...	conference.
Vanishing Animal	Here I come ...	ready or not!	It's Happy Hour
Teak too.	Corky & Vern ...	Rick & John	Dinghies docked
Grill man!	And tastes great too.	Any for me?

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