Leisure Day on Elise

Elise did it again - she was the main character in a story of happiness and fun. She took us out on a whale watching trip just outside the gate. We also saw sea lions and dolphins.

Jeremy drove during the upwind, I drove during the downwind and Susan drove during the reach home.

Jeremy was a great driver, he picked things up very quickly and learned to depend on what he was feeling and listening to the boat Vs overthinking the situation.

We left in a flood and in less than 10 knots of wind. We probably saw a maximum of 18 or so knots under the bridge. That was it. I was getting ready for 25+.

Dolphins!

This never gets old but both Jeremy and Sarah acted super blasé

We saw a whale for the longest time. Not sure if you can see the fluke...We sailed probably within 3 boatlengths of it at some point as it was following a bunch of fish around most probably. It gave quite a bit of a show. We could even see its underside. It was riveting!

You can see the whale dive in the video.

Everything went well in the downwind. David trimmed and got us to Sam's fast as Sarah's tummy was asking for food quite impatiently.

Following the gusts down - the ebb was starting - despite the fog it was a very warm day and I didn't have to wear a jacket at all.

A multifie?

We docked at Sam's around 230 in the afternoon for a HUGE lunch - and then we headed back to the Club where a few of us stayed for drinks until 10pm; basically when the Club kicked us out.

Spinnaker Cup - Return Trip

Satchel came to Half Moon Bay for the delivery trip - the original plan was to do it from Monterey but Half Moon Bay it was going to be.

First in the harbor there was a ton of sea lion. Elise was docked in the commercial fishing area and these sea lions kept me awake the entire friggin' night. At some point I went up on deck and asked them if they never slept. Anyway in the morning fun sight because it was sunny - the sea lions end up in a circle and put their fin up as a way to warm up. Thermoregulation system.

Super weird!

This is what my night sounded like - departing from the slip under sail was quite a sailing achievement and we had to hoist the jib to make it possible as our first attempt with the main only yielded a no result. I had docked under sail too - and the trickiest part of these harbors is that you can't read the numbers of the slips when boats are in them so I first turned into the wrong slip...

And Elise is getting ready to go.

Upon arrival we dried up all the sails.

Single-Handed Farallones Race

Another one of my favorite events because I get to sail around the islands that I love - the only way I get to see them and it is a single-handed event. I love the team work with a crew but I find true solace when it is just me and the boat and the sea. The three of us don't always agree but I enjoy our arguments. After each of these events I returned full of energy and ready to take on the world again.

Photo purchased from H2oshots

It was a light air day mostly on the upwind, but I did have to do a sail change and swap out for the smaller sail when I got closer to the island, to my delight as this is right before the downwind starts.

The wind veered South so it was a loose reach toward the end - fun. I lost track of all the other boats and was racing pretty much on my own.

happiness doesn't take much

The islands slowly emerged from the fog and unveiled their raw beauty.

This wasn't shark season but there could have been a few sharks under the surface. There was no way I could tell.

Head stay reach on the way back and a few ships that accompanied me back to the gate.

Lovely trip back - fairly light but the kite was full on a reach which took me straight back to the gae and Elise likes these conditions. Darn way too much outhaul on that picture.

I love these guys! I can see some of the competition on the left although no way to tell if they are in my division.

I learned that I finished second