Home	All Islander Rendezvous August 24-26, 2012

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

With the America's Cup World Series in town, there was a lot going on, but a good group of Islanders gathered for the 5th All Islander Rendezvous on San Francisco Bay.

13 boats were represented by Friday evening, 6 by boat and 7 more by car. Mischief was first at the docks having already moved over from their Marina Village slips by Friday morning. Then Vanishing Animal showed up at 1320 followed a few minutes later by Freedom Won. It wasn't long before David Chiodo with his Freeport 36 Finally arrived, then Solitude and last, Mas Tiempo tucked in just in front of Freedom Won.

The land yacht fleet included Bella Luna, Cheetah, Exit Strategy, Luna Sea(new mast not ready),Woden, Zenith & Zingara. All totaled, we had 22 for dinner at Oakland YC Friday evening.

In all we had 38 people representing 22 boats, with 22 for dinner Friday, 33 on Saturday and 11 for Sunday breakfast. Here's the full list of who attended (as best I could count!) Dogs in ().

Several boats made it out to see the America's Cup World Series right along the San Francisco City Front. Sometimes the best viewing of the AC 45s was at this year's AC Docks on Piers 30-32 where you could get up close and personal if you wanted to. The first set of AC 45 pictures were taken by Rick & Sandy on Tuesday, the practice day. You may note that the first pictures near Piers 30-32 are normal, but the ones during practice racing appear foggy. Not only was there continuing "SF fog" (actually low stratus clouds), but the temperature dropped into the 50's with very high humidity and the camera lens developed internal condensation! The camera survived as you can see by Sandy's smiling face headed back to our harbor in sunshine.

Other boats that went out included Zingara, Mas Tiempo, Petit Sirah. The joy was being part of the first ACWS event on San Francisco Bay. The usual 15 - 25 knots winds arrived, sometimes quite cold in fog, and lots, and lots of spectators such that the helmsman rarely had time to look at AC 45s because there were too many boats all around. Also the security perimeter is large enough that the boats racing are fairly far away. One the other hand, if you've got WiFi aboard for your smart phone, tablet or laptop, you can bring up the AC website and watch the live streaming Internet coverage with all the graphics and commentary. There was even broadcast coverage on VHF channel 20. All in all, certainly a plus to be able to say, "We were there."

Saturday morning dawned with a deep marine layer (another way they describe "fog") which persisted right through the morning up to Commodore Melton's open Board meeting and group discussion for the day at 1030. The group discussed options for 2013 officers and programs, and the Plan For The Day. Califia arrived just in time to join the meeting. When all was sorted out, Califia and Freedom Won headed out to watch the AC racing for the day. Califia had four family plus 1 crew aboard, and Freedom Won had Brian Arthurs (Cheetah), Jay & Jean Lund (Solitude), Rob & Ruby Blenderman (White Horses) and Dan Knox (Luna Sea) on board for a total of 7. They all headed out just after 1130, with the sun breaking through and a bright blue sky appearing (at least at Encinal!)

While the remaining few sat at the Encinal bar and watched the doubled TVs with great zoomed in coverage and graphics, our intrepid Islander sailors proceeded to get right out there in the thick of it and snapped some good pictures of what it was like to be up close and personal.

Everyone gathered back at Encinal in the 1700 - 1730 time frame, and assembled on Encinal's second deck for a long table of hors de oeuvres and beverages of choice from the clever stern-of-a-powerboat bar. Great bar service from the EYC staff, then 31 of us filled tables and enjoyed dinner. While a few lingered, most were back aboard by 2130.

Sunday morning the wind gods rattled the rigging a bit, and tore away much of the early fog. By the time 11 of us were finishing breakfast at Oakland YC, there was sun -- and about 20 knots of breeze. Solitude & and Califia headed for their home ports early; Rick departed with Vanishing Animal at 1008 (Sandy was headed for Auburn), leaving Mas Tiempo and Finally as the last to depart.

To all those who came, thanks for coming - it was a blast. To all those who wished they had come - maybe next year.

Pictures by John Melton, Robert DaPrato & Rick Van Mell. Click on images to enlarge, click "Back" to return.

Islander Time!	AC Village ...	AC 45s are ...	ready to go ...	casting off ...
under way ...	Team China.	2013 AC Village ...	under construction ...	well placed.
Cruise ship ...	Sea Princess	Practice time	Gary & Pat Salvo Marshall Boat #6	Artemis & New Zealand ...
Mark 2 Gate	ETNZ Capsize ...	still over ...	back upright.	Luna Rossa
Sandy headed home!	Friday ships ...	Big Iron ...	No. 1 ...	No. 2 ...
No. 3.	Little guy	Scrap steel?	New Bay Bridge	City is ready
Sea lion siesta!	Container time ...	ready to depart.	Strong.	Container crane has ...
good advice!	Nice day for ...	going sailing.	Matson to Hawaii ...	wit lots of cars.
Old lightship.	Classic!	Encinal Friday afternoon.	Finally	Freedom Won & Vanishing Animal
John welcomes fleet	Watching AC start ...	Spithill over early	Emirates flying!	Meanwhile, on the docks...
Solidute joins Finally	Looking good ...	tucked in ...	raising flags.	Mas tiempo arrives
Dave's happy	Teak too.	Jay & Jean	Sandy & Barb	Dock talk ...
Hi Charles!	Bill talks with ...	Jean.	Cockpit catch-up ...	dockside too.
Is that for me?	Nope.	Brian & Lynn	Vanishing Animal	Dave & Jamie board ...
rest of crew.	low freeboard!	Oakland meal line ...	First at our table ...	settled in ...
chow time ...	both ends and ...	second table.	Cut-up Tee	Tim & Carl
Buessiek clan ...	checks in.	Lou & Dave	Franzisca & Dan	Califia
Nala & Lisa	Heading out ...	we're ready for ...	incoming! ...	Carl!
Heading for AC viewing	Mermaid?	1st Match start ...	early lead ...	flying ...
in for the kill ...	at warp speed.	Match 2 start ...	oops ....	that's better!
It's all Oracle!	Back at Encinal.	Teak & Yvonne	Kit & Naomi	Watching the fun ...
all smiles ...	relaxed ...	Fleet race start ...	follow the leader ...	crowd scene.
2nd Fleet race ...	room!?	Gate confusion.	Coutts on the water ...	in the air.
Califia!	Ben Ainsle Racing	Prada ...	with BAR	Fleet start
Robert Da Prato at work	Commodore Melton	Califia	Artemis	Schooner America
Watching	Specttor fleet	Vintage AC boat	I-36 Tenacious!	Fleet Racing
Fleet start	Our flags fly	Shore time ...	Pandora logos ...	Participants.
EYC's Lisa & Jennifer	Lou & Art	table gathers ...	Niblbles time ...	full house ...
Dan & Anne Marie	Terry, Bill & John	Jay, Jean & Sandy	Dave & Kathryn	Betsy, Art, Lou & Robert
Daughter, Anne Marie & Dan	Lise, Carl & Tim	Dave & Jamie	Brian, Rob, Ruby & Dave	Runaway team
Bed time.	Sunday morning ...	Tee Shirt trimming!	Breakfast crowd ...	Rick & Sandy ...
with Bill & Terry.	'Til next time!!!!!

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