Home	Presidio YC Cruise 5/30/14

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

This page is under construction.

San Francisco showed off it's best micro climates as the fleet had our first ever cruise to the Presidio Yacht Club, at Travis Marina in Horseshoe Bay. Tucked under the shadow of the north tower of the Golden Gate Bridge, this spot had it all. Beautiful, sunny moments, gentle winds, happy canoe and kayak paddlers, assorted wildlife and bone chilling, boat rattling winds and cold wispy fog - take your pick!

Friday morning was a typical late spring, early summer forecast. Turn on the TV and you get the numbers from Santa Rosa in the north to Gilroy in the south and from the ocean to the Livermore Valley and the Altamont Pass. That's about 140 miles north to south, and 50 miles inland from the ocean or 7,000 square miles. So the routine: "morning fog, clearing to the coast by noon, with low 60s at the beaches, and upper 80s to lower 90s inland. The marine forecast is equally repetitive: "west (or SW or NW) winds 5-15 knots, becoming 15 -25 knots in the afternoon." So, leaving home in Mountain View at 0900 Friday morning it was sunny, no wind and in the mid 60s. By the time I was aboard Vanishing Animal at Brisbane Marina, it was thick fog, misty drizzle, and blowing north of 20 knots. Shortly after arriving I had a call from Ron Damsen aboard Woodbine up in Richmond Harbor, standing by next to Vern Verling and Dream Catcher - very similar conditions there. We agreed to wait a while and see what happens, as the wind sometimes dies down if the fog does indeed "burn back to the coast."

An hour later things were lighter in Richmond, but much the same at Brisbane. So Woodbine and Dream Catcher started out, but Rick waited another hour with no change before giving up and heading to Presidio by land yacht. Ron reported light winds in the shadow of angel Island and even into Racoon Straits between Angel and Tiburon. But when they emerged into the Bay east of Angel, the wind gods unleashed their blasts. Sailing with just a jib, dead upwind against a 3.8 knot flood, it was slow going with, as Dream Catcher later reported, 28 knots of breeze. About 4 hours after leaving Richmond to cover the 8 miles as the crow flies, Woodbine doused sails and powered into Horseshoe Cove and the welcome dock in front of the Presidio Yacht Club. As Karen said as I connected with them just after they landed, "I'm still cold and shaking."

As you can see in the pictures, Presidio Yacht club is a part of the old Ft. Baker. Until a few years ago, only active and retired military personnel could be members and get slips in the Travis Marina. "Travis" is actually the name of the Air Force Base closer to Sacramento that established the yacht club and still leases the space from the National Park Service after the SF Presidio turned over the Horseshoe Cove facility to it in 1997. From a distance there is a beautiful symmetry of the buildings and grounds that would obviously make up a fine military base. But a closer look shows the effects of 50 plus years of nature's wear and tear on the facility.

After Dream Catcher's arrival, it was good to tuck below out of the wind and have some snacks and catch up. Ron said he had a video to show and we all had to scratch our heads as the title page appeared, "Passing Gas on Begen, starring Rick Van Mell." Well, yes, Rick and Sandy live on Begen Avenue. As the video rolled with fire trucks and flashing lights, the ABC reporter described an emergency response to a ruptured gas line on Begen avenue and went on to interview one of the residents about the issue - it was Rick himself. It happened that on New Year's Day 2012 a lone contractor was trying to install a new sewer line for Rick's next door neighbor and cut into a 2" gas line with 60 psi of pressure sending up a gas cloud. 911 was called and the fire department evacuated about a dozen houses and PGE arrived to pinch off the gas line. Ron happened to have seen it and it was recorded so he dubbed it to a disc and brought it along for fun.

Friday evening we went upstairs at Presidio YC to Mike's Place for dinner. Good burgers and plentiful quesadillas filled the bill, and the view over the harbor was delightful.

On Sunday Don & Barbara Henderson arrived representing Kindred Spirit, as did Rob & Bury Blenderman for White Horses. Plenty of catching up to do, and tours of Dream Catcher to see the results of a major overhaul. Pictures below!

In one of the crazy San Francisco micro-climates, the sun shone and the breeze was gentle in the marina while fog engulfed the Golden Gate Bridge and swirled around Ft. Baker, as 20 knot winds churned whitecaps on the Bay just outside the harbor breakwater. It was a perfect time for a traditional Islander boat-side potluck. Ruby's lemon shrimp complemented Pat's spicy brie during hors de oeuvres. Then for dinner Vern grilled up a tasty Tri-tip, Karen contributed her mozzarella stuffed meatballs with a pasta salad, then add in Pat's green beans and bacon, and some veggie salad, topped off with warm Woodbine cookies.

All in all, a fun visit to a new place.

Dream Catcher	Vern Verling & Cheryl Lawson
Kindred Spirits	Don & Barbara Henderson
Ophira	Gary & Pat Salvo
Vanishing Animal	Rick & Sandy Van Mell
White Horses	Rob & Ruby Blenderman
Woodbine	Ron & Karen Damsen

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

The old Fort Baker ...	is home to ...	Presidio Yacht Club ...	with old marine railway ...	and guest dock.
Plenty of canoes and ...	a ship's bell.	Upstairs is ...	the welcome sign for ...	Mike's Place ...
with a bar, ...	entertainment area, ...	windows overlooking ...	the harbor, ....	and a place to relax, ...
with good eats, and ...	decorations.	View from shore ...	the guest dock ...	Travis marina.
Looking back.	Coast Guard base.	High fog.	Gate to the ...	long dock.
Typical view.	Windy towards Tiburon.	View from Cavallo Pt	PYC from above.	Old Ft. Baker
SF Bay Protection ...	Battery Yates ...	Cannon emplacements	a Lunette.	The remains of ...
Battery Yates ...	gun mount.	Toward Battery Cavallo.	San Francisco.	Golden Gate Bridge.
Back in the harbor.	Coast Guard Office.	Flying friend ...	Woodbine ...	arriving ...
past South Tower ...	and North Tower.	Tying up ...	now secure.	Another I-36!
Dream Catcher ...	got tied up ...	looking good ...	astern of Woodbine	Happy to be warm & dry!
Long dock.	Time for snacks ...	Thanks Karen & Cheryl.	Ron & Karen	Vern and Karen
Time for TV?	You've got to ...	read the text!	Now who is ...	this wiggle worm ...
dashing about ...	the cabin ...	looking for ...	treats ...	could it be ...
Yes, it's Jack!	Friday afternoon ...	note the bow wave!	Waiting for Saturday.	Friday dinner ...
at Mike's place ...	burgers & quesadillas.	Inbound.	Friday evening ...	enough for today.
Saturday afternoon ...	fog over Ft. Baker.	Smile from Pat.	Kayak time ...	with a GoPro ...
using a paddle sail!	time to get out.	Gary's relaxed ...	so is Teak ...	and Sandy too.
ditto Karen, Ron, and Rob.	Aboard Dream Catcher ...	lots of beautiful upgrades ...	Expanded storage ...	new non-skid ...
wind wave steering ...	with lines to wheel ...	Simrad autopilot ...	chartplotters ...	microwave installation ...
sound system ...	Propane heater ...	entertainment center ...	and Nav station,	Vern and Ruby smile ...
Jack too.	A great heron.	Bird brain	Teak helps with food.	Great shrimp!
Happy Pat ...	ditto Rob ...	more shrimp.	Very happy campers	Don & Barbara arrive ...
welcome aboard ...	Don looks good ...	Teak agrees.	Fog eating North Tower.	Time for potluck ...
Vern's Tri-Tip ...	great salads ...	Can I have some?	Chill, Teak.	Dinner chat
Fun time	North Tower eaten!	Ruby notices ...	down to the deck ...	and into Ft.Baker ...
and the field ...	but a perfect oasis ...	for the Islander fleet!	But up on the bridge ...	pea soup!

Return to Main Menu