GG Channel

A day exploring the Golden Gate Channel showed again the changeable and curious conditions here. On the Bay-side of the bridge it was blowing a gentle North-Westerly, but on the ocean side it was blowing from the East. After passing under the bridge the wind filled in behind and we hit 9 knots on the run. This shows again that a big light jib is useful, as I have never managed more than 6 knots or so running with the working sails.

The swell in the deep water channel was 8', but when I rounded Pt Bonita to head to Rodeo Cove for lunch, the swells off the Potato Patch and into the Bonita channel were as as high as a house and starting to peak up in the Easterly breeze. In anticipation that the Easterly would freshen in the afternoon and make the swells even bigger, we gybed around and headed for Mile Rock in the South Bay.
 

Bonita Channel Buoy and coast North

Pt Bonita from sea

Mile Rock, Pt Lobos and Seal Rocks

Can you have too many pictures of the GG Bridge?

Little Cat tacked back through the Channel under the light-air Genoa making 6-7 knots to windward. The wind started to freshen so changed down to the working jib. After passing back under the bridge Little Cat hit 10 knots on the long run across to Angel Island.

Then it was a stop for lunch at a quiet beach at Angel Island with a view of the City. 22 NM this trip.