Log:

 Colin was sick with the flu, so headed out after stopping at West Marine to get a MOB1, a nifty device that connects to my PFD, and sets of an AIS  signal and a DSC distress call if I end up ‘in the drink’.  I also picked up a waterproof pouch for my phone, so, I’m more ready for singlehanded than Joshua Slocum.  What I didn’t account for was that this was the first sunny and warm Saturday of the year, and therefore there was more chance of getting run over than ‘lost’ at sea. Boats galore!

After raising the sails in the Lee of the Marin Headlands, I headed out into the slot with a regular 17 – 20 knots breeze, and bore away towards Alcatraz to make things a bit more comfortable.  Too much sail!  Tacked, headed back over to Sausalito, and nestled back in the wind shadow,  I threw in 2 reefs in the main, and left a few rolls in the jib.  Nicely set with appropriate sail, I headed back through the slot towards Crissy Field (enjoying the now 25 knot gusts),  and tacked back across the Gate.  I soon headed downwind, jibing a few times to get out of the set of the ebb tide, and back to Sausalito.  Job done!

A lovely motor home in the sun, taking a detour at the request of a kid paddling a Lazer against the tide, who asked me to rescue his dad, drifting just off the Sausalito water treatment plant.  Nice fellow, had a 46ft Hunter he’d sailed to San Diego.

Warm & sunny.  Life is good!  Pistachio’s a looker.  I got a couple of enthusiastic compliments today.

Note …  it’s singlehanded sailing folks.  There are going to be a lot of selfies!

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