Wednesday Night Races on Monterey Bay
The weather was unusually pleasant this summer. Not much fog and water temperatures running more than ten degrees above normal. Ocean temperatures exceeded 67 degrees at one point (an all-time record) and people were even spotted surfing Moss Landing without wetsuits.
Humpback whales were everywhere. Breaching, lunge-feeding and generally causing a commotion, frolicking humpbacks were easy to spot and even caused some major traffic jams along Highway One in Big Sur – kind of like the “bear jams” Yosemite gets when bears are visible from the roads. In this photo, a humpback performs for the people on a whale watching cruise. A moment later it jumped completely out of the water. I think the tourists got their money’s worth.
Tuesday’s Child
A Santa Cruz 27
View from the helm. We’d hoped to find ourselves near Pigeon Point at daybreak, but first light revealed a faint coastline with a towering ruin that could only be the Davenport cement plant. Disappointing in a way, but still, there are plenty of worse ways to spend a day than on a cruise to San Francisco.
The clouds lift and we can see we’re off Waddell Creek. Progress!
At last!
Passing through the Golden Gate.
Racing across San Pablo Bay on the way to the Delta.
On the San Joaquin at sunset
Settling in for the night by a slough-side bar.
A fine Delta establishment
They lift the bridge for us
Delta sunrise
Windmills along the Sacramento River
Bay Bridges old and new
Back in Monterey Bay: An evening crossing to Santa Cruz.
A mola mola, or sunfish, approaches the boat. Mola mola are the heaviest bony fish in the world. Adults average over a ton.
San Francisco again.
Racing the Rolex Big Boat Series in San Francisco Bay
Flying the sponsor’s flag.
Wake up call: Early morning of Big Boat Series Day 4.
Waiting for the start.
Relaxing after a hard four days of racing.
A quiet morning on the bay.
The Express 37 fleet becalmed.
Expeditious on a downwind run.
Whales loll at the surface under a setting sun.
Xasáuan Today 