Are South Bay Sailors All Sailing Optimists?

When we say optimists, we’re not talking about the ubiquitous 8-ft sailing pram, but the sunny attitude of South Bay sailors as they head north for the Central Bay. We had a brisk late-morning sail across the Bay from Marin to the City over Memorial Day weekend, made reasonable with a reef in the main and our broad-reaching angle. As we rounded Pier 39 the cool breeze vanished, the air warmed, and the wind calmed down. We were headed south toward the Bay Bridge, behind the wall of quiet — the San Francisco office towers — where it was warm and pleasant. That’s when we crossed paths with a series of optimistic sailors headed north to the Central Bay.

We were sure all of these sailors had done this before, but as they headed north we were sure they were going to have to make a quick adjustment to their sailing apparel, their sail plans, and the seating arrangements. Regardless of what lay ahead, they were all enjoying the flat water and sunshine while they could.

We don’t know how many times we’ve wished we’d reefed earlier, or wished we’d put on our foul weather jacket before that last wave, or in some other way weren’t quite ready when we rounded Point Blunt. It can be part of the adventure of sailing the Bay or it can scare the daylights out of your first-time-sailing friends. But you can always head back to find calmer conditions to prepare for the Bay, take in a reef, put on the foulies, or just sail where the conditions are right for you.

How many times have you left the dock warm and dry and come home cold and wet but still smiling?