Island Time

After the dismally grey summer much of the California coast has experienced so far, yesterday’s ideal temps and light breeze tempted Bay sailors to get out and enjoy it while they could. Some of those sailors ended up at Ayala Cove on Angel Island.

The docks at Ayala Cove are typically very busy on gorgeous weekends, sometimes making it difficult to find a spot. But as the day wears on, more and more spaces open, and by the time the last ferry to Tiburon leaves at 3:30 on Sunday, more than enough spots are available to pull in and enjoy a laid-back barbecue in the park.

If you’ve never enjoyed Angel Island’s charms on your own boat, we can’t recommend it highly enough. A few things to keep in mind:

• Dogs aren’t allowed on the island, so leave Fido at home;
• The park’s docks close at sunset, so if you’re planning to spend the night, be sure to move to a mooring before dark;
• If you do take a mooring, stop at the dock first to pay;
• Mooring tenants are allowed to stay ashore till 10 p.m., but they must get back and forth by dinghy;
• Two boats are allowed to raft together on each mooring set;
• The cost of a mooring is $30, but stopping at the dock is just $15.

So the next time the weather is as inviting as it was yesterday, consider switching over to ‘island time’.