Potter Yachters Ghost the Delta on Halloween
This year’s Halloween was a fun opportunity for sailors around the Bay to get onto the water for some spooky sailing. Goose Gossman sent us a few photos and a rundown of the Potter Yachters‘ gathering in the Delta for some ghostly sailing.Â
We had eight sailboats and three motorboats attend our last sail of the year, sailing out of Rio Vista and overnighting at Delta Marina’s guest dock.
This sail was hosted by Bud Kerner aboard 1967 P14 Splash. He just turned 85, and lives in the big senior development in Rio, as do several other Potter Yachters. I was aboard Gale, my modified 14-ft Potter, for the first time in about five years … and had to bend myself in ways I’ve forgotten I could do after moving up to the larger Potter 18, then a huge Nimble 25. Dressing took a bit of forethought, but making coffee was still a breeze.
Jeff from Seattle showed up with a hand-powered coffee grinder aboard his San Juan 21, which he’s sailed for 37 years, so he’s got her pretty well sorted out. We micro-cruisers still like the good life, and the Potter Yachters know how to get the most out of our small spaces.
We had absolutely stellar sailing conditions on Saturday, which turned into the “Halloween Ghost Sail” on Sunday. Other than a few fishing boats, we had the whole waterway to ourselves. The glassy water was surreal, with lots of flotsam to look out for, and invasive weeds in the shallows. We usually like to go under a few bridges, but this year conditions made staying close to port the right call, so we circumnavigated Decker Island.
Rio Vista has a brand-new launch ramp, which is a short walk to some good breakfast joints. We ate at the Point Restaurant for dinners, and were very happy. Unfortunately, on Sunday morning there was a sunken cruiser tied to the public dock, abandoned and leaking gas into the water. The fire department showed up en masse, though we weren’t around to see how the situation resolved.
It was a fine ending for another strange COVID-infused sailing season. Regards, Goose.
If you’ve been out sailing and enjoying the fine, or other, weather, send us your photos and a rundown of your day or weekend on the water: [email protected].
A fine ending to the Potter Yachters’ sailing season. There’s nothing better than messing about on boats with friends. The breeze stayed between 7-15 it’s as we short tacked downstream past Decker Island. We circumnavigated the isle and enjoyed a nice downwind run back to Rio. The only dark spot in the event was finding that my tow vehicle fuel tank had been drilled for the purpose of siphoning fuel. Be aware if you leave your vehicle unattended for any length of time. Your catalytic converter may also be a target for thieves.