About 20 sailboats and 65 sailors took the occasion of the winter solstice to mark the 6-month countdown to Summer Sailstice with a winter picnic sail to Angel Island on San Francisco Bay. With unusually pleasant midwinter weather, the fleet caused the guest slips to fill up like a weekend before Christmas shopping mall parking lot – which we were all thankful to be missing. And though we all worry about global warming, those that overdressed for a cool, midwinter day were stripping down as they considered the brighter side of warm winters.
Among the celebrants were Aaron Kennedy with his Beneteau 36.7 ‘Ay Caliente’ crew, John Cabrall of the Meet Up group ‘Got Wind and Water’ showing up with a couple of boatloads from OCSC Sailing, Drew Harper and his crew from Spinnaker Sailing and Mary Swift and her Oakland Meet Up group from Afterguard Sailing.
The day started out cool, foggy and grey but all these crews optimistically who crossed the glassy morning seas hoping for a sunny afternoon were rewarded with a day ashore at Angel that could almost have rivaled any summer afternoon. After a loud blast of the fog horn to signify the passing of solar noon at 12:07:35 the barbecues were stoked and animals sacrificed to the pagan gods with ritual prayers for a bountiful sailing season ahead. The rituals were quickly rewarded as mild winter front rolled in from the North adding a little ripple to the flat waters and giving notice that we all shouldn’t linger to long.
Besides the seagulls getting impatient to clean up the picnic grounds many wanted to hoist sails for an afternoon sail on the Bay. The ketch ‘Iolani’ was already out looking smart in Raccoon straight so after a few hours of solstice celebrating we all dispersed for the Bay. As it’s now December 21st. the days are getting longer and there’s just 6 months to Summer Sailstice and summer sailing!
