Karma on the Bay!
Karma made her long trek down I-5 and into the bay in late January. Patty and Diane launched her and reassembled her before we arrived at Farallone Yachts in Alameda that next weekend. She was floating higher than ever since we had removed most of our personal belonging before she left the PNW.
Sunday morning we arrived bright and early ready to remove the remainder of what made Karma ours. Once she was stripped bare, it was time to take her out for a ride on the bay.
We made our way out of the Oakland Estuary and then under the Oakland Bay Bridge. While the skies overhead had threatened with rain all morning, the sun now shone. The beautiful City of San Fransisco lay before us!
We made our way past the city and set our sights on the Golden Gate Bridge. Our plan was to go out beneath the bridge, turn around and come back in. As we approached the bridge, it became apparent that today was not the day to do so. The swells rolling in from the Pacific were running between eight and ten feet. While they are further apart than the wind waves we were used to on Puget Sound, it still made for anxious journey. We got right up to the bridge, timed it just right and made the turn to the Northeast. We were on a new course bound for a cruise past Tiburon and Angel Island.
We cruised past Tiburon and then into the little cove on Angel Island that houses the moorings and park docks. We made a circle of the cove and headed back out. What an incredible place. Just as Blake Island is a marine park right in the middle of Puget Sound, Angel Island is a Marine Park right in the middle of the San Fransisco Bay!
Our next destination was a cruise around Alcatraz. What a gloomly dismal place this must have been to be sent to! The cold of the damp air. The ever present fog. And then to know within a matter of a couple of miles, one of the largest cities on the west coast, yet no way to get there if you were to escape!
We saw enough of that........ It was back to the Oakland Estuary and time to put Karma in her new, albeit temperary home. We cleaned her up and then went up a split a bottle of wine with Patty. We sat in Patty's office looking down on Karma. The realization set in, that she would soon have new owners, hopefully they would care for her like we did. She has been a wonderful boat but on top of that, she has taken us on some marvelous adventures with some very special people.
Sunday morning we arrived bright and early ready to remove the remainder of what made Karma ours. Once she was stripped bare, it was time to take her out for a ride on the bay.
We made our way out of the Oakland Estuary and then under the Oakland Bay Bridge. While the skies overhead had threatened with rain all morning, the sun now shone. The beautiful City of San Fransisco lay before us!
We made our way past the city and set our sights on the Golden Gate Bridge. Our plan was to go out beneath the bridge, turn around and come back in. As we approached the bridge, it became apparent that today was not the day to do so. The swells rolling in from the Pacific were running between eight and ten feet. While they are further apart than the wind waves we were used to on Puget Sound, it still made for anxious journey. We got right up to the bridge, timed it just right and made the turn to the Northeast. We were on a new course bound for a cruise past Tiburon and Angel Island.
We cruised past Tiburon and then into the little cove on Angel Island that houses the moorings and park docks. We made a circle of the cove and headed back out. What an incredible place. Just as Blake Island is a marine park right in the middle of Puget Sound, Angel Island is a Marine Park right in the middle of the San Fransisco Bay!
Our next destination was a cruise around Alcatraz. What a gloomly dismal place this must have been to be sent to! The cold of the damp air. The ever present fog. And then to know within a matter of a couple of miles, one of the largest cities on the west coast, yet no way to get there if you were to escape!
We saw enough of that........ It was back to the Oakland Estuary and time to put Karma in her new, albeit temperary home. We cleaned her up and then went up a split a bottle of wine with Patty. We sat in Patty's office looking down on Karma. The realization set in, that she would soon have new owners, hopefully they would care for her like we did. She has been a wonderful boat but on top of that, she has taken us on some marvelous adventures with some very special people.
Easter on the Bay!
With Easter quickly approaching and no plans as to what we were going to do, we made the decision to head to the Bay Area and take Karma out for a cruise. We caught an early morning flight out of Denver bound for Oakland Airport. The flight is a short 2 1/2 hours. We arrived in Oakland at 10:30 am. While Maureen awaited the luggage, I headed over and picked up the rental car.
After we got the luggage loaded up, we headed to Alameda, a quick 10 minutes away. While I prepped Karma for our afternoon cruise, Maureen ran across the street to the Lucky's store to pick up snacks. We had guest attending our cruise with us. Maureen's Aunt and Uncle who just happen to live in Alameda were to join us. While they have lived in the Bay area their entire lives, they have never been out on the water. What a treat they would have. They arrived right on time at 1:00 pm. Once aboard we cast our lines ashore and off we went. We headed down the Oakland Estuary and out into the bay. What a glorious day it was! The sun was shining with just a light breeze blowing. We cruised under the Oakland Bay Bridge and then down the San Fransisco Water Front. As we approach Alcatraz, the wind and chop began to build so we decided it was time to head back in. Once entering the Oakland Estuary, we made the decision to cruise down and around Government Island (also known as Coast Guard Island) We went to the east side of the island past all of the hotels and restaurants that line this area. When we came to the fixed bridge at the end, we slowed our approach to allow us to read the tide gauge before proceeding under the bridge. The gauge read 14 feet. Since we were not sure exactly how much room we would need, I climb to the roof to eye ball it. I could see it would be tight but we could make it. With Maureen at the helm, we gently glided under the bridge. I stayed on the roof just to make sure that we could make it. We cleared with no less than four inches between the windex and the bridge! Now we know, anything less than 14 feet, no go!
We arrived back at the marina at 4:00. We secured Karma and then it was off to an early dinner at Pier 29, a nice little restaurant right on the water in Alameda.
Easter Sunday:
Morning broke with fog and rain. Were we back in Seattle? No, just typical Bay Area weather! We had a nice breakfast at the hotel before heading over to Karma. It would just be Maureen and I this morning as Maureen's Aunt and Uncle were off to church. I tried to explain to them that you do not need a building to be in the hands of god, he would be right there with us on Karma as we cruised the bay. They did not buy it so we were on our own!
When we arrived at the marina the rain had let up. As we were headed down the dock, we ran into Hal and his wife on their R-27 "Tug a Bear". We exchange greetings and continued on our way. Karma was pulling at her lines, she wanted to get back out on the water!
The rain began to fall once again as we cast the lines ashore. Once again we headed out of the estuary toward the bay. Our trip today was going to take us around Angel Island over to the city waterfront and then back to the marina. Just as we came into the bay, the sky's cleared and the sun came out! Aw yes, god was along for the ride and he wanted sun. It was a beautiful day out on the water with a light breeze blowing. Since we had lunch plans at Maureen's Aunt and Uncle's house, we were limited as to how long we could cruise.
After cruising around Angel Island and the waterfront, it was time to head back in. We had to keep a constant visual over our shoulder as the shipping traffic was quite heavy today. We had a naval war ship come in as well as a Coast Guard cutter. A bulk carrier was heading out to sea while another was moving from the anchorage to Richmond! It was kind of like playing on the freeway!
We arrived at the marina just ahead of Hal and his wife on Tug a Bear. They squeezed past us to get into the inner basin leaving no more than six inches between us! It is tight in here!
We secured Karma, shut every thing down and headed off for lunch. We continue to have mixed feelings about selling her. We enjoy her so much yet we don't want to keep her if we are going to be limited as to how much we use her. We will let it be "Karma". If she sells, it is meant to be. If she does not sell by the end of May, we will keep her for the time being. Then we have to decide where to keep her......... We have talked of putting a trailer under her so we can use her in multiple places. Oh well, we will just have to wait and see what "Karma" brings us!
After we got the luggage loaded up, we headed to Alameda, a quick 10 minutes away. While I prepped Karma for our afternoon cruise, Maureen ran across the street to the Lucky's store to pick up snacks. We had guest attending our cruise with us. Maureen's Aunt and Uncle who just happen to live in Alameda were to join us. While they have lived in the Bay area their entire lives, they have never been out on the water. What a treat they would have. They arrived right on time at 1:00 pm. Once aboard we cast our lines ashore and off we went. We headed down the Oakland Estuary and out into the bay. What a glorious day it was! The sun was shining with just a light breeze blowing. We cruised under the Oakland Bay Bridge and then down the San Fransisco Water Front. As we approach Alcatraz, the wind and chop began to build so we decided it was time to head back in. Once entering the Oakland Estuary, we made the decision to cruise down and around Government Island (also known as Coast Guard Island) We went to the east side of the island past all of the hotels and restaurants that line this area. When we came to the fixed bridge at the end, we slowed our approach to allow us to read the tide gauge before proceeding under the bridge. The gauge read 14 feet. Since we were not sure exactly how much room we would need, I climb to the roof to eye ball it. I could see it would be tight but we could make it. With Maureen at the helm, we gently glided under the bridge. I stayed on the roof just to make sure that we could make it. We cleared with no less than four inches between the windex and the bridge! Now we know, anything less than 14 feet, no go!
We arrived back at the marina at 4:00. We secured Karma and then it was off to an early dinner at Pier 29, a nice little restaurant right on the water in Alameda.
Easter Sunday:
Morning broke with fog and rain. Were we back in Seattle? No, just typical Bay Area weather! We had a nice breakfast at the hotel before heading over to Karma. It would just be Maureen and I this morning as Maureen's Aunt and Uncle were off to church. I tried to explain to them that you do not need a building to be in the hands of god, he would be right there with us on Karma as we cruised the bay. They did not buy it so we were on our own!
When we arrived at the marina the rain had let up. As we were headed down the dock, we ran into Hal and his wife on their R-27 "Tug a Bear". We exchange greetings and continued on our way. Karma was pulling at her lines, she wanted to get back out on the water!
The rain began to fall once again as we cast the lines ashore. Once again we headed out of the estuary toward the bay. Our trip today was going to take us around Angel Island over to the city waterfront and then back to the marina. Just as we came into the bay, the sky's cleared and the sun came out! Aw yes, god was along for the ride and he wanted sun. It was a beautiful day out on the water with a light breeze blowing. Since we had lunch plans at Maureen's Aunt and Uncle's house, we were limited as to how long we could cruise.
After cruising around Angel Island and the waterfront, it was time to head back in. We had to keep a constant visual over our shoulder as the shipping traffic was quite heavy today. We had a naval war ship come in as well as a Coast Guard cutter. A bulk carrier was heading out to sea while another was moving from the anchorage to Richmond! It was kind of like playing on the freeway!
We arrived at the marina just ahead of Hal and his wife on Tug a Bear. They squeezed past us to get into the inner basin leaving no more than six inches between us! It is tight in here!
We secured Karma, shut every thing down and headed off for lunch. We continue to have mixed feelings about selling her. We enjoy her so much yet we don't want to keep her if we are going to be limited as to how much we use her. We will let it be "Karma". If she sells, it is meant to be. If she does not sell by the end of May, we will keep her for the time being. Then we have to decide where to keep her......... We have talked of putting a trailer under her so we can use her in multiple places. Oh well, we will just have to wait and see what "Karma" brings us!
