The trip requires launching at Alameda or Oakland, leaving the mast down,
motoring under several bridges, where you will see parts of the Estuary you
don't usually see, then into San Leandro Bay, then under the Doolittle
Drive bridge (between Alameda and the Oakland airport) into San Francisco
Bay. If the Bay should then appear unfriendly, we could just turn around
and go back the way we came, or possibly explore San Leandro Bay further.
If SF Bay is benign, we raise masts and sail up the outside of Alameda,
passing a long park and public beach. We might go into Ballena Bay for
lunch. (I didn't go into Ballena on my trip, but I think there are
restaurants there.) Just past Ballena Bay was a launch ramp with dock, and
further along was the aircraft carrier Hornet, now a museum. Continue on
around the now deactivated Alameda NAS and back into the Estuary for the
usual run back to the ramp (or to your slip at the OYC, if it's Saturday
and you're staying over).
On my previous trip, I wasn't sure how long the trip would take, and I
found the GPS nice for monitoring my progress around the island, but you
can do as well with a chart. We stayed in the channel going through San
Leandro Bay, aided by the GPS as well as a few markers. Otherwise
navigation is no problem since you are just following around the periphery
of Alameda island. As I recall, we were back at the Grand St. ramp around 4
or 4:30. I don't remember what time we started, possibly as early as 8:30
or maybe an hour or so later. Although we didn't make a lunch stop, we did
spend some time looking over the Hornet, and we watched someone in a boat
land a leopard shark. The overall trip took less time than I had
anticipated.
P19s are, of course, welcome also, but might be put off by the on-the-water
mast raising and the shallow water in San Leandro Bay. Actually, I was able
to motor under the bridges with my short lateen (Sunfish) mast, but there
is not likely to be enough clearance for a standard P15 mast. My
centerboard hit some mud after the Doolittle bridge, but I was probably
out of the main channel since I didn't go under the center of the span.
Please let me know if there is any interest in the Alameda
circumnavigation. Another possibility, suggested by Dave Kautz, would be a
trip out the Estuary and around Treasure Island. I would be agreeable to
that also or to just knocking around the Estuary. I don't plan to stay over
at the OYC, but could go either Saturday or Sunday or possibly both days.
What do you think?
Incidentally, if you're not staying overnight, some of you might want to
launch at Estuary Park instead of the Alameda Grand St. ramp. The parking
at Alameda is limited, often necessitatating parking on the nearby
streets. Alameda is probably a safer place for overnight parking though. I
got away with parking in the Alameda Marina parking lot for the
circumnavigation, but I wasn't sure that was generally allowed.
Harry Gordon
Potter Yachters P15 Fleet Captain
>Webgang,
>
>I forgot to mention something about the Oakland Esturary Sail. The Alameda
>Marina is huge, with dozens of wonderful places to spend your boat bucks.
>
>Svendsen's Chandlery is there, and has a much wider selection of goodies than
>West Marine, at comparable prices. The Chandlery is open Sat 8-5, and Sunday
>9-4. Svendsen's Boatyard includes a rigging shop and a metal fabrication
>shop too.
>
>Hogin Sails and Uk Sailmakers are located there too. Hogin is open Saturday
>10-2. If you need to drop off a sail for repairs after the sail, you can
>leave it at Svendsen's, call UK or Hogin's on Monday, and they'll go get it.
>
>There's a wonderful marine bookstore right next to the Harbormaster's office,
>open Saturday and Sunday (I think)
>
>West Marine is a five minute car ride away from the Marina, and they have a
>"Bargain Outlet " there full of all kinds of boating junk at incredible
>prices, as well as a regular store.
>
>There is a gas dock right and small convenience store at the Grand Marina,
>right next to the ramp at Grand Marina.
>
>See you all in Alameda! Don't forget to send me the info to make a slip
>reservation for you before THURSDAY, NOV 4th, or call the Marina and make
>your own.
>
>The announcement is included below, in case you deleted the original.
>
>Fair winds,
>Judy B
>WWP-19 #266 "Redwing"
>Fleet Captain, Potter Yachters.
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>Greetings Webgang,
>
>Nov 6-7, the first weekend in November, we're having the last cruise of the
>1999 season on Oakland Estuary. You have your choice of staying overnight in
>a berth at Alameda Marina or just joining the gang for a daysail. either
>Saturday or Sunday. As always, all small sailboat skippers are cordially
>invited to join in the fun, not just Potter-ers!
>
>We will be launching AT 9 O'CLOCK from the Grand Street public ramp, and
>berthing right next door at the Alameda Marina. For dinner Saturday night,
>Chevy's mexican restaurant is nearby. There are guest docks at Chevy's.
>There are many other restaurants and clubs at Jack London Square, and you can
>get there by calling the water taxi on VHF Channel 16 if you don't want to
>take your own boat out after dark or if you plan to imbibe...
>
>The Estuary is a great place for sailors of all levels. You can sail in the
>protected waters of the estuary, or venture out into San Francisco Bay.
>Winds this time of year are typically much lighter than in the spring, summer
>and fall.
>
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>The Grand Street ramp is free. You can leave your car and trailer there
>overnight. Come early if you want to be sure to get a parking space.
>Camping is not permitted in the parking lot. It's a pretty safe area and
>people have left their cars there in the past.
>
>If you wish to leave your car and trailer inside the Alameda Marina in a
>secured, patrolled area, it's a five minute walk and $10 for a car and
>trailer ($5 for the car, $5 for the trailer). The Alameda Marina is right
>next door to the Grand street ramp, to the east.
>
>Berths at Alameda Marina are $15/night. If you want a guaranteed slip in the
>Marina, you'll have to send me an email with
>**1. the CF numbers of your boat, boat name, hull color
>**2. your credit card number, masterchrge or visa, name as it appears on the
>card & expiration date.
>
>To get a guaranteed slip, YOU MUST SEND ME THE INFO BY EMAIL, NO LATER THAN
>THURSDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 5TH.
>
>The side-ties on the guest dock at Alameda Marina are $10/night. It's
>available on a first-come-first-serve basis. The guest dock accomodates
>about 10 boats, and things aren't too busy this time of year, so you have a
>good chance of getting a side-tie. But there's no guarantee.
>
>If we have the good fortune to have a huge turnout with a ton of boats
>showing up, we may have to put a few boats in the Grand Marina, right next to
>the Grand Street public ramp (on the west side of the ramp). The guest dock
>at Grand Marina costs $20/night.
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>The hours for the Alameda Marina HarborMaster's office are Sat & Sun:
>9:30-12:00, 1-5 pm. Phone 510-521-1133
>
>The phone number for the Grand Street marina is 510-865-1200
>
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>Directions to Grand Street Ramp in Alameda:
>
>COMING FROM THE NORTH, travelling south on Freeway 880S (The Nimitz),
>Take the EXIT towards ALAMEDA/23RD AVENUE.
>Merge onto KENNEDY ST.
>Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto 23RD AVE.
>Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto 29TH AVE.
>29TH AVE becomes PARK ST.
>Cross the PARK STREET BRIDGE.
>Turn RIGHT at the second light onto CLEMENTE ST.
>Go to the end and turn RIGHT on GRAND.
>The launch ramp is straight ahead one block.
>
>COMING FROM THE SOUTH, travelling North on 880N:
>Take the EXIT towards ALAMEDA/23RD AVENUE.
>Make a U-TURN at the first light, and take the overpass over 880N
>Cross the PARK STREET BRIDGE.
>Turn RIGHT at the second light onto CLEMENTE ST.
>Go to the end and turn RIGHT on GRAND.
>The launch ramp is straight ahead one block.
>
>
>Fair winds,
>
>Judy Blumhorst. P19 Fleet Captain, Potter Yachter
>WWP-19 #266 Redwing
>925-820-0800 (home) or 925-518-5550 (mobile)