Standing on top of the bay, watching the ships passing by

January 9, 2009

San Francisco Bay Area, Marin, and Napa Valley


A sailboat leaves for sea as the night descends on San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge: a prelude to us saying goodbye


Remembering arriving under the bright orange

It has been a happy time in this part of the Golden State since the sun shining day we arrived under the bright orange span. Sausalito and the homes of true blue friends and Diana, Russ' sister, have been safe havens. A place to refit and prepare for the inevitable: sailing out under the Golden Gate Bridge. Yes it will happen. The blue skies and seas we enjoyed over Christmas in Mexico are calling us.

We return the ubiquitous Silver Bullitt graciously loaned us for all this time

Our engine is fixed $3K later. We have run it for 12 hours. Friday morning we leave Clipper Harbor for Marina Village in Alameda so Mike, the genius mechanic can torque it closer to his home. We return the Silver Bullitt--1983 Volvo station wagon to Garen and Isabella: wheels they graciously loaned us for all this time.

We look back on the wine country we visited on a sunny day, greeted by the rubber butler at Cline Cellars. Swirl the glass, savor the “nose”, make a choice of a few bottles. Walk out to vineyards set in green with velvet hills that fold as backdrop.

The rubber butler greets us nonchalantly at Cline Cellars: not another bunch of tourists

Winter vineyards set in green

Golden colors of Rutherford vineyards

Picnicking in amongst the oaks and olive groves

Now in St. Helena, I bump into college friends, whom I have not seen in 30 years, sauntering down the sidewalk. We enjoy hot coffee and laughs and catch up on good news and sad news of classmates who have passed on. We drive up the Silverado Trail to Pope Valley and Angwin, where I went to college.

Last look at the vineyards before we slip into the future

Another last goodbye: we meet up with our San Francisco sailing friends from the
1970s: Bruce and Sandy and Frank and Gloria (the latter from Sitka, Alaska) and their daughter Julie for a last toast. The chaps act like school boys. We listen to tall stories. Photograph Sandy’s mini cooper against the backdrop of the bridge. And the door closes on another chapter with Frank’s wry smile. A Pelican holds reign off the Presidio. We part ways.


Reminiscing on San Francisco days gone by: Bruce, Russ, and Frank act like boys

Gloria, Julie, Frank, Bruce, Sandy, and Russ

Sandy’s “Mingie” parked safely with the Golden Gate an appropriate backdrop

A door closes on another chapter with Frank’s wry smile

A pelican holds reign over the Presidio as we part ways

Hurrying to catch the sun set at Fort Cronkite: I caught it!

Camp kids silhouetted at Fort Cronkite beach watchinga ship passing by

A winter sunset from the Marin headlands

Standing on top of the bay watching the ships going by

I stand quietly watching the ships passing by” a prelude to our goodbye. Zulu is stocked with Trader Joe’s good vittals. Hugs for Diana, Russ' sister. Russ is through working in Zulu’s grease for the time, a never ending task. The engine purs. We cast our lines and pass under the bridge, as one of the ships passing by, exhilarated and ready to drink in the California central and southern coast as slowly we head south into our journey of unknowns.

Until later, to all our friends and family, may all your dreams come true this year of 2009.