Giants, Phillies and My Sailboat "At the Ball Park"

[rardiH36]

Here's a recount of our sailing event to the Giants/Phillies National League Championship game today:

- Left our slip in Sausalito about 2:45.
- Dodged a couple of incoming container ships in the deepwater channel between Alcatraz and Fishermans' Wharf.
- Needed to start the Yanmar underneath the Bay Bridge to make progress and against the ebb current and a drop in wind.
- Wind picked up, and engine went off as we approached the ball park and McCovey cove at 4:30.
- Our arrival was celebrated by two military jets that screamed by right overhead, some concussion fireworks that were fired over the cove, and the SF Fire Department's boat let loose with all water cannons into the air. The crowd let out a great roar.
- More cheers could be heard from the stadium as the line-up was announced. Obviously the crowd had lost interest in us.
- My brother-in-law had a seat for the game in the upper deck. We called him on by cell phone. He said he could see us sailing around. He waved but we couldn't pick him out in the crowd.
- The return sail to Sausalito was great. Steady wind, only moderate chop in the central bay and the sun was setting on the other side of the Golden Gate bridge. A dense fog bank was starting to work its way in. Very nice sight.
- All tied up at 6:15.

We weren't in the stadium, but we nonetheless had great afternoon "at the ball park". Boats were anchored in McCovey cove. We however were the only sailboat sailing around just off the cove/stadium. That was surprising. We expected more of a boat crowd. Instead people probably were in front of televisions, you think?

 

[Joe]

Can't think of a better way to experience a baseball game without being in the stadium..... I learned to love the Giants and the giant fans (that's why it was so windy in the old Candlestick Park... a giant fan in every seat, heh, heh.) When I lived on the peninsula back in the 70's... otherwise it's always been the Padres and Angels for me. One of my greatest baseball days was lazing on my Nacra in the middle of Mission Bay in October 1998 listening to the Pads and Yanks on a perfectly glorious afternoon.

I love listening to the one of my teams' games when I'm out sailing solo... That's a perfect summer day for me... a nice breeze, my team winning the game and me.. sailing and enjoying life.

 

[Stu Jackson]

So, I'm out sailing on the Bay with a friend from CT a few years ago. We sail over to McCovey Cove during a Giants game. A ballgame was on the radio. The crowd cheers. Nothing on the radio.

"Hey, what's up with the radio," my friend says.

"Oh," I said, "we're listening to the A's game on the radio and they're playing in Toronto."

++++++

Nice sail story Rardi, and, yes, I was glued to the TV.

 

[Benny]

Great "theme sail" but you don't mention or perhaps are missing a TV to watch the game on the way back. Some hot dogs and beer would complete the day.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Benny, watching the game on TV is great. Listening to the Fox announcers is painful, like everything else on Fox. The Giants radio broadcasts are very good. However, the TV is now at least two pitches behind the radio, which makes everything on TV an instant replay. There was a time, kids, when you could make the choice and there was little if no delay.

 

[rardiH36]

... Had some peanuts ...

Great "theme sail" but you don't mention or perhaps are missing a TV to watch the game on the way back. Some hot dogs and beer would complete the day.

Benny:
We had a bag "Old Fashion Style Blister Process" peanuts on board to munch on. But no Cracker Jacks. My wife and I contemplated turning on the radio, but the late afternoon views and wind/water/light conditions during the sail home were just too good to have diminished by electronic sound interference. And no TV on board that likes 12V. But we were home by the 5th inning with the Giants trailing by one run. Managed to pop a few beers and watch the rest of the game in Hi-Def.

Stu: When discussing with my wife whether to turn on radio, I recounted to her that before days of television, the entire country would be glued to radios listening to ball games. Probably it was more stimulating than TV because one has to activate the imagination part of the brain to visualize the action being described. Being born in 1952, I encountered a little of that. I'm sure the radio pastime was much more enjoyable then then today when advert time was a lot less and probably more entertaining than the adds are now.

 

[rpwillia]

Get a TV on your boat ...

then you got all you need!

We weren't in the stadium, but we nonetheless had great afternoon "at the ball park". Boats were anchored in McCovey cove. We however were the only sailboat sailing around just off the cove/stadium. That was surprising. We expected more of a boat crowd. Instead people probably were in front of televisions, you think?

 

[jfmid]

This Mets fan is extremely jealous. You have a great team, great sailing and a wife that appreciates both. My lord you're a lucky man.
Visited the stadium 2 years ago when visiting for a conference. What a beautiful setting in a gorgeous city.
Good luck and please finish off the Phillies for me. If Texas does it's work too then the hated Yanks will be out also. It could then only get better if the Mets were in it but alas.....

 

[rardiH36]

This Mets fan is extremely jealous. You have a great team, great sailing and a wife that appreciates both. My lord you're a lucky man.
Visited the stadium 2 years ago when visiting for a conference. What a beautiful setting in a gorgeous city.
Good luck and please finish off the Phillies for me. If Texas does it's work too then the hated Yanks will be out also. It could then only get better if the Mets were in it but alas.....

jMid:

Thanks the good words. Maybe next year will the one for the Mets.

Yes, Susan really does enjoy sailing as an activity together and I do consider myself fortunate. (But that’s not by pure chance … her fortitude for outdoors activities attracted me to her from the beginning.) Susan likes being out in the fresh air, never tires looking at the San Francisco skyline and landmarks around the bay from the on-water vantage point, and she’s comfortable with the movements of the boat. She's happy at the helm when the winds are light.

Also what really helps is that we live just a few miles from our slip; so we can take short sails whenever the mood strikes (1-2 times a week for her, another 1-2 times for me alone or with other friends). Not much more advance planning is required than going out for a walk. Average time under sail is 3-4 hours. Often even less than that. I'm sure that if we had a long drive to the boat and needed be away from home for several days each time and did multi-night cruises, Susan’s enthusiasm would be considerably diminished. Actually I wouldn't be a boat owner.

As for baseball, I do follow the Giants. I’m a fan, but really not that intent at it. Susan doesn't follow baseball at all. Never bothered to understand any of the basics of the game ... like what it means when men are on base, or the ball/strike count. But doing a sailing venture on a great afternoon to just 1/4 mile from the baseball stadium during the opening event -- she liked that. More so because it was partly her idea to begin with.

 

[DianaOfBurlington]

of course, nardi, you are a poop, because your team won the NLCS. so pppppppth.

I look forward to sailing up the Delaware River to where the Trenton Thunder play (Yankees AA team). There is a nice dock and all there (or used to be; they tend to move it) and it would make a great overnighter. --just one of the many trips I wanted to take with my kids, before they lost interest.

Glad you had a great time!

 

[gpd955]

The Admiral and I were very envious of the boats out there. Even looked up the info on the marina outside of the ballpark. We also noticed that the flag mast at the ballpark had some kind of .com advertisement banner on it and TBS would switch visuals to the flags atop the masts on the boats! Must have been a great experience...even more so following last night's atrocity (at least that's what it was to me!).


PS- We want pics!

 

[rardiH36]

Must have been a great experience...even more so following last night's atrocity (at least that's what it was to me!).


PS- We want pics!

Atlantic City I guess is within the sphere of influence for Philadelphia, so please accept our West Coast sympathies for your loss. I won't dwell on it however. Need to start getting ready to deal with forum members from Texas.

Unfortunately, we didn't remember to bring the camera for our sail to Game 4 of the NLCS. But will you settle for a picture taken a couple of weeks earlier ... of a Blue Angels star-burst fly-over Alcatraz?