Although the below recount happened to me four months ago, I have delayed posting until a time when many SBO forum folks will be reminiscing about sailing rather than being able to actually go out and do it. Probably a better time to tell a sailing story.
So here goes. First a description of the encounter. Then I provide a link to a very well done (to my eye anyway) audio-visual recording which prominently documents our unwitting participation in the situation.
Returning back to Sausalito from a sail out several miles into the Pacific Ocean on the evening of August 25, I and three friends found ourselves caught in the cross hairs of a frenetic event that I later discovered was called the Ronstan Bridge-to-Bridge Race. This annual bash pits 40-50 high speed international level competitors on kite boards, windsurfers and sinister-looking 18ft Australia Sailing Skiffs against each other in a high speed free-for-all dash from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Bay Bridge.
This was a wondrous evening on many fronts during our sail. The weather and ambiance were classic SF Bay. Low hanging fog in the channel of the Golden Gate, but clear at the water level. The Golden Gate Bridge fog horns were blaring. Looking back from the Pacific Ocean under the Golden Gate Bridge, we could see Angel Island and San Francisco standing out in the sunshine of the central bay.
The pre-race chaos was happening mostly at the north tower of the Golden Gate Bridge as we neared the area from outside the Gate. So we entered into the bay close to the south tower of the bridge (San Francisco side) before turning north to return to our berth in Sausalito. Other than the racers and support craft, we were the only other boat out that evening. We really didn't have a clear idea what the event was (could have been an ad-hoc assembly of various clubs out for a Thursday night beer-can regatta for all knew), when it would start, or the course direction. The start gun sounded when we were just inside the Golden Gate about mid span. Almost in unison, the chaotic swarm altered course -- Directly At Us! We watched in amazement and with some trepidation as the 40 or so hi-speed craft covered the ~1/2 mile distance from just west of the bridge to our position in probably under a minute. At our lumbering six knots, not a chance of us getting out of the way. The convergence of so many objects having so much speed and energy right on our spot was an absolute adrenaline rush. Maybe because our relatively motionless vessel was an object against which to feel their speed, several racers passed by hair raising close -- behind our stern, along our port side and across our bow. Then they were gone. I've been on the bay about 250 times in the four years since I bought my boat. Nothing I've ever encountered while sailing compared to this.
As mentioned above, turns out there is a video with us clearly shown as a focal point of the race. This is the doing of a David Wells, one of the race competitors, who recorded the race directly from his windsurfer. And he was one of those that darted past only a few yards from our stern. Being part the show, I can't be totally objective, but I think this video also is a splendid several minutes that showcases the ambiance and excitement of being on San Francisco bay with its varied weather and conditions and events.
Here is the URL to the video:
http://www.waterhound.com/kitesurfi...revenge-at-2011-ronstan-bridge-to-bridge.html
The video link is about 1/3 the way down the page. But also look/read/skim the rest of the page, particularly the pictures of the craft in the fog swarming around before the race. The sound track of natural bay sounds that then transitions into a well chosen musical piece really supports the feel of the evening and the event. Very motivating. Laptop speakers don't do the audio justice. So plug in your headphones or turn on the stereo. The first minute of the video sets the mood before the race's start. It is recorded from inside the GGB near the south tower looking west out towards the Pacific. My boat "Wildaire" shows up briefly on the right of the screen at 34 seconds into the video. Then the camera's perspective shifts to outside the GG looking towards the city as the race starts. Watch the kite surfers' kites dart around against the background of the bridge deck and the fog. We show up again after the race begins ... first as a smudge in the fog beyond the windsurfer's arm at about 2:25 then up until the point of maximum convergence at 3:00. The only detail not recorded in the pass-by is the helmsman's mouth hanging open. (That would be me.) Look at the kite surfer darting along our port side then around the bow!
You can right click within the viewing window to switch to full screen. Also, putting the mouse pointer in the lower middle will bring up the stop/start control. You can do stop action, and clicking along the bar will rewind to the highlighted min:sec. Another tip: If you just have the basic DSL connection (as we do), the video is likely to hang up while more data is downloaded. But once the data is in your computer's memory, you can "rewind" back to any point and the video will then play seamlessly.
To experience the race from the cockpit of our keelboat was a real rush. Best seat in the house. Attached is a freeze frame as we are being approached. David Well is past us just a few seconds later. That's how fast it all happened.
Happy Holidays!
So here goes. First a description of the encounter. Then I provide a link to a very well done (to my eye anyway) audio-visual recording which prominently documents our unwitting participation in the situation.
Returning back to Sausalito from a sail out several miles into the Pacific Ocean on the evening of August 25, I and three friends found ourselves caught in the cross hairs of a frenetic event that I later discovered was called the Ronstan Bridge-to-Bridge Race. This annual bash pits 40-50 high speed international level competitors on kite boards, windsurfers and sinister-looking 18ft Australia Sailing Skiffs against each other in a high speed free-for-all dash from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Bay Bridge.
This was a wondrous evening on many fronts during our sail. The weather and ambiance were classic SF Bay. Low hanging fog in the channel of the Golden Gate, but clear at the water level. The Golden Gate Bridge fog horns were blaring. Looking back from the Pacific Ocean under the Golden Gate Bridge, we could see Angel Island and San Francisco standing out in the sunshine of the central bay.
The pre-race chaos was happening mostly at the north tower of the Golden Gate Bridge as we neared the area from outside the Gate. So we entered into the bay close to the south tower of the bridge (San Francisco side) before turning north to return to our berth in Sausalito. Other than the racers and support craft, we were the only other boat out that evening. We really didn't have a clear idea what the event was (could have been an ad-hoc assembly of various clubs out for a Thursday night beer-can regatta for all knew), when it would start, or the course direction. The start gun sounded when we were just inside the Golden Gate about mid span. Almost in unison, the chaotic swarm altered course -- Directly At Us! We watched in amazement and with some trepidation as the 40 or so hi-speed craft covered the ~1/2 mile distance from just west of the bridge to our position in probably under a minute. At our lumbering six knots, not a chance of us getting out of the way. The convergence of so many objects having so much speed and energy right on our spot was an absolute adrenaline rush. Maybe because our relatively motionless vessel was an object against which to feel their speed, several racers passed by hair raising close -- behind our stern, along our port side and across our bow. Then they were gone. I've been on the bay about 250 times in the four years since I bought my boat. Nothing I've ever encountered while sailing compared to this.
As mentioned above, turns out there is a video with us clearly shown as a focal point of the race. This is the doing of a David Wells, one of the race competitors, who recorded the race directly from his windsurfer. And he was one of those that darted past only a few yards from our stern. Being part the show, I can't be totally objective, but I think this video also is a splendid several minutes that showcases the ambiance and excitement of being on San Francisco bay with its varied weather and conditions and events.
Here is the URL to the video:
http://www.waterhound.com/kitesurfi...revenge-at-2011-ronstan-bridge-to-bridge.html
The video link is about 1/3 the way down the page. But also look/read/skim the rest of the page, particularly the pictures of the craft in the fog swarming around before the race. The sound track of natural bay sounds that then transitions into a well chosen musical piece really supports the feel of the evening and the event. Very motivating. Laptop speakers don't do the audio justice. So plug in your headphones or turn on the stereo. The first minute of the video sets the mood before the race's start. It is recorded from inside the GGB near the south tower looking west out towards the Pacific. My boat "Wildaire" shows up briefly on the right of the screen at 34 seconds into the video. Then the camera's perspective shifts to outside the GG looking towards the city as the race starts. Watch the kite surfers' kites dart around against the background of the bridge deck and the fog. We show up again after the race begins ... first as a smudge in the fog beyond the windsurfer's arm at about 2:25 then up until the point of maximum convergence at 3:00. The only detail not recorded in the pass-by is the helmsman's mouth hanging open. (That would be me.) Look at the kite surfer darting along our port side then around the bow!
You can right click within the viewing window to switch to full screen. Also, putting the mouse pointer in the lower middle will bring up the stop/start control. You can do stop action, and clicking along the bar will rewind to the highlighted min:sec. Another tip: If you just have the basic DSL connection (as we do), the video is likely to hang up while more data is downloaded. But once the data is in your computer's memory, you can "rewind" back to any point and the video will then play seamlessly.
To experience the race from the cockpit of our keelboat was a real rush. Best seat in the house. Attached is a freeze frame as we are being approached. David Well is past us just a few seconds later. That's how fast it all happened.
Happy Holidays!
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