It’s been said that only 4 percent of people who live in the Bay Area actually get out on the bay. Don’t be a bystander: take the plunge this summer.
Sailing across San Francisco Bay is exhilarating can be highly addictive. Photo courtesy of OCSC
By weekendsherpa.com
Published: July, 2008
Over the Bounding Main
Warning: Zipping across San Francisco Bay in a 32-foot Catalina sailboat can be highly addictive. If you’ve never sailed but want to try, take a two-hour Intro to Sailing session with the good folks at OCSC Sailing in Berkeley; they’ve been giving people the chance to learn the ropes—or simply kick back and enjoy the ride—for nearly 30 years. Powering out of the Berkeley Marina, the boat soon emerges into the gusty bay, famous for having the strongest average wind of any waterway in America. When the sails are raised—boom!—the wind hits and the good times roll, literally. Sailing rookies can sit pretty on the high side and take in the scenery—or frighten friends by getting behind the wheel and shouting, Tacking on the starboard side! or The main sail is luffing in the no-go zone, or the always reliable I’m sailing! At only $40 a person, this is one of the most inexpensive (and intimate) ways to sail the bay like a seasoned yachtie. Sink in.
OCSC Sailing, 1 Spinnaker Way, Berkeley; 510-843-4200 or visit www.ocscsailing.com. The Intro to Sailing course runs three times a day on Saturday from May through October.
Also be sure to check out the Bay Crossings Waterfront Adventures Section on pages 6-7 for other sailing schools in the Bay Area that offer similar excursions.
Picnic at Sea
Every Friday and Saturday evening from now through October, the Angel Island Ferry moonlights as a homegrown cruiser and offers the best sunset picnic on the bay. Bring a home-packed meal and your favorite companions, and get on board for a floating feast where you’re more likely to find locals than tourists. After departing Tiburon at 6:30 p.m., you’ll head west toward Sausalito and Richardson Bay for a 90-minute treat. This excursion is rarely overcrowded, and you’re allowed to bring grown-up beverages (martinis can be shaken and stirred at sea). Sip your drink of choice and sniff the cool, salty air as the hues on the horizon change and the lights in the city shine. You can eat, drink, and be merry inside the ferry—but we recommend the stellar 360-degree views from the upstairs deck. That’s our idea of a moveable feast!
TIP: Couldn’t put together a picnic before you jumped in the car? Grab food supplies in Tiburon at the Boardwalk Market or Bell Market—both on Tiburon Blvd. on the way into town.
The season runs until Oct. 18. Prices are $20 per adult, or buy a block of 15 for $200. For reservations, call 415-435-2131 or visit www.angelislandferry.com.
Ride the Wind
Fused to the sail, propelled by the wind, skimming over salty waves—windsurfing looks exhilarating, but it can be intimidating too. Get your feet wet with Boardsports School in Alameda. Unlike the high-flying, hurricane-force, acrobatic playground of the pros, Boardsports’ Crown Beach location offers gentle winds, mellow vibes, low traffic, warm(er) water, and a shallow, sandy take-off zone perfect for learning launch and steering maneuvers. On-shore winds guide newbies back to the long sandy beach to take a breather and a pointer or two from wizened onlookers. After an hour of dry-land simulator and lingo tutelage, the instructors fit, rig, and guide the class out into the smooth and easy breezes off of Crown Beach. Through one-on-one attention from the instructors, you’ll soon be gliding out into the cove and beyond into the bay, feeling the sail taut against your arms, hearing the slap of the water below. Riding the wind.
Boardsports School , Crown Beach (Westline Dr. at Otis Dr.), Alameda; 415-385-1224 or visit www.boardsportsschool.com. The two-day, six-hour beginner lesson runs $165 per person and occurs every Saturday and Sunday through September, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.; the lesson includes a full wetsuit and windsurfing rig. Boardsports has a more advanced location in San Mateo and a retail outlet in San Francisco. In addition, the shop offers kiteboarding and stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) lessons.
29-year-old WeekendSherpa.com founder and managing editor Brad Day grew up in California and has spent his entire life adventuring in Northern California’s great outdoors. WeekendSherpa.com is a San Francisco based online publication that sends out a free weekly (Thursdays) email newsletter giving insiders’ information on enjoyable and economical things to do in the Bay Area/Northern California outdoors, including hiking, biking, and just plain relaxing...as long as it gets you out there! www.www.WeekendSherpa.com
Every Friday and Saturday evening from now through October the Angel Island Ferry offers the best sunset picnic on the bay. Photo by Brad Day
On-shore winds will guide newbie windsurfers back to the beach where they started. Photo from istockphoto.com
