we can almost see you

Getting the storm jib down and stowed.

Susan shaking a reef.

N37 42 W123 51
1730

We are beginning our approach. The Farallon Islands are 35nm away and the Golden Gate Bridge is 65nm. We are hoping to get a glimpse of land before the sun sets in an hour, but if not we will soon start seeing navigation lights, as well as the lights of civilization.

When we arrive in San Francisco late tonight (actually early tomorrow morning) it will be about 16 1/2 days since we left Honolulu, which seems like another lifetime. Here we are, bundled in layers upon layers of poly-pro and fleece and foulies (and still cold!), the 90-degree heat a distant memory.

Our watch system has had someone in the cockpit 24-hours a day. This means we have each stood about 100 hours of watch on this passage; scanning the horizon constantly, watching the weather, contemplating life, and, at times, wondering how three hours can seem like eternity when you just want to crawl back into a warm, cozy bunk.

Today was a lovely day, despite all of us feeling pretty tired. A pod of dolphins surfed our 8 to 9-knot bow wave for almost an hour, as an albatross flew overhead, and a sunfish was spotted off port side. The wind moderated slowly throughout the afternoon, and Confetti unfurled her wings as we gradually added more sail area. We are currently double-reefed with a full genoa, broad-reaching in 15 to 18-kts NNW breeze. This looks like a LOT of sail compared to what we've carried for the last five days.

If all goes well we'll pass under the bridge and tie up to the St.FYC docks around 4 in the morning.

Dolphins!!