Someone very kindly donated a very nice 27 ft. sailboat to our nonprofit. It has been berthed at South Beach Marina, San Francisco. Tomorrow, I must sail this boat up San Francisco Bay to Petaluma. The trip has potential perils. Crossing the "mouth," that is the Golden Gate, is subject to high winds and a steep chop.

Then, passing through San Pablo Strait and up San Pablo Bay holds other risks. The top end of S.P. Bay becomes very shallow due to the Petaluma River--1 to 2 ft. deep. There is a narrow channel cut through the silt. It turns, and it is easy to run aground. At the same time, S.P. Bay is subject to high winds and a wicked chop. In order to stay in the channel, one must go beam-on to the steep chop, and that has its risks.

I am not familiar with this boat or the rigging. I am also using an untested kicker motor. If we run into problems, much of the Bay is too deep to anchor in--and I do not want to be swept out the Golden Gate, or into the Cabbage Patch. Awhile back, a 60 ft. sailboat with a veteran crew was caught in a freak storm in S.F. Bay. The boat capsized and several of the crew drowned. This boat is much smaller, and I have not had a chance to test the boat or the rig. I ask for prayers for God's protection. I also think of this version of the Navy hymn:

"Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm is o'er the restless wave,
Who bids the mighty ocean deep
his own appointed limits keep.
Oh hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

O Trinity of love and power,
Be Thou their help in danger's hour.
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect them wheresoever they go.
Thus evermore shall rise to Thee
Glad hymns of praise from land and sea."

Please do remember me in your prayers tomorrow.

Thanks!

Dave

Sounds like you will need our prayers ... unless we can convince you to stay on land like God created us to do.

Putting you on our pray list! May the good Lord keep you save.

pkrause

Thanks for the prayer support! Yesterday morning, as I started the day with prayer, I did feel strongly impressed to pray for God's help. And it was a truly amazing day. The replacement kicker motor which I brought would not fire up. The mechanic who is working on my regular kicker motor told me that he had one he would loan me--what a surprise! So, I went to pick that one up. By that time, we had missed the tide, but set out anyway. The marine forecast called for moderate to high winds. When we got out there, it was pretty windy. Amazingly enough, though, as we crossed the 'Mouth,' with the Golden Gate bridge dead a-port, conditions calmed down. Incredible! It is just the opposite normally. At any rate, we proceeded up to San Pablo Bay, and the surface of the water was like a lake. Just at the entrance to the 6-mile long channel at the top of S.P. Bay, I wanted to stop to talk to a couple of fishermen. The motor locked in gear, and in the process of trying to start it, the shifter lever broke off! I dropped anchor promptly, and the anchor held against the outgoing tide. Decided to call Vessel Assist, because one should not attempt to navigate that particular channel under sail. V.A. towed us the rest of the 20 miles or so to Petaluma. I can say that if the motor was to break down, it couldn't have happened at a better location. Farther out, it would have been too deep to anchor, and we would be drifting out the Golden Gate. Mid-channel, we would have run aground. So in the end, "All things work together for good." I am thankful to God for His help and protection!

Dave

Dave ... praise God you are alive and well. This is just too frightening for this particular land dweller. You can have the seas. I prefer the dry land.

Thanks Redwood. It is truly amazing how vulnerable one can be in such situations. The Golden Gate, in particular, is quite hazardous. The entire volume of water in S.F. Bay, some 50 miles long or so, funnels out through the narrow entrance. As you approach the Gate, the tidal current is fast and strong. I went prepared for the worst--flares, survival suits and all--yet, if your motor goes out, if you hit a dead spot in transmission and can't get help, if a variety of things go wrong, then to get swept out in that ongoing tide will take you 20 miles out to sea--if you make it that far. There are many hazards. Right outside the Gate is a particularly dangerous area where huge seas can swamp your boat. It is called the 'Great Bar' of the Golden Gate. Curling seas up to 100 ft. high, breakers that high. On a few days a years, the waves there are only 20 - 30 feet. There are also huge whirlpools that will suck in debris, boats, and so forth. Not that long ago, a veteran sailor on a 40 ft. + sailboat headed out the Gate with his mother's ashes on board. He and his boat disappeared, were never seen or heard from again. So every time I cross the 'Mouth' and make it back safe and alive, I thank a merciful God.

Dave

On Christ the solid rock I stand .... all other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand.

Praise the Lord! God took care of you.

pkrause

Thanks! Yes He did! The power of the sea is really something. When I lived in Mass., I used to enjoy heading over to Cape Ann to go rowing. One day, rowing back past Gloucester Harbor, I was passing under the bridge to get to the launch ramp. I was going against the tide--and it was a tidal race. With all my strength, I could make perhaps a foot or less of progress with each stroke of the oars. Suddenly, an oar snapped. Instantly, my boat headed out toward the Atlantic, spinning like a leaf. I quickly dropped the anchor, and it bit. There I was, bobbing in the rapids. Later, a passing boat gave me a tow in.

My particular concern yesterday was that I missed the tide due to delays. Thus, I had to cross the Mouth on an OUTGOING tide, in an untested boat with a so-so motor that wasn't running that well, and was subject to dying unexpectedly. I was SO-O-O anxious to put the Golden Gate bridge out of sight! Was very, very pleased to get out of there safely.

Dave

You showed your skill in knowing when (and whom) to call for assistance!

Great story.