August 27, 2015

Pat Broderick of the Wyliecat 30 Nancy filed this report:

The OYRA/SSS Drake's Bay Race on August 22-23 was exhausting, slow, and exciting. I was a very tired old sailor by the time I arrived home. The sailing was slow, but steady, with about a 5-knot average speed both days, although a little slower Sunday. Exciting because we placed second on Saturday and first on Sunday in OYRA. We remain in first place in the OYRA Shorthanded Division after seven races.

This weekend's Drake's Bay Races were both Singlehanded Sailing Society (SSS) and Ocean Yacht Racing Association (OYRA) races. Some boats only competed in the SSS races, some boats only competed in the OYRA races, some boats competed in both. We were one of the boths. Everyone sailed the same course, but there were a few different start times, which the computer adjusted. The racers were scored separately, depending on which race they were participating in. In Saturday's SSS race, we placed third in our SSS Division. In Sunday's race, we placed second in our SSS division.

Saturday we started at the Corinthian Yacht Club in Tiburon with a nice ebb urging us toward the Golden Gate Bridge. We passed under the bridge in about 35 minutes and tacked our way out to Land's End, where we headed northwest toward Drake's Bay. With one tack to clear our air when we overtook a boat that started ahead of us, it was one long tack up to Drake's Bay. The predicted southwest wind didn't appear, of course, so we reached and close-reached our way along the Marin Coast.

The start off Corinthian YC. ©2015 norcalsailing.com

We anchored in Drake's Bay and spent a peaceful night gently rocking in the swell. The anchorage was beautiful before sunset with almost 50 boats anchored, some rafted up together. After sunset the darkness, and it's very dark, was spotted with masthead anchor lights, like a small galaxy of stars against the dark cloud-obscured sky.

One of several raft-ups that formed in the bay. ©2015 norcalsailing.com

Saturday morning we raised the anchor, with about a year's supply of red kelp sushi clinging to the rode, and started at 1010 on our way back to the Golden Gate and the finish at the Corinthian YC.

The start in Drake's Bay. ©2015 norcalsailing.com

A wave from singlehander Synthia Petroka on Eyrie, on the return leg of the regatta. ©2015 norcalsailing.com

Ross Bliven, crew on Nancy, as the Wyliecat aims for the Gate. ©2015 Pat Broderick

I always think of Sir Francis Drake, his crew and the Golden Hinde spending time at Drake's Bay before sailing on around the world. The white cliffs are reminiscent of Dover's, and the bay offers protection from the prevailing northwest winds and seas. I'm glad our departure from Drake's Bay was for San Francisco rather than London the long way, however. And, yes, I believe Drake spent his California time at what we now call Drake's Bay.

— Pat Broderick, Nancy, Wyliecat 30

Be sure to read Pat's review of the weekend's wildlife. For results and more info on the race, see www.sfbaysss.org and www.yra.org/OYRA. We've now posted a photo gallery and video too.