Final Report

FINAL REPORT
POSITION: GRAND MARINA, ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA
SPD: 0, WINDS: CALM, SEAS: ALSO CALM
THE LAST REPORT PUT US AT 210NM AWAY FROM OUR DESTINATION, AND WE CLOSED IN
FAIRLY QUICKLY FROM THERE. AT OUR RADIO CHECK THE FOLLOWING EVENING WE WERE
ONLY 70NM AWAY AND ON FULL ALERT FOR SHIPS AND FISHING VESSELS...THE RADAR
TURNED UP A FAIR AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC. THE WINDS STARTED PICKING UP AND GOT INTO
THE 30 KNOT RANGE. NEVER GOT THE REPORT OUT THAT NIGHT OR THE NEXT MORNING.
LAND WAS APPROACHING AND PARANOIA BEGAN SETTING IN...FOR ME ANYWAY...BUT THE
CREW WERE STEADY. IT WAS CLEAR WE WERE GOING TO BE IN A POTENTIALLY BUSY AREA
IN THE DARK WITH NOT THE BEST VISIBILITY. AFTER WE PASSED OVER THE CONTINENTAL
SHELF WHERE THE WATER GOES FROM THOUSANDS OF METERS TO HUNDREDS, THE WATERS
SMOOTHED OUT, ALONG WITH THE WIND GREATLY REDUCING. PHEWWWW!!! WE BEGAN TO SEE
NAVIGATION LIGHTS AND THE OUTLINES OF LAND ON THE RADAR. ""LAND HO!!!"" A
DELICIOUS SITE AND GREAT FEELING MAKING LAND FALL...VERY SPECIAL. COMING UNDER
THE GATE UNDER A HEAVY MARINE LAYER ON A FLOOD TIDE WAS PRETTY GOOD, BUT
COULDN'T SEE THE TOP TOWERS OF THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE.
ALL SAILS WERE DOWN AT THIS POINT...NO WIND SO WE MOTORED ALL THE WAY TO THE
ALAMEDA ESTUARY. I NOTICED SIGNS OF A SLIGHT BREEZE AS WE STARTED UP THE
ESTUARY, SO WE PUT UP THE SPINNAKER FOR THE FINAL APPROACH, BUT THE WIND
FINALLY DIED AND WE HAD TO DOWSE IT BEFORE ARRIVING TO OUR SLIP AND THE GREAT
RECEPTION BY FRIENDS AND FAMILY AT THE DOCK. DOCKING WAS BUTT UGLY. NO ONE
THREW THE STERN LINE SO THAT L'EAU LIFE'S ARSE END WAS LEFT HANGING OUT. ONE
MORE OPPORTUNITY AT A GOOD OLE FLOGGING. IT WAS A VERY WARM RECEPTION...A
BEAUTIFUL THING. PAULA WAS DRESSED UP IN A HULA COSTUME AND EVERYONE WORE LEIS.
MY LEIGH ACTUALLY WAS MADE UP WITH 3 CAN OPENERS AND SOME FLOWERS...NICE!!!
HOMEMADE PEACH COBBLER, FRUIT SALAD AND OTHER GOODIES WERE ALL LAID OUT ON A
TABLE BEFORE US. AFTER THAT WE CLEANED UP THE BOAT A BIT, THE CREW PACKED UP
AND WE ALL WENT HOME. [I DID STUFF ALL THEM FRIGGIN' LEFT OVER CANS OF BEANS IN
WHAT I THOUGHT WAS STEVE'S BAG, BUT AS WE WALKED TO OUR RIDES HOME I NOTICED
THAT THE BAG I STUFFED THEM INTO WAS LANCE'S...SWEET! MY CREW BY THE WAY, ARE
THE BEST, AND I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT HOW TO SAIL THIS BOAT TO HER MAXIMUM
POTENTIAL THROUGH THEM. WELL DONE GUYS AND THANKS.
SO THAT'S IT, THE FINAL VOYAGE FOR ME ABOARD L'EAU LIFE. SHE'S DOCKED AT THE
SALES DOCK OF PACIFIC YACHT IMPORTS [IN CASE ANYONE'S INTERESTED], THE BROKER
WHO INITIALLY SOLD ME THE BOAT BACK IN 1997. IT'S BEEN A GREAT JOURNEY LEAVING
ME WITH LOT'S OF GREAT MEMORIES, AND OF COURSE SOME TERRIFYING MOMENTS AS WELL.
L'EAU LIFE HAS KEPT US SAFE AND SOUND FOR MANY THOUSANDS OF MILES AND I WILL
MISS HER DEARLY. IT IS TIME SHE FINDS A NEW OWNER TO LOOK AFTER, WHO WILL
HOPEFULLY TREAT HER EQUALLY AS WELL. IT'S BEEN A FUN RIDE,

THE SKIPPER [RETIRED!!!]