14.5 mile Alameda to SF & back kiteboarding trip

[Loscocco]

Just finished a loong journey across the bay and back and it was quite a good day for it. The winds were blowing from the South almost perfectly out in the channel and the forecast looked good enough so once i was far enough out there i decided to go all the way.
Saw several seals, the Alameda/SF Ferry up close and the guys working on those cargo ships anchored out in the middle stopped their work and all came to the side and waved back at me. I bet they don't see anyone out there much.
The first tack I went down toward Bay Farm Island and then headed out towards SF and about half way decided to go all the way.
I turned around a few thousand feet off the end of the pier just south of the AT&T Ballpark.
Boy my legs are tired!!!!

Heres a Google map of it at shows about 14.5 miles total .

[average_male]

Nice. Thats what I want to do some day, but when the weather is warmer... Sounds tiring on the legs, tacking single direction for such a long distance. How long did that trip take you?

[Loscocco]

it probably took about 35 mins each way roughly but im not sure exactly. The winds today were a much different direction than usual so this particular direction would be hard to do normally. Regular winds would probably take you to Candlestick or Coyote Point.

[CdoG]

good job!

[windhorny]

If not seeing that image, i would have not guess it to be so close.

Congrats, that was kinda ballsy in that fluky wind.

[jono]

Good work Erin! Can you describe a bit more about the trip back? Was it hard to make it around the point? Did you have to fight upwind? Any serious current?

High-tide was at noon yesterday, I assume you were doing this between noon and 1800, so not only were you fighting the fluky wind, but also the tide.

[timwim1]

Fantastic job!

That is exactly what I want to do one day too! Now you mention the weather forecast looked good? Did you base that on Ikitesurf.com? As Yuri mentioned, given the wind was not that steady (at least on the windmeters... ) it would be a long swim to shore if the wind disappeared.

Tim

[Loscocco]

It was actually much easier than i expected and I never felt the ebb tide that much like it sometimes can be at Crissy. I was making very good upwind speed on the whole tack out and the winds were very steady out in the channel slowly increasing from like 15+ at the beach in alameda out to a pretty stead 18-22 out in the channel. Once I got to SF there was a little bit more and i had to depower the kite a little. On the way back i noticed i was making so much upwind that i stood up flat on the board and did some small hops and carves to stretch out my legs.
coming around the point i aimed downwind more. Think it probably was about half an hour or so each way and i started around 430 or so. About 5 minutes after Yuri walked down to the beach and launched the REV
I did have my marine radio in my wetsuit and thankfully didn't need it.
I was watching the conditions real close the whole ride and it never felt sketchy.

[timwim1]

Marine Radio? So you could contact the Coast Guard in case to be?
That sounds like a good backup? Assuming the worst happens to you.

So you are on a standard board, not like a larger surfboard style board with lots of floatation.

Tim

[Loscocco]

Tim, I was on my standard twintip Liquid Force 130 Recoil kiteboard and yeah the radio is to be able to call the coastguard just in case.