Waiting Out the Gale
⛵ Gale Delay and Midweek Departure
Date: Wednesday, June 4, 2025
Vessel: Francesca
Skipper: Larry
Crew: Aaron, Augustine, Dave, Kiki
Passengers: June & Danny, Point Blue Conservation Science
⛵️Gale Delay and Midweek Departure
“You don’t pick your weather. You wait for it to give you permission.”
Our third Farallon Patrol was originally scheduled for Saturday, May 31, but gale warnings across the Gulf of the Farallones forced us to hold. Sunday was no better. It wasn’t until Wednesday, June 4, that the weather gave us a workable window — and we were ready to go.
Crew call was 5:30 AM at Gate 8, Marina Village Yacht Harbor in Alameda. Passengers from Point Blue Conservation Science, June and Danny, arrived right at 6:00 AM. We loaded up Francesca quickly and were underway down the estuary by 6:15.
🍳A Warm Start, A Cold Morning
We motored in overcast skies. Visibility was limited from the beginning- a soft marine layer blanketed the Bay. As we passed Jack London Square I served a warm breakfast; tofu scramble with vegetables – now a tradition on our Patrol Runs
We continued under the Bay Bridge then passed by a group of swimmers crossing from Alcatraz to Gas House Cove, towing buoys and escorted by kayaks through the low fog. We then raced a tanker under the Golden Gate Bridge – the tanker won by a nose. As we passed Point Bonita we attempted to set sail but the wind was light and directly on our nose. I quickly realized if we were going to make it to the Farallons we would need to motor the rest of the way, steering by radar and instruments.
🌁Into the Gray
The marine layer offshore was persistent. We watched the radar closely, tracking the handful of other, mostly commercial, vessels. Eventually the Southeast Farallon Island emerged out of the fog, just around noon — jagged, isolated and wild.
⚓️The Easiest Part of the Trip
As we approached our contact on the island, Amanda, motored out to secure the mooring line at the East Landing. The blue floating line was easy to spat and grab. Dave admitted he was nervous as he’d never handled a mooring line before.
I reassured him: “Honestly, this is probably the easiest part of the whole trip” and it was. The line floated cleanly, and within moments we were securely tied off, holding steady just offshore.
🐧Life on the Island
🌊Life in the Sea
A blue whale surfaces off the stern of Francesca.
June, Aaron, Augustine, Dave, and Kiki disembarked with gear. They were craned ashore in pairs and spent the afternoon working with island biologists.
Danny and I stayed aboard organizing gear. Then, a surprise: a blue whale surfaced nearby. We were surrounded by life—seals, elephant seals, sea lions, murres, cormorants, and thousands of birds.
We didn’t go looking for the whale. It came to us.
⛰ Circumnavigation and Crickets
A slow circumnavigation reveals cliffs and winter research stations.
By 4:15 p.m., the team returned. As always, we did a slow circumnavigation of the island. We passed cliffs, waves, and the new floating research stations used for winter cricket studies.
🐳 Whales on the Way Home
Humpback whales feeding off the Marin Headlands.
Off the Marin Headlands, we spotted whales breaching. We adjusted course—and entered a massive gathering of 15–30 humpbacks and blues. We cut the engine and drifted for nearly an hour, enveloped by them.
It was one of the most immersive encounters we’ve had.
🌊 Tanker Wake & Saltwater Baptism
Kiki, smiling and soaked, after a green-water hit over the bow.
As we neared the Golden Gate, a tanker passed close. Its wake nudged us toward the headlands. I turned the bow into the swell—green water crashed over the foredeck, soaking Kiki.
She laughed it off. No complaints. Just saltwater, and spirit.
🌉 Home by City Lights
Returning under the Bay Bridge, the city glowing to starboard.
We passed under the Bay Bridge after dark. By the time we docked at Gate 8, it was nearly 11:00 p.m. Dave offered to come back the next day to help clean Francesca. That says everything about the kind of crew we had.
💬 Reflections: Let’s Keep It Wild
Each patrol teaches us something. This one reminded us to wait, to respect the weather, and to follow the rhythms of the sea, not the calendar.
The Farallones belong to the wild. We pass through as guests. We do not intervene. We leave no trace.
The scientists out there live and work with humility. They observe, record, and protect. That ethos guides every decision we make.
We’re not out there to be part of the story—we’re out there to witness one.
Let’s keep places like this protected, not politicized.
Let’s keep them wild.
— Larry Hall
Skipper, SV Francesca
Alameda, California