Day 1 – San Francisco to Half Moon Bay
Chris Kelly and I spent the morning prepping Francesca for the voyage. After final checks and stowing the last of our gear, we cast off the dock lines at 9:00am under calm, overcast skies. The bay was glassy and still—no wind to speak of—as we motored out the Gate.
Conditions were unusually quiet, and we slipped beneath the Golden Gate Bridge with barely a ripple. It wasn’t until we passed Pacifica that the wind finally filled in, allowing us to shut down the engine and enjoy a rare close-hauled sail down the coast.
Along the way, we spotted three or four whales, surfacing peacefully in the distance—a good omen for the start of this journey. We arrived in Half Moon Bay late afternoon and tucked in for the night. Dinner at Barbara’s Fish Trap hit the spot.
Poignantly, today would have been my mother’s 94th birthday. She was the namesake of Francesca—a strong, elegant spirit who always believed in adventure. Felt her presence with us on the water today.
