The moment our engine was fixed, on a Tuesday afternoon, we were already getting ready to sail to San Francisco.

It was perfect timing. Charles’ mother Jude and her husband Chris were visiting the Bay Area for their spring break. They planned to stay with Marja, Charles’ sister, at her apartment in San Francisco. Marja’s partner Pierre had invited us to an opening at the Contemporary Jewish Museum. Also, my friends Clio and Lena were in town from Portland and Los Angeles, Clio just to visit and Lena to host an afterparty for Notch following the game designer’s convention. And furthermore, I was doing only consulting work, while Charles was working from the boat doing sales calls – so all we needed was internet.

We made a few quick calls, and once Golden Gate Yacht Club confirmed that they would let us use their guest dock, we were on the water within an hour of the engine staying reliably cool.

Setting out on the boat – our boat – for what felt like the first time was enthralling. The wind was perfect, and the Bay was empty. We shot toward Angel Island on a close haul, then tacked our way through Raccoon Strait. We had the engine on, to make sure we arrived before sunset, but sails were out and we were heeling beautifully.

We cruised towards the city, as the sun dipped closer to the horizon. Right at sunset, we tied onto the dock. From our deck, we could see the Palace of Fine Arts, and a beautiful view of the Bay. From a few steps away, we could see the Golden Gate Bridge.

We finished our post-sail procedures in record time, changed clothes while calling a car, and headed straight to see the visiting family for dinner.

Wednesday morning, we woke up early to pick Clio up from BART and bring her back to the boat. We grabbed coffee in the Mission, then headed back to the boat in beautiful weather. Clio and I sunbathed, ate breakfast, and caught up while Charles alternated between working and visiting. We all took a walk to the Palace of Fine Arts, got lunch with Cody, and headed back. In the late afternoon, Clio and I shared a car to downtown, where I went to the CJM’s opening for the Bill Graham exhibit.

The next day, we moved the boat just a little closer to the Golden Gate Bridge, to St. Francis Yacht Club’s dock, and got to take a shower. It was also St. Patrick’s Day, and the afterparty for the game designer’s convention. A good friend of mine was the party planner for Notch, and asked if I could get together some traditional Irish musicians on short notice to play in one of the party rooms. I called around, and got some of my favorite musicians to join. Charles and I were invited, along with a couple of friends. The party was at The Archbishop’s Mansion. Rooms were themed – like sushi and sake tasting, or Irish music and upscale whisky tasting, or an old safe turned into a ballpit next to the dance floor. When the party wrapped up around 4 a.m., Charles and I walked back to the St. Francis Yacht Club dock.

We got a chance to sleep in and get some work done the next day, the last day visiting family would be in town. In the afternoon, the wind was perfect to shoot across the channel to Sausalito. Jude, Pierre, and Marja joined us for the sail, and Chris drove to meet us for dinner. The sail was pounding, despite a quicker passage than usual because of conditions. Corinthian was mercifully protected from the wind, so after we checked in we bundled up for some wine and games outside.

After a beautiful dinner, and saying goodbye to family, we slept on the Corinthian’s dock, then sailed home just the two of us in the morning.

Overall, it was such an exciting first week of sailing the boat, and of living in San Francisco for a brief moment.