The weather was warmer in San Francisco Bay with sunny clear skies. Four of us paddled out on Thursday afternoon and four more arrived just before dark. With food, drink and good friends we had no trouble staying up for the arrival of the New Year. The clear skies lasted well into the night and allowed us to see the big fireworks show put on at San Francisco across the bay.
We slept late in our tents and launched into another bright sunny winter day. Not being in a hurry, we turned and went the long way around Angel Island, chasing a great blue heron for most of the distance. This bird would let us get within 20 feet of the rock he was standing on, then fly a few hundred yards away. Always in the direction we were going so we disturbed him over and over again. I accused him of being a “bird brain” for not flying back over us and saving himself all this trouble. Once around the island we returned to our cars parked on the streets of Sausalito and drove home to spend a weekend cleaning gear from two different trips.