BALLENA BAY CRUISE NOVEMBER 13 & 14. 

CRUISE OVERVIEW:

Arrive on Saturday at your leisure and dock according to the directions and slip assignments below.  Renee and I will be at the guest dock from 1:00 pm on Saturday and will be monitoring VHF channel 68 (hail Done Deal), prior to that contact the Harbor Master directly (information below).  I will also have my cell phone (925) 285-7526.  The BBYC Port Captain, Terry O'Prey will be available to help us find slips etc.

Dinner will be at 7:00 pm preceded by cocktails and appetizers in the BBYC bar at 5:30 (see details and appetizer assignments below).   BBYC will only be providing Saturday Dinner.  There is a deli in the marina available for breakfast and lunch.

I have all sorts of information for you below.  This is our first effort at cruise leadership, please let us know if we have omitted any details.  Our thanks go to Len and Linda for patiently guiding us through the process.

SCHEDULE:

·         Arrive: Saturday at your leisure

·         Hang out Saturday: Please come to our boat at the guest dock.  Open bar & snacks.

·         Saturday Cocktails & Appetizers:  BBYC Bar 5:30 (see appetizer assignments below).

·         Dinner: BBYC Banquet Room 7:00pm, $12 per person

·         Breakfast: On our own, but we'd like to get a group together.   Meet at our boat at 9:00am for Bloody Marys, Mimosas, etc.

·         Depart: Sunday at your convenience

DINNER MENU:

·         Texas BBQ Pot Roast with caramelized onions

·         Baked Beans

·         Coleslaw

·         Cornbread

·         Fruit and Pecan Tarts

·         $12 per person served at 7pm

SATURDAY APPETIZER ASSIGNMENTS:

If your last name falls from A to R (half of us) please bring an appetizer plate.  We will have these available with Saturday evening cocktails in the BBYC bar.

SLIP ASSIGNMENTS:

CRUISE LEADER - CONTACT:

·         Kevin & Renee Murray

·         Prior to Saturday @ 10:00 am 925-279-1190

·         Saturday after 10:00 am (cell) 925-285-7526

·         Email: kevinmurray@sbcglobal.net until Saturday 10:00 am

·         We will be monitoring VHF Channel 68 beginning noon Saturday (hail Done Deal)

BALLENA BAY YACHT CLUB  - CONTACT:

1150 Ballena Boulevard
Alameda, CA 94501

(510) 523-BBYC (2292)

            Port Captain, Terry O'Prey

BALLENA ISLE MARINA - CONTACT:

1150 Ballena Blvd. Suite #111

Alameda, CA 94501-3682

Telephone: (510)) 523-5528

FAX: (510) 865-2257

EMAIL: slips@ballenaisle.com

Harbor Master: Mr. Bill Chase

Monitor Channel 16 VHF

"Ballena Isle Marina"

DIRECTIONS BY WATER:

·         Refer to chart #18649.

·         The coordinates of Ballena Bay are 37 deg. 46 min. north by 122 deg. 17 min. west.

·         The harbor is located on the southern end of the west side of Alameda Island  near and south of  the former naval air station. 

·         From Buoy 2 of the Air Station channel, follow a course of 90 degrees magnetic approximately 2.85 miles to the Ballena Isle Marina.  Avoid getting too close to shore to avoid shoaling. 

·         The entrance channel to Ballena is south of the breakwater and about a 1/3 mile north of the tower in the water.  The channel is formed by the breakwater on the left side and red buoys on the right.

DRIVING DIRECTIONS FROM DOWNTOWN OAKLAND:

• Take the Webster Street tube into Alameda.
• Continue on Webster until you reach Central (last traffic light).
• Turn right on Central. Stay on Central, passing  through one stop sign until you reach the stop light at Ballena Blvd.
• Turn left on Ballena Blvd. Keep going straight at the stop sign, after you cross a small bridge.
• Turn left into the first Ballena Isle Marina parking lot, immediately after you pass all the condos.
• The main entrance to the BBYC is just off the paved pathway near the slips and faces the Marina.  (next door to Club Nautique.)

 LINK TO MARINA MAP:

http://www.bbyc.org/pages/ballena_isle_marina.html

This link takes you to a map with slip numbers.

ADVISORY FROM PORT CAPTAIN RE: DEEP DRAFT BOATS (7 FOOT PLUS)

The negative tides on Friday thru Sunday, shouldn't be much of a problem if they get in before 3:00pm or so.  They'll probably want to avoid the sandbar toward the breakwater; the charts aren't too bad on this, but if depth starts decreasing, a turn to starboard when coming in should get away from it. 


 

I'm not sure what the status of shoaling right at the entrance is, but at low tide it (depth) can drop pretty quickly right before the turn into the main fairway.

You'll probably want deep draft boats to stay in or near the main fairway, especially on B, E,and F docks as I've known people to get stuck on bars in the side fairways at unexpected times.