For the most part, I see it as just another part of the route to San Francisco. After going up a hill, through a tunnel, and then down a hill, lanes merge and cross over the water to the toll booth. Having crossed it at least a hundred times, I've become somewhat desensitized to that span of steel and asphalt called the Golden Gate Bridge. In fact, I hate the bridge. To me the Golden Gate is a place where I sit in traffic waiting to pay a toll.

Sometimes though, perspectives change.

On a recent outing with some friends from the East Bay, I traveled to a place I might never visit again. N37°49'8 W122°28'48. Rising and falling on the ocean swells that are outside of the protective waters of the bay, I felt small, very small, and I took a picture of the bridge as it loomed above me in its massive glory.

Forevermore, the Golden Gate will have a new meaning to me.

Later that day, I was given the responsibility of sailing the vessel under the Bay Bridge by Treasure Island.

Upon returning home, the GPS data recorded for the trip was processed with Viking, a free and Open Source GPS data plotter, so I could give the captain some statistics about the trip.

It was a memorable day with good weather, a good vessel, and great company. May your skies be clear, and your sails full of wind.

Now stop reading and go on an adventure.