We left Sausalito at 0400 on October 10, 1973, heading out through the 'Gate in one of those heavy, thick and windless summer fogs. There were no photographers, no reporters, and no fuss. We went out subdued and serious, thinking ahead to the thousands of cruising miles between us and the Atlantic Ocean. In company were two other yachts; our "running mate" Shearwater and the Socio, a large ketch piloted by Ted Beacon. Ted had offered to guide us to Main Ship Channel Buoy #8 by radar, and we had gladly accepted. By 0700 we were feeling our way south to Santa Cruz, but the trip to Buoy #8 deserves some attention.
Despite radar reflectors all around, big shipping was a definite worry much alleviated by using VHF channel 13 for continual updates from the new traffic center. At one time we were cautioned by a pilot aboard a large freighter to hold station while he cut between us and the Socio en route under the Bridge.
There are few sensual experiences to compare with the muteed pulse of an invisible freighter passing close at hand in the foggy blackness. You grab the tiller a little tighter, lean forward, look around as the tiny cones of your running lights reach into nothingness.
While the Farallon beacon was always strong, we had trouble with the Superbuoy and Bonita, and we ended up using KABL (while listening to "easy rock") for cross fixes with the Farallones. Indeed, the Farallones is so strong we were picking it up in the Santa Barbara Channel some days later. We relied a great deal on the sounder, running the 30-fathom curve until until the fog cleared near Davenport.