The Coast Guard in San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay is headquarters for USCG Pacific Area Command located on Coast Guard Island adjacent to Alameda, which is itself an island in San Francisco Bay. Coast Guard Island is also headquarters for District 11. While San Francisco was once a Navy town, the hometown team for San Francisco today is the Coast Guard, and both the City of San Francisco and USCG welcome you to Fleet Week 2010. Learn more about the Coast Guard in SF Bay.
On Sunday you will be able to tour USCGC Active, a 210-foot ship that is primarily assigned to law enforcement and drug interdiction duties and is available 24/7 for search and rescue operations as well. The Coast Guard is unique in that it is both a branch of the military and a federal law enforcement agency.
USCGC Active was awarded the Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation for exceptional meritorious service in stopping and arresting the crew of the Mexican fishing vessel Valera which had 5.5 metric tons of cocaine aboard. A year after that incident, Active stopped another ship, the Svesda Maru, and seized 13.2 tons of cocaine. At sea Active operates with a MH-65 Dolphin helicopter on her aft deck.
Active will be berthed at and will be open for public tours on Sunday and Monday from 9 AM to 3 PM. Download a hi-res photo of Active.
Although not here for Fleet Week, you may want to read about the Coast Guard's newest and largest cutters, USCGC Bertholf and USCGC Waesche. They are larger than a WWII destroyer and are state of the art ships for the U.S. military and law enforcement in the 21st century.
Parade of Ships
Take a look at the list of ships participating the the Parade of Ships. This is going to be a good year to watch the Parade of Ships coming in under the Golden Gate Bridge. the first ship is scheduled to glide beneath the bridge at 10 AM Saturday morning, October 9th.
Some of the warships will dock along or very close to San Francisco's historic Embarcadero Central Piers and will be open for free ship tours. Most ships will be open for tours on Sunday and Monday from 9 AM to 3 PM.
The 2010 Fleet Week participating ships:
USS Makin Island (LHD-8) -- will be berthed at Pier 30-32 (**see special Wednesday arrival note above**)
USCGC Active (WMEC 618) - will be berthed at Pier 27 (a Coast Guard cocaine interdiction champ)
HMCS Whitehorse (705) - Pier 27 (a Canadian Navy Kensington-class MCDV - Maritime Coastal Defense Vessel)
HMCS Brandon (710) - Pier 27 (a Canadian Navy Kensington-class MCDV - Maritime Coastal Defense Vessel)
USS Curts (FFG 38) - Pier 35 ( guided-missile frigate)
USS Pinckney (DDG 91) - Pier 35 (guided-missile destroyer) (Good luck Seaman Justin Diaz, fighting this week in Boxing Championship finals in San Antonio)
USS Pioneer (MCM 9) - Pier 35 (Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship)
USS Chief (MCM 14) -Pier 35 (Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship)
SS Jeremiah O'Brien - Pier 45 (America's last fully seaworthy WWII Liberty Ship)
PTF 26 - Pier 45 (Special Forces Osprey fast patrol boat. Vietnam version of a WWII PT-boat)
USS Pampanito (SS-38) (this WWII USN submarine will not be in the parade, but will be open for tours)
Click here for visiting hours and more ship information.
Best place to see the Parade of Ships enter the Bay
No question about it -- the best place to watch the Parade of Ships is right on top of the Golden Gate Bridge. Walk out to the middle and watch them glide into the Bay beneath you. This year the Parade of Ships is scheduled for 10 AM on Saturday. Check here for updated news -- And remember to check the weather. Bring a windbreaker even if it is sunny and warm in San Francisco. It is often windy on the bridge. If it is a foggy day bring a warm coat and a thermos of hot coffee.
Plan to walk out over the main inbound ship channel on the East (bay) side of the bridge.You are going to have to stand. Folding chairs on not permitted on the bridge. Bicycles are usually restricted from the East side of the bridge and are allowed only on the West (ocean) side. The CHP is in charge of bridge security and they can answer any questions you may have. Here are the rules for pedestrians and bicycles.
Air Show and the United States Navy Blue Angels
The magnificent U.S. Navy Blue Angels will perform Friday (rehearsal) and on Saturday and Sunday. You will also see Sean Tucker and the amazing Team Oracle, and then LTC John Klatt will fly combat maneuvers in an Air National Guard F-16, plus there will be a stunning low-level fly-by of a United Airlines Boeing 747. Everybody performs Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Take a look at the air show flight plan map The official USCG Notice to Boaters includes maps showing Fleet Week restricted areas.
On Friday there will be a full "dress rehearsal" Air Show. The Air Show on Saturday and Sunday will almost surely be identical to Friday's performance. The Air Show on all three days starts at 1 PM and ends at 4 PM. The Blues Angels will be the last to perform and they will make their grand entrance over San Francisco at 3 PM all three days.
Best Places to See the Air Show
1) Aboard the SS Jeremiah O'Brien cruising in the Bay (your best choice, but sells-out fast)
2) Aboard the Hornblower, which is offering an Air Show brunch on the Bay
3) Front row seats at the reviewing stand at Marina Green and other reserved and ticketed options
4) San Francisco National Maritime Park at Hyde Street Pier is also offering good viewing options
Believe it or not, every so often someone will ask if the air show can be seen from the East Bay. The answer is no. Take a look at the flight path map and realize that you need to be as close to that area as possible. For free viewing try Fort Mason, the and even Crissy Field, which is a little West of the center of the action, but still very good. Remember sun block, liquids to drink and really comfortable shoes. And don't forget our San Francisco ocean-edge weather. A warm and sunny day and turn into a chilly, breezy day in minutes. Be prepared just in case.
Complete Calendar of all Fleet Week Events: Click here for a complete calendar of Fleet Week events
Parking, Transit, Restaurants and More
For detailed information about parking, transportation, restaurants and other things to see and do, please carefully scan the the list of important and helpful links along the right-side border to this blog. They are carefully chosen and will be very helpful to you. Check them out.
If you have any other questions please refer to the primary Fleet Week 2010 website.
Thank you for coming to San Francisco and thank you for supporting the men and women we honor during Fleet Week. We are so happy to share our City with you this Fleet Week 2010.
Enjoy your visit!
4 comments:
Where are the best FREE places to view the show? Grand View Park in Golden Gate Heights, the observation area on the south end of the Golden Gate Bridge, and where else???
Has anyone done the ship tours on Monday? What are the crowds like? How long do you have to wait?
Free places to watch air show: Believe it or not, every so often someone will ask if the air show can be seen from the East Bay. The answer is no. Take a look at the flight path map and realize that you need to be as close to that area as possible. For free viewing try Fort Mason, the Marina Green and even Crissy Field, which is a little West of the center of the action, but still very good. Remember sun block, liquids to drink and really comfortable shoes. And don't forget our San Francisco ocean-edge weather. A warm and sunny day and turn into a chilly, breezy day in minutes. Be prepared just in case.
Monday tours: Your best chance to avoid waiting in lines to tour the ships is to go on Monday morning.
Saturday you can tour USS Makin Island at Pier 30-32. The other ships will be arriving in Saturday's Parade of Ships. Makin Island is the only ship available for tour on Saturday as Makin Island arrived in San Francisco Thursday mid-day.
Friday is a day for first responders, disaster preparedness workshops and conferences aboard Makin Island. Police, fire, rescue personnel from all Bay Area cities and counties, plus California State emergency and disaster preparedness officials are gathering today and this weekend for planning and practice aboard Makin Island.
There will be a lot of safety, earthquake, disaster response and rescue information booths and contacts on site aboard Makin Island. You may see lots of firefighters, rescue workers and medical personnel.
Head out to Pier 30-32 (at the foot of Bryant Street, between the Bay Bridge and the Giants Ballpark) Saturday, Sunday or Monday 9am to 3pm.
The tour is free.
Have fun everybody!
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