midget "Tall Ships"

Well, I barely survived the onslaught of cars and people who lined the coast, the piers and any street leading to these spots, hoping for a vantage point to see the ships.

As I have already seen a real Tall Ships event, this was a big disappointment for me. I expected four masted vessels, their crews up on the masts as I had seen in Spain twice.

The US Coast Guard training vessel Eagle was tiny in comparsion.... to make things worse, the other ships were tiny also. I was reminded of a small pond with little bits of flat wood with paper sails blowing across the wind-swept water. Some of the other participating vessels include the Californian, the Nina, the Bounty, the Gas Light, the Gold Star, and the Lynx. This was a great event still, enabling me to see something I've never seen before in the Bay Area.

I started at Baker's Beach and it seems after that, my life was a running blur... running from one spot, driving to another, and running again, getting a few snaps, then running yet again to drive off to yet another location, then running again. I estimate I must have run about four miles between locations and my car just this morning!

At the northern lookout point of the Golden Gate Bridge, a parking spot was the most valuable commodity. Leading the parade of 15 official participating vessels ~ and a whole lot of other unofficial vessels of every size - the Eagle made a grand entrance, with small sailing vessels coming in behind her. Up at the headlands, people were decked out in folding chairs up with tight collars up to the chin to stop the biting cold wind, but still there was a huge crowd. Parking again was impossible and I had to park so far that I couldn't see my car after just two minutes of jogging to find a decent spot to photograph the crowded bay full of sailing boats. The bay was was covered in haze due to the combined effects of smoke from northern California forest fires and smog.

The Embarcadero was no exception today as many of the vessels were tying up at piers scattered along the wharf, the farthest being piers 30 and 32 where the Eagle was berthed.

the Eagle passes under the Golden Gate

At all locations, the pelicans were again flying.... they are just such graceful birds when flying..... Visit my site at pixie to see some of the other images recorded!