Sailing the Alma in San Francisco Bay

[azlakes]

Hi Folks;

Just got back from a No-Cal trip. Here are a few pics from an old wooden 60' sailing ship called a scow. It?s the last of its kind from the late eighteen hundreds and let me say what a treat. You'd be surprised at the work out to run sails up and man lines. Pulling the ship off the dock was indeed a heave-ho. If you look close in one pic you can see the Golden Gate in the back ground. The vessel skirts the bridge but does not head to open waters. The Bay is much larger than I remember with changes in water from chop to calm to soaked were all part of the fun.

Enjoy

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Sailing the Alma in San Francisco Bay

That's pretty cool! Was this a tour type thing or did you know someone to get onboard?

 

[azlakes]

Re: Sailing the Alma in San Francisco Bay

Thanks fd -

It's part of the National Park System - they have a pier off fisherman's wharf on Clyde street where the cable cars do their turn around. This NPS is a floating museum of sorts that is pretty cool. You can walk about the ships from tug's to old vintage cargo ships to whalers... anyway this sail ship is part of the interactive park system and has a park ranger on board, a first mate and a skipper. They tell you how to 'man' a boat, what your part will be, and speak to the sights, islands and points of interest... yes you do sail by Alcatraz but there are many other topics which are quite informative. It takes about 4.5 hours and dress in layers for high seas winter. As the saying goes ?the coldest winter I ever felt was the summer I spent in San Francisco?

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Sailing the Alma in San Francisco Bay

Thanks for the info. My wife and I have been the SF many times and have been wanting to take the kids, that sounds like something fun that they would like.

I just google earthed it and we have walked by that place many times. There are "sportfishing" places down that pier, so I know why my wife kept me out of there...