The Drrons shoot a killer and other delights.

[drron]

I mentioned the whales before.There was a lot of activity that morning but mainly blows and just how exciting is that.

.
There were however quite a few breaches.Unfortunately the whales don't advertise just where this is going to happen which means this is what I got-

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

 

[drron]

.

.

.

.

.

.
Alcatraz appears through the fog.

.

.

.

.

 

[drron]

.

.

.

.

.

.

.
Of course there is also the Bay bridge.We were in San Francisco a month after 9/11.There was a major security alert when it was thought the bridges were under threat.In a mood of defiance we drove over each of San Fran's bridges with the only other vehicle on the road an army hummer alongside us.

.

.

 

[drron]

.
Amazing the numbers of cormorants flying out to sea.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.
Once again good to see those that paid the ultimate price honoured.

.

 

[drron]

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

 

[drron]

.

.

.
Getting close to our berth.

.

.

.

.
And this is it.

.

.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Are you shooting these in grey scale, or is it just cold, foggy and wet??

 

[drron]

It was tghe thing that without it San Fran wouldn't be San Francisco-fog.It was cold but not wet.

 

[drron]

We have been to San Francisco many times though now we usually stay to the east.So the city tour or the Muir woods add on really didn't appeal to us.So we just went for a walk to bring back memories.On our first visit to the USA back in 1981 we first landed at San Francisco.I was there for a medical conference.Memorable as it was the years HIV became headline news.
But also learnt about American culture particularly tipping.In those days to an Australian a tip was either a place you took your garbage or a piece of advice for Saturday's horse race.We soon learnt their meaning.Being chased down the road by a Chinese chef brandishing a meat cleaver certainly caused us to focus on their ways.Fortunately we were taken under the wing of the Maitre'd at the White Elephant restaurant in the holiday Inn on Union Square.No problems since.


We loved the Fisherman's wharf area so we just walked.didn't take our cameras so just a few pictures by phone.Now this is my kind of boat-Wine Therapy.

.

.

.
Fisherman's wharf itself was just so sad.Nothing like the feeling back in 81.

.

.

 

[drron]

We were determined though to have a seafood lunch.On the previous voyage we learnt of Boudins from the neice of the current family owners.
Boudin at The Wharf - Boudin Bakery
Now we are not lovers of sour dough so downstairs had little appeal for us so upstairs it was.Fantastic.We started off sharing a bowl of mussels with lots of garlic.

.
Then a platter of Dungeness crab.

.
Which made someone very happy.

.
We love our garlic and San Francisco is a great place to find it used.After all Gilroy,the garlic capital of the world,is just down the road.For the full garlic experience this place is it
Daily Menu at The Stinking Rose | We Season Our Garlic With Food! | 325 Columbus Avenue San Francisco CA, 941335
But we love their sister restaurant to the east.
The Dead Fish Restaurant Crab House and Prime Rib, located in Crockett.
Their platters of mussels,crab etc are heaven for us.

 

[drron]

Time to sail away.We did have regards for our fellow passengers and tried to keep our distance.

.

.

.

.

.
Once again a Coast guard escort.Much more pro active going after any small boat that tried to get a closer look such as this one.

.

 

[drron]

There are other bridges surrounding San francisco-

.

.
And this one in the distance.

.

.
But we had eyes for only one.

.

.
This yacht was a serial offender.The coast guard had had enough.

.

.
We learnt later from the Captain that while this was going on a sailboarder continually tried to cut across the bow of the Explorer.As she said if he had capsized the Explorer wouldn't have been able to stop.Apparently the Coast guard ended up pushing him out of the way.Stupid is as stupid does.

.

.

 

[drron]

.

.
.The sun was shining brightly.

.

.

.

.

.
So under the Golden Gate we go.

.

.

 

[drron]

.

.

.

.
With the sunlight it was easier to see the whale blows.Once again there were humpbacks breaching but I was just too slow.

.
A lot of passing shipping.

.

.
The next day was quite overcast so sunrise was muted.

.

.

.

 

[drron]

The next 2 days were sea days.Some good lectures but often interrupted due to whale action.I became popular with the whale watchers as virtually every time I cam on deck the whales appeared.At times I even got a picture of a little bit of whale.

.

.
Even with breaches I sometimes managed to capture a tiny bit of whale.

.

.
But mainly just blows.

.

.

 

[drron]

We had dinner that night with Chris and his wife.No better time to use some of our Virtuoso OBC.So a nice bottle of red was shared.

.

.
Some of the food.

.

.

.

 

[drron]

Then we arrived off Astoria on the Columbia River the weather improved.In fact the weather gods shone upon us the whole time with the only inclement weather overnight when arriving into San Diego and San Francisco plus these sea days.Again the Pacific really behaved with swells never getting over 2 metres.Today was different in one respect.The pilot arrived by helicopter.We were kept away from the back deck on 6 but saw it fly away.

.

.

.

.

.
Sailing up the Columbia river.

.

.

.

.

 

[drron]

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.
Coming into our berth.

.

.

 

[drron]

Logging is an important industry here.

.

.

.

.
We are off on the Lewis and Clark excursion.

.
But first we visit the Astoria column on a hill overlooking the city.

.

.

.

.

.

 

[drron]

The Astoria column was built in 1926 by the Great Northern railway and Vincent Astor whose family gave the city it's name.Of course the area gave the Astor family it's wealth through the Pacific fur Company.It is patterned after the Trajan column in Rome.It has a spiral sgraffito frieze seven feet wide and 525 feet long showing 14 significant events in the early history of Oregon.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.