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The San Francisco Bay

Tuesday, May 20, 2008, 14 hours


A short cruise on the bay of San Francisco, you feel like it? Follow me on board the Harbor Queen, wearing the flag of Red and White Fleet . Do not forget your sweater, even in bright sunshine, because there is always a nice little breeze, not to spray. And of course, open your eyes and remember all this (and digital neurons are strongly recommended). On the ears, you will provide a helmet with the player who is well. It allows you, in eight languages, to have all the information and explanations necessary historical. I admit, I probably did not completely successful ... so I'll give you a quick summary.

Under the Golden Gate Bridge

So if you do not remember you learn that the bay is long about 80 to 100 km from north to south and off 5 to 20 km from east to west. It is a shallow estuary, which joins the Pacific Ocean through the Golden Gate channel extending from north to south parallel to the coast. Bay drains the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers take their source in the Sierra Nevada before emptying into the Pacific Ocean. In fact, these two rivers flow into Suisun Bay and Carquinez Strait and the Napa River to join the entrance to San Pablo Bay.

is a bit complicated, right? Then you'll be pleased to learn that, for simplicity, we call this set the "Bay of San Francisco" simply. And we say that its area is about 4000 square kilometers, always in the interest of simplification.

San Francisco Bay view from

Within an hour, we'll sail to the Golden Gate Bridge , then after a large semi around, we went around the island of Alcatraz . This short slideshow gives you a little insight. And you still can click on each photo caption illustrating the articles.



[ download the video here ]

Ah, the Golden Gate Bridge ! The symbol of San Francisco, of course! Not to be confused with the Bay Bridge, especially. It is indeed very easily recognizable by its color called "International Orange" and the architecture of its two towers, connected by two cables of a meter in diameter.

The Bridge on the Golden Gate connects the northern tip of the peninsula from SF to the city of Sausalito, located at the southern tip of the peninsula in Marin County. It is a suspension bridge anchored to the ground, opened to highway traffic, but also for cyclists and pedestrians. Remember that it is 2.6 km long, a good thirty minutes by jogging.

Al Capone visited Alcatraz

We see many pelicans in flight. Why, exactly, the name of the island that we see now comes from the English, Alcatraces (strange birds, pelicans).

The Alcatraz Island also has a very special reputation. The Rock also called , it is located opposite the Wharf. Military fortress in 1850, then a military prison in 1909, she became a high-security federal prison in 1934 and that, until 1963. Its walls, which we did not escape, for example, experienced a certain Al Capone. It was one of the first occupants.

The island of Alcatraz federal prison from 1934 to 1963

For the record, 14 of 36 attempts detainees were held in 29 years . Officially, no detainee has ever really managed to escape from Alcatraz by joining the continent, often carried by ocean currents and cold otherwise. Five prisoners were never found and were considered missing and presumed drowned.

Now it is a historic site open to visitors.