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It’s Time for Fleet Week

All the boats you see here are out to see the Blue Angels, and they’re all just outside the Angels’ ‘ditch zone,’ set between Alcatraz and the Cityfront.

latitude/LaDonna
©2009 Latitude 38 Media, LLC

It’s time once again for Fleet Week! While that means there’ll be cool stuff like air shows by the Blue Angels and warship parades/visits, it also means the Coast Guard has set aside some space for all this to take place.

The blue-shaded area represents the restricted zone for tomorrow’s Parade of Ships between 11 a.m. and 12:30 a.m. Don’t forget that no matter where a US Navy ship is you are required by law to give it a 500-yard berth!

US Coast Guard
© Latitude 38 Media, LLC

Tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., vessel traffic will be restricted in a band from the Gate, extending out to Alcatraz and down to just south of the Bay Bridge. This is in addition to the 500-yard security zone that will be enforced around each Navy vessel at all times. There’s also an additional restricted area between the Cityfront and Alcatraz, reserved — but hopefully not needed — as a ditch zone for the Blue Angels from about noon to 5 p.m. through Sunday.

The orange box marks the hopefully-unnecessary ‘ditch zone’ for the Blue Angels. This area will be restricted between about noon and 5 p.m. through Sunday.

US Coast Guard
©2009 Latitude 38 Media, LLC

Be alert, remember to have your registration and a sufficient number of PFDs aboard, don’t overload your boat, save the beer and wine for when you’ve returned to the dock, and enjoy the show. There’ll likely be plenty of boardings by the Coast Guard security patrols this weekend, so make sure to leave anything you don’t want confiscated — or that might result in the confiscation of your boat — at home. If you don’t believe everything we’ve just told you, see for yourself here.

Sailing

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