Fleetweek 2011 in San Francisco

[tgtaylor]

The Blue Angels flew into SFO yesterday afternoon and are scheduled to buzz SF this afternoon (but it's overcast and raining:( ) and Friday. The weather for the weekend looks good right now and we should have a good show for the weekend - including a parade of 13 ships into the bay on Saturday morning. Here's the current schedule:

San Francisco Fleet Week 2011 Schedule

(check the Fleet Week website for updates)

Thursday, October 6, 2011
■Blue Angels Circle and Arrival Maneuvers

Friday, October 7, 2011
■Fleet Week Disaster Relief Training for military and civilian emergency response teams
■Fleet Week Air Show Practice 1pm to 4pm

Saturday, October 8, 2011
■ Parade of Ships
■ Fleet Week Air Show 1pm to 4pm
■ Disaster Preparedness Exhibits
■ Navy in Space Exhibit
■Blue Angels/Air Show Performers Meet the Public

Sunday, October 9, 2011
■ Fleet Week Air Show 1pm to 4pm
■ 140th Annual Italian Heritage Parade – SFFWA Float/Military Marching Band
■ Disaster Preparedness Exhibits
■ Navy In Space Exhibit
■ Ship Tours for the Public

Monday, October 10, 2011
■Ship Tours for the Public
■2nd Annual Fleet Week Band Challenge

http://www.fleetweek.us/index.html

Thomas

[Drew Wiley]

Sometimes I have simply walked up the street and up onto El Sobrante Ridge where I
can get an excellent view of the whole pattern the Blue Angels take all the way from
China Basin to somewhere above the Mothball fleet in San Pablo Bay. Even though
they time all this for the spectators at the northern end of SF itself, they need a lot
of extra room to get into position. It is especially interesting how the jet which
photographs them in formation takes is own path to parallel and pass them at very high speed. A long time ago View Camera did an interesting article on this particular
pilot/photographer and printed examples of his work. He uses an old 4x5 Speed Graphic
with wire sportfinder, and when he actually places his finger on the shutter button
is still at least two to five miles behind the pack. But he is moving so fast
(faster than them), that the timing of the shot has to be almost intuitive. Yet he
manages to gets mtsn and background clouds all into logical composition too! Takes the old saying about "the decisive moment" to a whole new level.

[Drew Wiley]

I forgot all about this until I ran across to the Marin headlands today to get a quick
walk and bag a few shots. Up on Wolf Ridge I got a bit too much for my bridge fare.
The jets were maneuvering right overhead at pretty high decibels, and I probably
got a better view of them than the public under low-lying fog down down at Ft Baker.
Not complaining. Great day. But ASA 25 film and a big wooden tripod is no good for jet photography. Got what I was really after instead.

[SamReeves]

Nimitz class carrier is out there too. Wish I could have seen the parade of ships!

[Drew Wiley]

When the fog finally cleared mid afternoon, there was a fascinating pattern of
shimmering white sails in the water all around the GG area. A lot of sailboats showed up to watch the event. But I had no interest in hanging around with the crowd at the best vantage points and trying to operate a large camera with long lenses there. Wanted to beat the traffic before the airshow ended anyway.