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San Francisco and whale watching trip.
Woke early and still a little tired from the previous day's journey. We need to be down at pier39 by 7.30 for the whale watching trip on a boat called the kitty Kat which is a 65 ft catamaran. This boat holds approx 50 people. The tickets had cost $79 each. Got a taxi down. I had sensible shoes on and had taken lots of layers. As the start was so early we missed the breakfast at the hotel. We were dropped of at pier 39 which is part of fishermans wharf. Luckily found a seven convienence store open so stocked up on water and munchies. Found the booking in office and at 8 we walked down to the boat. The weather was starting to hot up and it looked like we would have a good day. On the river we saw very different views than you would on land. I did not realise that there was more than one bridge. We sailed past Alcatraz Island. The prison appeared to take up much of the island and did look forbidding. We are visiting there to morrow. The Bay is large so it took a while to get to the Golden Gate Bridge. it was incredible and just like in the films. The boat was comfortable And I chatted to. Nice Swiss girl called Nicole. We saw the usual Brown pelicans !!!! Huge and great..... Also saw a few harbour seals. The captain of the boat wanted us all to whale watch so I took up binoculars And waited. the sun was really bright off the sea making it difficult to see.
We had not gone far past the Golden Gate Bridge when a whale was sighted. Well the spout was sighted. I had a quick glimpse then gone. We stayed around the area. The boat is legally not Allowed to go nearer than 100 metres unless the engine is off and the whale comes closer. We had a marine biologist on board called heather she told us about the whales And her passion in keeping the seas clean of plastic.
Suddenly another sighting and I saw my first whale on the surface of the water, wow it was huge, then another. The captain thought there were three. We were all stood near the bow. This went on and eventually I saw a tail..... My camera was going like mad as you had seconds to get the photo. The whales came very close certainly less than a hundred yards. More sightings then a period of quiet. We were going to continue but the fog that San Francisco is famous for started to roll in. Very Stephen king!!! it was on the horizon as a bank and kept getting nearer. Suddenly a sighting and I saw the whale breach. This means it came out of the water. Unfortunately I could not get a picture but do not need one as the sight will last forever.
I started to feel a bit queasy and sat down. There was a period of quiet and then the boat started back. Just in time my stomach says... The weather was clearer and the fog did not reach the the shoreline. The sights of those whales me feel very humble no I know Martin felt the same. What an experience.
We landed and we ate the food we had taken. W e walked down the end of yet another pier. At the end to the side were some pontoons and on them were loads of sea lions. They were laying but also moving. There were males among them all barking and trying to be supreme. We were mesmerised and stayed to watch their antics. Some pushed others off. We saw a very large male try to get on but was bullied off. He eventually kept swimming around when a female joined and they swam off. The noise was tremendous and the way the stretched, scratched and moved was amusing.
We left the pier and had a drink at a place called Pats just off fishermans wharf. This is a tourist hot spot. Lots of statue people, a few homeless and some musicians.
We decided to get back to the hotel and found the start of the cable car. These are the famous ones you always see in films. We bought a three day pass for $26 each as they cover other public transport. I do not intend to drive in San Francisco.
There was a bit of queue which got very long by the time we boarded the tram, it was not what I thought. The staff ignored you and the tram was noisy and crowded and uncomfortable. Still we could say we have been on one. We got back to the hotel and crashed. All that sea air.
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