You see all sorts of boats and ships on San Diego Bay. The Silvergate might be my favorite.
Operated by Flagship (the new name of San Diego Harbor Excursion), the small ship is often used as a Coronado ferry.
A varnished wooden bench runs around the outside perimeter of the little ship, where you can just sit and enjoy the fresh air and amazing views. I love it!
Silvergate ferry has discharged passengers behind San Diego Convention Center.San Diego ferry Silvergate departs behind convention center.A favorite little ship, the Silvergate begins across San Diego Bay for Coronado.Silvergate ferry heading across the water with Coronado Bay Bridge in background.
Here are some more photos that I took in late 2017…
Photo of downtown San Diego from the Silvergate ferry.Flagship employee ties up the Silvergate at the Coronado Ferry Landing’s floating dock.People arriving at Coronado Island ready to disembark the small ferry.The Silvergate awaits passengers at the Coronado Ferry Landing.
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Lounging and enjoying a stunning view of San Diego.
People gravitate toward water. Water sparkles, soothes, delights, attracts the eye and invites reflection. I love the opening to Moby Dick, where Melville says: “Let the most absent-minded of men be plunged in his deepest reveries–stand that man on his legs, set his feet a-going, and he will infallibly lead you to water . . . ”
Look at these folks just gazing at the water!
The Ferry Landing in Coronado offers amazing views of San Diego Bay. Stand out on the pier, splash on the small beach, sit on the grass or on the patio of a restaurant, and just gaze in a quiet reverie at the passing boats and the gleaming San Diego skyline. Call me crazy, but I could linger here for hours.
That’s one reason why I love to take the ferry to Coronado!
The second pic shows people on the Coronado Ferry Landing pier. During the day, San Diego’s downtown skyline is a beautiful sight. At night, all lit up, it’s like a glowing dream. If you were turn to the left, you’d see a whole bunch of people fishing.
Fishing from the small Coronado Ferry Landing pier.People board the Silvergate ferry for downtown San Diego.
Next we see people filing from the pier down to the float where the ferry ties up. During the tourist season, the Silvergate ferry takes people to the Convention Center; a larger ship takes people to the Broadway Pier. You can bring your bicycle on board (or rent one at the Ferry Landing) and bike across the island to the ocean side, where you’ll find the Hotel del Coronado.
The Coronado ferry is great short cruise on the bay.Silvergate docked at Coronado with San Diego skyline.Visitors to the island of Coronado arrive and depart.People stroll down a path near the ferry landing.Kids play on the beach next to the ferry landing pier.Paddleboarding just off the Coronado Ferry Landing.Amazing view of a beautiful sunlit city.
This photo was taken from Navy Pier just south of the Broadway Pier. It shows a cluster of Hornblower and Flagship harbor excursion boats, plus the big Celebrity Solstice cruise ship at the San Diego cruise ship terminal. If you were to turn to the right, you’d see the historic Santa Fe train depot and shining downtown skyline closeby.
The red, white and blue Patriot speed boat is a new addition to the growing fleet of tour and charter boats seen daily on our beautiful Big Bay!
The following pics were taken on another day:
Harbor tour ships and a Water Taxi next to Broadway Pier.Harbor tour photographer gets photographed!People linger on dock near water taxis.Harbor cruise ships with Navy Broadway Complex in the background.A view of downtown and harbor cruise ships from approaching ferry.The Lord Hornblower approaches as people disembark from Coronado ferry.Patriot speed boat leaves dock, passing USS Midway.
Here’s a photograph showing several of the murals on the north side of the cruise ship terminal, in downtown San Diego. These colorful new murals show cruise ships, marine life and other sea-related imagery. Last weekend two large ships were visiting, one docked on either side of the terminal. I believe it’s that time of the year when many ships visit San Diego as they transition from summer Alaska cruises and head down the coast to Mexico or the Panama Canal on their way to the Caribbean.
Here are some cruise ship pics taken on a later date:
Costa Deliziosa docked in San Diego.Cruise ship Arcadia rises beyond tourists and pedicab.
More assorted pics of public art at the cruise ship terminal:
One of several promotional signs on the parking lot side of terminal.Tourists are encouraged to cruise San Diego!Clock on street side of cruise ship terminal resembles ship’s wheel.These sculptures were part of past Urban Trees exhibitions on the Embarcadero.
Check out the Lyra Leader, a massive box-like car-carrying ship as it heads down San Diego Bay toward the National City Marine Terminal. These cool, very unusual type of roll-on/roll-off (RORO) ships are often seen passing close to downtown. They’re bringing in thousands of new cars from Asia–Japan and South Korea–which are driven off a ramp into a massive parking lot. Many of the vehicles are then loaded into car-carrying freight trains and sent off toward their final destinations.
In this photograph, note the active aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson docked at the North Island naval base on the left.
UPDATE–I finally got a couple more pics of another ship while I was crossing San Diego Bay on the ferry. All the passengers were excited to be so close to the massive thing!
Sailboats, skyscrapers and one super enormous ship!Swift Ace car transport ship leaves San Diego Bay.
ANOTHER UPDATE–Here are more photos that I took at later times…
This plaque, a memorial to our nation’s merchant seamen, is located in San Diego’s Embarcadero Marina Park North between a popular walking path and the edge of the big bay. You’ll find it just steps from Seaport Village.
It reads:
Dedicated To the Merchant Seamen
Who Lost Their Lives At Sea
Donated by the Propeller Club of the United States
Port of San Diego
The Women’s Propeller Club of San Diego
Port of San Diego
A great place to watch small commercial fishermen unload their catch or load up with ice is the dock just north of Seaport Village, opposite the Chesapeake Fish Company. Folks walking past can also peer through a glass window nearby and see workers in a refrigerated room cleaning and processing the fresh fish that ends up at restaurants throughout the region. I once heard the Chesapeake Fish Company is the largest fish broker west of the Mississippi.
The sign in this photograph details the history of San Diego’s fishing industry–tuna fishing and canning in particular. At one time San Diego had the largest tuna fishing fleet in the world. Many of the fishermen were Italian migrants, which gave rise to the Little Italy neighborhood, about a mile to the north on downtown’s waterfront.
Tuna Harbor, adjacent to this dock, now is home to a ragtag group of local fishing boats. It’s also a great place to spot sea lions!
Working Waterfront sign shows photographs from San Diego’s rich fishing history.1915 photo shows immigrants cleaning and canning locally caught fish.Sign contrasts abundant catch of 1980 with the decline of tuna fishing in mid 80’s.Fishing boat passes by the dock and crane.
There’s a surprise around every corner in Seaport Village. The inviting place, with its meandering paths, specialty shops, eateries, historic merry-go-round, tranquil duck pond and fountains is a fine place to spend a sunny afternoon. Even native San Diegans enjoy it! One can fly a kite in the neighboring Embarcadero Marina Park, barbeque by a picnic bench, and watch buskers perform. One can walk along the water and gaze out at the sparkling blue bay, sailboats and Coronado Island, or walk out on a working public pier for sweeping views from the Coronado Bay Bridge to the USS Midway, and beyond to Harbor Island.
Child takes delight at the Kite Flite shop in Seaport Village.Candied apples in window of the Seaport Village fudge store.Cookie shop lighthouse at Seaport Village.
You can see one of the Manchester Grand Hyatt towers in the background.
Folks board the Seal Tour amphibious vehicle for a harbor adventure.People sit on wall near the Pier Cafe.Pirate stands guard outside a Seaport Village nautical shop.Seaport Village street performer prepares to swallow fire.
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Sailboats pass live bait fishing boat docked at Tuna Harbor pier.
Venture anywhere along San Diego Bay and you’re in for a show!
Look at these pics of huge blue fishing boats, colorful sailboats, and the big gray Navy ships glimpsed in the distance!
Of course, sailboats are easily recognized, and everyone loves watching them dance on the big bay. On any given day you’ll see many white sails. Often you’ll see a group of sailboats racing together, tacking, tilting, running on the sea breeze.
The big blue fishing boats with the square wells that we seem to be standing beside are commercial live bait boats docked at Tuna Harbor’s G Street Pier. Seine nets are utilized to gather schools of small fish, which are then dumped into the deep wells. The live bait is then used by fishermen who depart from several sportfishing locations around San Diego. Pelicans, egrets, black-crowned night herons and gulls often perch on the sides of idle live bait boats. Perhaps they think something tasty will magically appear!
The distant Navy ships are an oiler and two active aircraft carriers docked at Naval Air Station North Island, situated on the northern half of Coronado Island. The two homeported carriers that you can glimpse are the USS Carl Vinson and the USS Ronald Reagan.
Sailboats pass a commercial live bait fishing boat.Seine net with floats stretches along edge of Tuna Harbor pier.Sailboats and a Navy oiler docked at North Island in the background.Pelican and gulls on the edge of the Tuna Harbor pier.Small sailboat passes live bait boat on San Diego Bay.The rusted bridge of a live bait catching fishing boat.Dangling ropes and the seine net coiled on a huge cylinder-like winch drum.Live bait boat Cougar docked at the picturesque Tuna Harbor pier on San Diego Bay.Snowy egret perched on square well perhaps hopes to find a fish.One live bait boat is named Rival.Cougar tied to G Street Pier between watery hunts for small fish.San Diego Bay and many colorful boats!
Here’s another look at the beautiful San Diego Marriott Marina. Hundreds of boats find safe harbor in this large expanse of water between a grassy park to the west and the silvery Marriott Marquis hotel. You can see boats of every size and description: sailboats, speedboats, small yachts…
Around Christmas, many of these watercraft are decked with strings of colored lights, glowing Santas, and other illuminated decorations, making for a festive scene at night. Dozens of boats participate in the holiday Parade of Lights, cruising merrily around San Diego Bay.
Throughout the year, it’s fun to watch individual boats gliding slowly in and out of the marina. You can also spot rented Jet Skis, people enjoying kayaks, and others standing on paddleboards.
Marriott Marina with nearby Hilton hotel in the background.Man on paddleboard enjoys calm water in the marina.One of several ramps to the San Diego Marriott’s marina.Watercraft for rent at the Marriott Marina.Inflatable Christmas dog decorates boat in the marina.
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