Sailboats, fishing boats and sparkling water!

Sailboats pass live bait fishing boat docked at Tuna Harbor Pier.
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.
Sailboats pass a commercial live bait fishing boat.
Fishing boat nets stretched on Tuna Harbor Pier.
Seine net with floats stretches along edge of Tuna Harbor pier.
Sailboats and a Navy oiler docked at North Island in the background.
Sailboats and a Navy oiler docked at North Island in the background.
Pelican and gulls on the edge of Tuna Harbor Pier.
Pelican and gulls on the edge of the Tuna Harbor pier.
Small sailboat passes live bait boat on San Diego Bay.
Small sailboat passes live bait boat on San Diego Bay.
The rusted bridge of a large live bait fishing boat.
The rusted bridge of a live bait catching fishing boat.
Dangling ropes and the fishing net coiled on a huge cylinder.
Dangling ropes and the seine net coiled on a huge cylinder-like winch drum.
Live bait boat docked at Tuna Harbor Pier on San Diego Bay.
Live bait boat Cougar docked at the picturesque Tuna Harbor pier on San Diego Bay.
White egret perched on square well perhaps hopes to find a fish.
Snowy egret perched on square well perhaps hopes to find a fish.
One live bait boat is named Rival.
One live bait boat is named Rival.
Cougar tied to pier between hunts for small fish.
Cougar tied to G Street Pier between watery hunts for small fish.
San Diego Bay and many colorful boats!
San Diego Bay and many colorful boats!

Masts of tall ships docked on San Diego Bay.

festival of sail early morning 02

Here’s another pic taken in downtown San Diego this morning while I strolled along the Embarcadero. The intricate masts, yards and rigging projecting into the early morning sky belong to tall ships that will be participating in the 2013 Festival of Sail. I like how mysterious these ships can appear just after sunrise, as if they’re nautical ghosts visiting from the past! I wouldn’t have been surprised to glimpse Captain Ahab or The Ancient Mariner striding toward me along the bayside sidewalk!

UPDATE!

It’s a year later, and visiting tall ships have begun to arrive a couple days before the 2014 Festival of Sail. Here’s a pic I took early in the morning! This year I’ll make it a point to attend the big Labor Day weekend event and take loads of photos!

Two tall ships have arrived a couple days early for the 2014 Festival of Sail.
Two tall ships have arrived a couple days early for the 2014 Festival of Sail.

Early morning at San Diego Festival of Sail.

festival of sail early morning 01

This photograph was taken early this morning when I walked through downtown to catch the trolley for work. I strolled a short distance along the Embarcadero near the County Administration Building and was pleased to see many tall ships had already arrived to take part in the 2013 Festival of Sail this Labor Day weekend.

In addition to the San Diego Maritime Museum’s venerable Star of India, HMS Surprise and Californian, numerous high-masted sailing vessels will participate in the historic event. And simulated cannon battles will take place on San Diego Bay! Lots of excited people will be touring these beautiful ships!

Here’s a bonus pic from the following morning:

dark masts in a colorful sky
Masts of many tall ships in a colorful morning sky.

UPDATE!

It’s a year later! I checked out the 2014 Festival of Sail early Friday morning before the event began and took a few pics from behind the fence! Here they are! (I will be attending the event on Sunday, so look for many more detailed ship photos on the Cool San Diego Sights blog!)

HMS Surprise of San Diego Maritime Museum and masts of visiting tall ships beyond.
HMS Surprise of San Diego Maritime Museum and masts of visiting tall ships beyond.
Navy sailors run along Harbor Drive before the Labor Day weekend event begins.
Navy sailors run along Harbor Drive before the Labor Day weekend event begins.

The runner with the flag led a bunch of lustily singing Navy personnel on a run right next to the festival venue!

A view of tall ships participating in 2014 Festival of Sail on the Embarcadero.
A view of tall ships participating in 2014 Festival of Sail on the Embarcadero.