With Sacramento broiling in the July heat, a trip to San Francisco is a refreshingly cool idea. And there's no more intriguing time to go than July 23-27, when more than a million locals and tourists are expected to turn out for the first large-scale gathering of tall ships to be staged here since 2002.
Fifteen vessels have committed so far to participating in the Festival of Sail, which kicks off at noon July 23 with a parade of vessels gliding with sails unfurled under the Golden Gate Bridge.
Each ship has a tale to tell, and spectators can soak up the stories during daily tours that provide opportunities to board the vessels and interact with the crews. Day and evening cruises replete with mock cannon battles will be available on a limited basis.
Besides the visual treat presented by the tall ships, the festival provides an opportunity for in-depth exploration of San Francisco's maritime heritage. Three "villages" with nautical themes will be set up along the Embarcadero, each with exhibits and entertainment. One will be devoted to marine education, one to the history of international voyaging and one to environmental issues. Several ships will be moored at each setting.
It costs nothing to stroll the waterfront, look at festival exhibits and enjoy diversions such as topsail demonstrations and chantey singing, but a $10 ticket is required to board any or all of the ships docked at a given village. (An all-village ticket is $20.) A timed ticket/wristband system has been developed to cut down on long wait times.
Also requiring a ticket is Ye Olde Velocity Circus Pirate Academy, an education/entertainment venue featuring "a team of slightly unprincipled, playfully deceitful scoundrels and rascallettes" who will teach children how to walk the pirate walk and talk the pirate talk. For $10 a head, participants get a temporary tattoo, a lingo lesson and an opportunity to handle ropes, learn about knots and practice sword skills.
The San Francisco event is part of the Tall Ships Challenge Pacific Coast Series, which includes similar events at maritime venues up and down the coast.
If you're thinking of going, don't forget to pack a sweatshirt: The more Sacramento broils, the more likely San Francisco is to be cloaked in a cooling fog.
At this time of year, that sounds mighty inviting.
TRAVEL WISE: FESTIVAL OF SAIL
Where: San Francisco waterfront, Hyde Park Pier to AT&T Park
When: July 23-28
Tickets: Purchase online or on site
Web site: www.festivalofsail.org
Key events:
• Parade of Sail, noon- 2 p.m. July 23, visible from anywhere along the waterfront. A special viewing area and ticket kiosks will be set up at the Fort Mason Firehouse from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Free.
• Mock cannon battles on the bay, 2-4:30 p.m. July 24-27. Watch from shore or come aboard for $65-$85 per person.
• Village exhibits (free) and public boarding of vessels ($10), available 10 a.m.-6 p.m. July 24-27.
• Pirate Academy at Justin Herman Plaza, $10, available daily.
– Janet Fullwood
