Angel Island

Ever since I moved to the Bay area after my time abroad in Sweden, I have been wanting to visit Angel Island. Part of the attraction for me is that you have beautiful views of the bay and can enjoy enjoy nature at the same time. Last Saturday was the day for me to do it. I left Berkeley in the morning and arrived in Tiburon in time to take the ten o clock ferry. I enjoyed the ferry ride and being out in the bay. Since there were relatively few clouds it was warm, however, the breezes were quite chilly. It was both hot and cold at the same time! Once I reached the island I started to walk on the perimeter road. Initially I had decided to join a hiking group, but once I reached the island I decided to enjoy the day by myself and take pictures.

Facing Tiburon

Abandoned buildings

 











Down by the water there are groups of abandoned housing for military personnel that used to be stationed on the island. The clusters of buildings are actually quite beautiful. As I was hiking around the island I could watch the fog rolling in over the bay. The rolling mist was trapped in the boundary layer flow near the surface of the water. At the top of the boundary layer I could see the rolling eddies in the mist, it was really beautiful. As the mist rolled near Alcatraz, I could see a large bump form in the thin misty sheet as the mist rolled over the protruding island. The moving air appeared to slow down as it rolled over the island, and a zone of slow and fast moving fog became discernible. It looked like two separate flows converging. What I really enjoyed was the view of the buildings in San Francisco combined with the rolling mist, the blue sky, and the deeper blue of the bay. It was truly breathtaking and I really wished at that moment that I knew how to paint.

Mist in the boundary layer

Three boats passing

As I made my way toward the opposite side of the island, facing away from the city and toward the Richmond bridge, I saw the entire bay dotted with sail boats. The sail boats where white with open white sails. The effect was a blue and white scenery, the simple white triangles of the boat sails, the blue sky, and the blue water of the bay. My favorite part of day trip were these three views, of the city with the fog rolling in, the myriad of sailing boats, and the abandoned buildings with overgrown gardens. By the end of the day I had walked for 5 miles and I was glad to go home and relax. I am looking forward to going back again in the Spring!