San Francisco Fleet Week Restrictions and Regulations for Mariners

It’s that time again. The time of year when we look to the skies to watch the Blue Angels and others flying to demonstrate their skill in a kind of cockpit different from the one sailors frequent. Yes, we know there are downsides to the air show, as we are sometimes reminded by our readers, but nonetheless, it is exciting to watch.

There is also the issue of safety, and with this in mind, we’re sharing the US Coast Guard’s information about restricted zones during the air show and Fleet Week. The USCG press release states that they will “enforce the regulated areas in the navigable waters of the San Francisco Bay for the San Francisco Bay Navy Fleet Week Parade of Ships and Blue Angels survey flight and demonstration days from October 10 through October 13, 2024.” So be prepared!

USCG Sector San Francisco has provided information as follows:

WATCHING THE SHOWS
The best areas to observe the air shows and the Parade of Ships are:

• North of the “Alpha” box for the parade and north of the “Bravo” box for the air show
• East of Blossom Rock Buoy
• From the shore

ACTIVITIES AREA CLOSURES NAVY PARADE OF SHIPS

Regulated area “Alpha,” which is depicted on “Chart 1,” will be enforced on Friday, October 11, between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. Traffic will be restricted throughout most of the Central San Francisco Bay from the Golden Gate Bridge, south of Alcatraz, to just south of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. This is to accommodate the Navy Parade of Ships as they pass under the Golden Gate Bridge to their assigned moorings in San Francisco. No vessel will be permitted to cross the parade line or interfere with the safe transit of the parade participants in any way. A 100-yard protective zone will also be enforced around each naval vessel the entire time they are in the port.

BLUE ANGELS DEMONSTRATION

Regulated area “Bravo.” which is depicted on “Chart 2.” will be enforced during the dates and times as noted on “Chart 2.” The enclosure to this flyer depicts the boundaries and coordinates of the most significant regulated areas. Federal Aviation Administration regulations require that these areas be clear of all vessel traffic during the specified times for scheduled air shows.

Chart 1: Regulated Area “Alpha” for Navy Parade of Ships

Chart 2: Regulated Area “Bravo” for U.S. Navy Blue Angels Activities

Temporary buoys for the Air Show Box will be installed by October 8, 2024, and will be removed on October 14, 2024. The buoys at the center and northwest corner point will be partially obstructing the eastbound traffic lane, and the buoys at the northeast and southeast corners will be partially encroaching upon the precautionary area east of Alcatraz Island. The locations of the temporary buoys are listed below:

Air Show Box
SW Corner: 37°48.612 N / 122°26.786 W
NW Corner: 37°49.113 N / 122°26.868 W
NE Corner: 37°49.389 N / 122°24.354 W
SE Corner: 37°48.888 N / 122°24.272 W
Center: 37°49.008 N / 122°25.590 W

The Fleet Week S.F. webpage tells us that along with enforcing the perimeter, the San Francisco Police Department Marine Unit, US Coast Guard, and partner public safety agencies will be enforcing boating laws on the Bay:

Now that we’ve dealt with the official part of the this story, we understand the flyovers aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, for varying reasons. But it is a once-a-year event in the Bay and we know there’ll be scores of boats on the water. So please, have fun, but be courteous of your neighbors and play nicely.

If you take any cool photos of the spectacle, upload them to our Sailagram for next month’s gallery, or email us at [email protected].