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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"#episode-transcript\">View the full episode transcript.\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Look out over the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco-bay\">San Francisco Bay\u003c/a> on any given day, and you may see a collection of giant container ships anchored offshore. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bay Curious listener Stephanie Rohlfs has seen them countless times on her runs, and the same question always pops into her mind: “How do the cargo ships know where to park? Is there an invisible parking lot or some other system?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-12-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12092756\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-12-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-12-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-12-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Janice Smith points to a map of ships anchored in the San Francisco Bay, in what are called anchor buckets, at the San Francisco Bar Pilots headquarters in San Francisco on Jan. 14, 2026. Anchor buckets offer longer-term places to park for commercial ships. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The short answer is: yes, there is a parking lot, although mariners call them anchorages. The largest ship parking lot in the bay is called Anchorage 9, just south of the Bay Bridge and north of the San Mateo Bridge. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In that area, there are 24 designated “anchor buckets” where ships can drop anchor and be confident that even if they are buffeted by wind and current, there’s no danger they will swing into another ship. They are arrayed in three rows of eight going north-south.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The answer may seem simple, but the journey to arrive at this system is both tragic and riveting.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Standard Oil collision\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the early morning hours of Jan. 19, 1971, two big oil tankers operated by Standard Oil were on the move. The Oregon was leaving Richmond headed towards the open ocean. The Arizona was heading into the bay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Both ships contacted the Coast Guard for weather updates and information on other boat traffic initially, but as they neared the Golden Gate Strait, they stopped communicating. It was a night of thick fog. At around 1:45 a.m., disaster struck. A quarter mile west of the Golden Gate Bridge, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/chronicle_vault/article/Chronicle-Covers-San-Francisco-Bay-s-oil-spill-6754542.php\">two ships collided\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“800,000 gallons of petroleum spilled in the bay,” said Gary Reed, Director of \u003ca href=\"https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/VTS%20User%20Guides/VTS_SF_UserManual_APR2025.pdf\">Vessel Traffic Service San Francisco\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"950\" height=\"753\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/ShipParking-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12092755\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/ShipParking-02-KQED.jpg 950w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/ShipParking-02-KQED-160x127.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 950px) 100vw, 950px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bulldozers were used to try and clean up oil-soaked sand at San Francisco’s Ocean Beach in 1971. (Courtesy of San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Reed said back then the Coast Guard had two employees watching the radar at Fort Mason Center along the San Francisco waterfront. They could see the two ships moving on their display, but had no way of radioing them. Ships only checked in when they \u003cem>wanted\u003c/em> to.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The two operators were trying to call the ships and trying to call the ships. They were just watching this slow train wreck about to happen,” Reed said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bay Area residents woke the next morning to oil on their beaches. Birds covered in oil were washing up on shore, unable to move. Standard Oil paid workmen to help clean up the beaches, but volunteers also came out in droves to help.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The incident caught the attention of legislators in Washington, D.C. They passed the \u003ca href=\"https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title46/subtitle7/chapter700&edition=prelim\">Ports and Waterways Safety Act\u003c/a>, which created Vessel Traffic Services.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s a bit like air traffic control in aviation — responsible for knowing where ships are in the bay and communicating with them as they enter and exit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The new law also made participation in shore monitoring \u003cem>mandatory\u003c/em> for all ships entering U.S. ports.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They made it mandatory for you to listen to a particular channel on the radio and follow the direction of the Vessel Traffic Service,” Reed said. “So that’s what gave us our authority. And in 1972, VTS San Francisco became the very first VTS in the United States.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The VTS is in charge of communicating with ships as they enter and exit the bay, and they manage the anchorages where ships can “park.” They work closely with the San Francisco Bar Pilots, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089929/why-specialized-mariners-are-required-on-every-ship-sailing-into-san-francisco-bay\">local mariners with expert knowledge\u003c/a> of the waterways and conditions, to assign ships to specific spots.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They have a little bit more in-depth knowledge of where the ship is going, when it needs to be there, how deep is its draft and what is it carrying,” Reed said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Other prominent anchorages\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In addition to Anchorage 9 in the main part of the bay, Bay Area residents have likely also seen ship action at Anchorage 5, just south of the Richmond-San Rafael bridge and near the Richmond oil terminals. Often tugboats and barges are anchored there waiting to assist oil tankers as they come into the bay to load and unload.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Another eye-catching location is Anchorage 7, just west of Treasure Island. Reed said this is a temporary anchorage meant for short-term use. Most frequently, ships will stop and anchor here if they’ve been sitting at anchor for weeks and are finally headed to their next destination, but need to resupply before doing so. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1616\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/ShipParking-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12092754\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/ShipParking-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/ShipParking-01-KQED-160x129.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/ShipParking-01-KQED-1536x1241.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Volunteers work to clean up oil washing up on Ocean Beach after a collision between two oil tankers under the Golden Gate Bridge spilled 800,000 gallons of oil into the bay in 1971. (Courtesy of San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Anchorage 7 is also used in emergencies. If a ship is coming into the bay and has an engine problem, VTS does not want that ship traveling under the Bay Bridge. They’ll ask the ship to wait at Anchorage 7 until its engine is repaired.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It piques my attention when I see someone anchored there because it is very visible and it’s highly susceptible to winds and currents,” Reed said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Constant dredging\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To keep Bay Area ports operating, the Army Corps of Engineers dredges the shipping channels on an \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/marine-protection-permitting/sf-bay-ltms\">ongoing basis\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some of the container ships that call at the Port of Oakland are longer than the Salesforce Tower is high. And when a ship that big is loaded up with cargo, it has a deep draft — meaning it sticks way down into the water and needs a deep channel.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The stuff the Corps dredges up from the bottom of the bay is called “spoils” and is most often dumped offshore in the Pacific Ocean. Reed said the Army Corps of Engineers knows which parts of the bay are likely to have toxic or harmful materials and they test the spoils before deciding where to dump it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-28-BL-KQED-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12092759\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-28-BL-KQED-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-28-BL-KQED-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-28-BL-KQED-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ships anchored in the San Francisco Bay, in what are called anchor buckets, on Jan. 14, 2026. Anchor buckets offer longer-term places to park for commercial ships. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But ultimately, the material has to go somewhere, so even stuff dredged up near former military sites does get dumped about 50 miles offshore.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The rules governing the bay and the vessels on it often feel totally separate from Bay Area life lived on shore. For many, the complex work of the maritime industry is just a picturesque backdrop to the daily commute, a necessary but mysterious business. But knowing a bit more about how it all works might mean the next time you look out over the water you’ll be able to say: “Anchorage 9 is looking pretty full today.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cp>[baycuriousquestion]\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"episode-transcript\">Episode transcript\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I’m Olivia Allen-Price. This is Bay Curious – the show that answers listener questions about the San Francisco Bay Area.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Now, if you look out over that bay on any given day, and you’ll see a lot of boat traffic. Ferries chugging along their routes, massive cargo ships headed to port, oil tankers on their way to Richmond, cruise ships unload passengers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And then weaving between those larger ships are sailboats tacking back and forth, Coast Guard boats patrolling the shoreline, kayakers, even swimmers! To an untrained eye, it can seem like absolute chaos.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Stephanie Rohlfs has spent a lot of time looking at the ships on the bay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Stephane Rohlfs: \u003c/strong>I used to live in West Oakland, and during the pandemic, when we were all desperate to go outside, I started doing a little bit of jogging at Middle Harbor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Right near the Port of Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Stephane Rohlfs: \u003c/strong>Involved a lot of staring at container ships going by.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>She also noticed the cargo ships further out, parked in the middle of the bay. And started wondering…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Stephane Rohlfs: \u003c/strong>How do the cargo ships know where to park? And is there an invisible parking lot or some other system? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Stephanie is not the only one curious about how it all works out there. Her question won a Bay Curious voting round, so there are a lot of you with the same question. Here to answer Stephanie is Bay Curious editor and Producer Katrina Schwartz. Hey, Katrina!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Hi, Olivia.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> You’ve become quite the maritime expert over the last few months.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>I know, I got to dig into how the \u003cem>bar pilots\u003c/em> work and shadow one of them on a job for an episode that aired a few weeks ago.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> If you’re interested in that episode, by the way, we’ll put a link in our show notes. But right now, let’s get into Stephanie’s question. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Well, before we get into where and how cargo ships park, I first need to tell you a little story that sets up how we got to the system we have today\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> OK, I’m listening.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Allow me to set the scene…\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Dramatic music\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>It was a cold, foggy night in 1971…the kind where you’d be happy to be snuggled up at home. But a disaster was quietly unfolding in the bay, right under the Golden Gate Bridge. Two big oil tankers were heading in opposite directions…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival tape: \u003c/strong>The Oregon was moving out of the Gate and the Arizona was moving toward the Gate to come inside the bay. Both ships had been in touch with the Coast Guard for information on weather conditions and locations of ships.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>But back then, there weren’t as many safety protocols in place. So after checking in with the Coast Guard, both ships stopped communicating.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival tape: \u003c/strong>At about 1:45 Monday morning, the incoming Arizona rammed the Oregon port side, about a quarter mile west of the Golden Gate just opposite the center span. The two ships locked together with oil gushing from the gaping hole and drifted towards the south end of Angel Island.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed: \u003c/strong>So 800,000 gallons of petroleum spilled in the bay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>That’s Gary Reed. He works for the Coast Guard, managing Vessel Traffic Services in San Francisco. He knows this history intimately.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed: \u003c/strong>Now the two operators were trying to call the ships and trying to call the ships; they were just watching this slow train wreck about to happen. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Gary told me that since ships only checked in when they wanted to…there was no way to alert the two ships they were on a path to collision, even though the Coast Guard could see it all on the radar.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San Franciscans woke up that Monday morning to oil on their beaches.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival tape: \u003c/strong>I went down to the beach, down to Ocean Beach, Monday afternoon at about 2 o’clock. I swim in the ocean every day. And I go down there and see all this oil. It’s just sick.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>There was a huge outpouring of volunteers over the following days and weeks to not only help clean up oil, but to also try and save the birds that were so covered in oil they could barely move.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival tape: \u003c/strong>In addition to the 150 or so paid workmen, there were at least that many volunteers along the marina today. Most of them young, and many of them there to save the birds, which came floating in soaked in oil.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Even though this is pretty recent history – 1971 – I haven’t heard about it before.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>That’s so often true of things that happened after the “past” we learn about in high school history class, right?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Yeah. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Well, I’m telling you this story because it was a wake-up call for everyone around the country. Even Congress — all the way in D.C. — paid attention and eventually passed a law that created the Vessel Traffic Services or VTS. They made it mandatory for ships in every port throughout the country to participate in shore monitoring and to have the necessary radio equipment to communicate with VTS.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed: \u003c/strong>So they made it mandatory for you to listen to a particular channel on the radio and follow the direction of the vessel traffic service. And in 1972, VTS San Francisco became the very first VTS in the United States. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> The very first VTS! That’s kind of a claim to fame. Um, what does VTS do exactly?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Well, they are basically air traffic control for ships. And they’re important to Stephanie’s question about parking in the bay because they communicate with ships coming in from the open sea, and manage the areas where they can park.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> So there IS a parking lot!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>There is, although in maritime lingo they call parking lots “anchorages.” There are 30 anchorages, or zones, in total. Most are in the main bay, and then others are scattered throughout the region’s waterways.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed:\u003c/strong> I would say technically you are not allowed to anchor anywhere outside of those anchorages.\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>And this is for big ships – recreational vessels like sailboats or yachts are another story.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Tell me about a few of the most prominent anchorages we might see from shore.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>OK, so, one of them is called Anchorage 5. It’s just south of the Richmond Bridge. You’ll often see tugboats parked there because when an oil tanker ship comes in, the tugboats are waiting to push it up alongside the oil terminals there in Richmond.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed: \u003c/strong>Just west of Treasure Island, we have Anchorage 7. And that’s the one that I think a lot of people, well, it piques my attention when I see someone anchored there because it is very visible and it’s highly susceptible to winds and currents and all the weather aspects you can get outta that.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Gary says that one is temporary and is most often used by ships that are only going to be there a few hours while they bring on supplies. You won’t see ships there all the time. But the area south of the Bay Bridge and north of the San Mateo Bridge is what most people see.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed: \u003c/strong>And then the biggest one I think most people see when you’re driving across the Bay Bridge, and you’re looking south, you’ll see what we call Anchorage 9, that is our parking lot. That’s where the large ships go to await birth or make repairs or refuel. But that’s our big one down there. That’s our major parking lot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Anchorage nine gets a lot of use by really large ships, so there are designated “buckets” or spots where ships drop their anchors. And that’s because if the weather is really bad and a ship is getting buffeted by the wind and is out at the end of its anchor chain that it’s not going to hit anything nearby. All told, there are 24 of those “anchor buckets” in Anchorage 9. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Tell me a little more about how this whole parking lot system works. Is there a parking meter? A valet? Are we talking parallel parking or pull-in?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Gary said in this system the bar pilots are your very expert valets. They’re those local mariners who specialize in this region. And they decide who parks where.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed: \u003c/strong>They have a little bit more in-depth knowledge of where the ship is going, when does it need to be there, how deep is its draft and what is it carrying. I kind of think of it like the matrix. They’re looking at all the windows. They know what’s coming next and who’s leaving next.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>My first question was how much it costs to park at one of these anchorages, but Gary said the fee structure doesn’t work the same way as a parking lot. Instead, the shipping companies pay the bar pilots a fee that’s based on tonnage. They don’t pay the Coast Guard anything for the actual harbor spot. But most ships don’t want to sit around long in the harbor because that’s money lost.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> We need to take a quick break, but when we come back we’ll learn what makes this region so tricky to manage. Stay with us.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sponsor Break\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> KQED is member-supported media. That means we don’t have any shareholders to please or business conflicts that could affect our reporting. It’s you we’re serving – plain and simple. If that type of journalism sounds like your jam, consider becoming a member at \u003ca href=\"http://donate.kqed.org/podcasts\">donate.kqed.org/podcasts\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>OK, now back to talking about all the boat traffic we see in the Bay with Bay Curious editor and producer Katrina Schwartz. So, we’ve established that there IS a parking lot for the ships in the bay and that it’s highly regulated because when ships collide, it can be catastrophic, as we saw in 1971. What makes this area so tricky for mariners?. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>I’m going to let Gary Reed, head of VTS, answer that.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed:\u003c/strong> It is tricky because of the weather, and it’s tricky, tricky, it’s unique because of the different kinds of waters that we have. We have offshore, we have a bay, we have estuary, we have delta. I mean rivers that go all the way up to Sacramento and Stockton.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Gary compared it to the port in Long Beach, which actually does a lot more shipping than any of our ports, but is also simpler.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed: \u003c/strong>Their area is very limited. They have about a 25-mile area that they monitor and manage. And we have 5,000 square miles that we monitor and manage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Wow, that’s a huge difference.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Yes, and the waterways themselves in the Bay Area are complicated, with bridges, rivers, shallow areas, etc. It’s part of the reason we have the bar pilots…mariners with local knowledge who board every ship over a certain size and navigate it in and out of the bay. And many local disasters have happened in the fog. Like in 2007…the Costco-Busan incident when an oil tanker clipped the Bay Bridge. So, Gary says now ships don’t go under the bridge or leave anchor if visibility is less than half a nautical mile.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed:\u003c/strong> One of our particular cameras is on Yerba Buena Island, and we can look out and see the Oakland Bay Bridge. And we know that if we can’t see the Oakland Bay Bridge from our camera, then the visibility is such that people can’t move.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>While we’re talking about the bay, I want to ask another question that we get a lot from audience members. Many know that on average, the bay is actually pretty shallow, especially down in the South Bay. It can be only 12 feet deep or so. So some of our waterways are dredged. Explain what that is, who does it and how often?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Dredging is the process of excavating the bay floor to make deeper shipping channels. The Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for dredging…and they do it on an ongoing basis. Remember, many of these cargo ships are truly huge, like skyscrapers on their sides moving through the water. And they’re carrying a lot of weight, which means they also stick down into the water pretty far too…that’s called the ship’s draft. Dredging shipping lanes that are deeper than the natural bay floor is the only way that these big container ships can continue to work here.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And I did ask Gary where the Army Corps of Engineers dump the stuff they’ve dredged up.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed: [00:40:46] There is a spot off a Pacific beach that they can dump their spoils because what they’re dredging is non-toxic. They’re just putting dirt on dirt.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>He also said if they’re worried about toxins in dredged spoils, they’ll test it first to make sure it won’t damage the environment where they dump it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Alright, any last thoughts since you’ve been immersed in the maritime world?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>One of the interesting things I learned that’s a bit of a side note to the question is that the crews on foreign ships are not allowed off the vessel when they are at anchor or unloading because they are considered foreign nationals. But sometimes ships do sit at anchor for months at a time, which is obviously a tough situation for the folks on board. So, there’s an organization… Seafarer’s Ministry of the Golden Gate… whose mission is to check up on those folks, on the mental and physical well-being of crew members.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I can’t imagine being on a ship for weeks and weeks and then getting near land and having to look at it and not get off the ship.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>I know. And these people actually go onboard, they bring care packages and offer to listen or counsel crew members in their own languages. I’m sure it’s not enough, but at least it’s something.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Yeah, sounds like a really interesting job. Well, Katrina, thanks for your reporting.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>My pleasure. These maritime jobs are really interesting. A totally different lifestyle than what a lot of us landlubbers are used to.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> That was Bay Curious editor and producer, Katrina Schwartz.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This question was selected by you in a voting round on \u003ca href=\"http://baycurious.org\">BayCurious.org\u003c/a>. Be sure you never miss a voting round by subscribing to the Bay Curious newsletter. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bay Curious is made at member-supported KQED in San Francisco. Our show is produced by Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, and me, Olivia Allen-Price. With extra support from Maha Sanad, Katie Sprenger, Jen Chien, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on team KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’m Olivia Allen-Price. Have a great week.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Look out over the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco-bay\">San Francisco Bay\u003c/a> on any given day, and you may see a collection of giant container ships anchored offshore. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Look out over the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco-bay\">San Francisco Bay\u003c/a> on any given day, and you may see a collection of giant container ships anchored offshore. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Bay Curious listener Stephanie Rohlfs has seen them countless times on her runs, and the same question always pops into her mind: “How do the cargo ships know where to park? Is there an invisible parking lot or some other system?”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Bay Curious listener Stephanie Rohlfs has seen them countless times on her runs, and the same question always pops into her mind: “How do the cargo ships know where to park? Is there an invisible parking lot or some other system?”\u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cp>The short answer is: yes, there is a parking lot, although mariners call them anchorages. The largest ship parking lot in the bay is called Anchorage 9, just south of the Bay Bridge and north of the San Mateo Bridge. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In that area, there are 24 designated “anchor buckets” where ships can drop anchor and be confident that even if they are buffeted by wind and current, there’s no danger they will swing into another ship. They are arrayed in three rows of eight going north-south.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In that area, there are 24 designated “anchor buckets” where ships can drop anchor and be confident that even if they are buffeted by wind and current, there’s no danger they will swing into another ship. They are arrayed in three rows of eight going north-south.\u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cp>The answer may seem simple, but the journey to arrive at this system is both tragic and riveting.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Standard Oil collision",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the early morning hours of Jan. 19, 1971, two big oil tankers operated by Standard Oil were on the move. The Oregon was leaving Richmond headed towards the open ocean. The Arizona was heading into the bay.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Both ships contacted the Coast Guard for weather updates and information on other boat traffic initially, but as they neared the Golden Gate Strait, they stopped communicating. It was a night of thick fog. At around 1:45 a.m., disaster struck. A quarter mile west of the Golden Gate Bridge, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/chronicle_vault/article/Chronicle-Covers-San-Francisco-Bay-s-oil-spill-6754542.php\">two ships collided\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Both ships contacted the Coast Guard for weather updates and information on other boat traffic initially, but as they neared the Golden Gate Strait, they stopped communicating. It was a night of thick fog. At around 1:45 a.m., disaster struck. A quarter mile west of the Golden Gate Bridge, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/chronicle_vault/article/Chronicle-Covers-San-Francisco-Bay-s-oil-spill-6754542.php\">two ships collided\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“800,000 gallons of petroleum spilled in the bay,” said Gary Reed, Director of \u003ca href=\"https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/VTS%20User%20Guides/VTS_SF_UserManual_APR2025.pdf\">Vessel Traffic Service San Francisco\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“800,000 gallons of petroleum spilled in the bay,” said Gary Reed, Director of \u003ca href=\"https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/VTS%20User%20Guides/VTS_SF_UserManual_APR2025.pdf\">Vessel Traffic Service San Francisco\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/ShipParking-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12092755\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/ShipParking-02-KQED.jpg 950w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/ShipParking-02-KQED-160x127.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bulldozers were used to try and clean up oil-soaked sand at San Francisco’s Ocean Beach in 1971.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/ShipParking-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12092755\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bulldozers were used to try and clean up oil-soaked sand at San Francisco’s Ocean Beach in 1971.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Reed said back then the Coast Guard had two employees watching the radar at Fort Mason Center along the San Francisco waterfront. They could see the two ships moving on their display, but had no way of radioing them. Ships only checked in when they \u003cem>wanted\u003c/em> to.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Reed said back then the Coast Guard had two employees watching the radar at Fort Mason Center along the San Francisco waterfront. They could see the two ships moving on their display, but had no way of radioing them. Ships only checked in when they \u003cem>wanted\u003c/em> to.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The two operators were trying to call the ships and trying to call the ships. They were just watching this slow train wreck about to happen,” Reed said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The two operators were trying to call the ships and trying to call the ships. They were just watching this slow train wreck about to happen,” Reed said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Bay Area residents woke the next morning to oil on their beaches. Birds covered in oil were washing up on shore, unable to move. Standard Oil paid workmen to help clean up the beaches, but volunteers also came out in droves to help.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Bay Area residents woke the next morning to oil on their beaches. Birds covered in oil were washing up on shore, unable to move. Standard Oil paid workmen to help clean up the beaches, but volunteers also came out in droves to help.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The incident caught the attention of legislators in Washington, D.C. They passed the \u003ca href=\"https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title46/subtitle7/chapter700&edition=prelim\">Ports and Waterways Safety Act\u003c/a>, which created Vessel Traffic Services.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The incident caught the attention of legislators in Washington, D.C. They passed the \u003ca href=\"https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title46/subtitle7/chapter700&edition=prelim\">Ports and Waterways Safety Act\u003c/a>, which created Vessel Traffic Services.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s a bit like air traffic control in aviation — responsible for knowing where ships are in the bay and communicating with them as they enter and exit.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It’s a bit like air traffic control in aviation — responsible for knowing where ships are in the bay and communicating with them as they enter and exit.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The new law also made participation in shore monitoring \u003cem>mandatory\u003c/em> for all ships entering U.S. ports.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The new law also made participation in shore monitoring \u003cem>mandatory\u003c/em> for all ships entering U.S. ports.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“They made it mandatory for you to listen to a particular channel on the radio and follow the direction of the Vessel Traffic Service,” Reed said. “So that’s what gave us our authority. And in 1972, VTS San Francisco became the very first VTS in the United States.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“They made it mandatory for you to listen to a particular channel on the radio and follow the direction of the Vessel Traffic Service,” Reed said. “So that’s what gave us our authority. And in 1972, VTS San Francisco became the very first VTS in the United States.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The VTS is in charge of communicating with ships as they enter and exit the bay, and they manage the anchorages where ships can “park.” They work closely with the San Francisco Bar Pilots, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089929/why-specialized-mariners-are-required-on-every-ship-sailing-into-san-francisco-bay\">local mariners with expert knowledge\u003c/a> of the waterways and conditions, to assign ships to specific spots.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The VTS is in charge of communicating with ships as they enter and exit the bay, and they manage the anchorages where ships can “park.” They work closely with the San Francisco Bar Pilots, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089929/why-specialized-mariners-are-required-on-every-ship-sailing-into-san-francisco-bay\">local mariners with expert knowledge\u003c/a> of the waterways and conditions, to assign ships to specific spots.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“They have a little bit more in-depth knowledge of where the ship is going, when it needs to be there, how deep is its draft and what is it carrying,” Reed said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“They have a little bit more in-depth knowledge of where the ship is going, when it needs to be there, how deep is its draft and what is it carrying,” Reed said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Other prominent anchorages",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In addition to Anchorage 9 in the main part of the bay, Bay Area residents have likely also seen ship action at Anchorage 5, just south of the Richmond-San Rafael bridge and near the Richmond oil terminals. Often tugboats and barges are anchored there waiting to assist oil tankers as they come into the bay to load and unload.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In addition to Anchorage 9 in the main part of the bay, Bay Area residents have likely also seen ship action at Anchorage 5, just south of the Richmond-San Rafael bridge and near the Richmond oil terminals. Often tugboats and barges are anchored there waiting to assist oil tankers as they come into the bay to load and unload.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Another eye-catching location is Anchorage 7, just west of Treasure Island. Reed said this is a temporary anchorage meant for short-term use. Most frequently, ships will stop and anchor here if they’ve been sitting at anchor for weeks and are finally headed to their next destination, but need to resupply before doing so. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Another eye-catching location is Anchorage 7, just west of Treasure Island. Reed said this is a temporary anchorage meant for short-term use. Most frequently, ships will stop and anchor here if they’ve been sitting at anchor for weeks and are finally headed to their next destination, but need to resupply before doing so. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/ShipParking-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12092754\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/ShipParking-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/ShipParking-01-KQED-160x129.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/ShipParking-01-KQED-1536x1241.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Volunteers work to clean up oil washing up on Ocean Beach after a collision between two oil tankers under the Golden Gate Bridge spilled 800,000 gallons of oil into the bay in 1971.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/ShipParking-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12092754\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Volunteers work to clean up oil washing up on Ocean Beach after a collision between two oil tankers under the Golden Gate Bridge spilled 800,000 gallons of oil into the bay in 1971.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Anchorage 7 is also used in emergencies. If a ship is coming into the bay and has an engine problem, VTS does not want that ship traveling under the Bay Bridge. They’ll ask the ship to wait at Anchorage 7 until its engine is repaired.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Anchorage 7 is also used in emergencies. If a ship is coming into the bay and has an engine problem, VTS does not want that ship traveling under the Bay Bridge. They’ll ask the ship to wait at Anchorage 7 until its engine is repaired.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It piques my attention when I see someone anchored there because it is very visible and it’s highly susceptible to winds and currents,” Reed said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It piques my attention when I see someone anchored there because it is very visible and it’s highly susceptible to winds and currents,” Reed said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Constant dredging",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>To keep Bay Area ports operating, the Army Corps of Engineers dredges the shipping channels on an \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/marine-protection-permitting/sf-bay-ltms\">ongoing basis\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>To keep Bay Area ports operating, the Army Corps of Engineers dredges the shipping channels on an \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/marine-protection-permitting/sf-bay-ltms\">ongoing basis\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some of the container ships that call at the Port of Oakland are longer than the Salesforce Tower is high. And when a ship that big is loaded up with cargo, it has a deep draft — meaning it sticks way down into the water and needs a deep channel.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Some of the container ships that call at the Port of Oakland are longer than the Salesforce Tower is high. And when a ship that big is loaded up with cargo, it has a deep draft — meaning it sticks way down into the water and needs a deep channel.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The stuff the Corps dredges up from the bottom of the bay is called “spoils” and is most often dumped offshore in the Pacific Ocean. Reed said the Army Corps of Engineers knows which parts of the bay are likely to have toxic or harmful materials and they test the spoils before deciding where to dump it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The stuff the Corps dredges up from the bottom of the bay is called “spoils” and is most often dumped offshore in the Pacific Ocean. Reed said the Army Corps of Engineers knows which parts of the bay are likely to have toxic or harmful materials and they test the spoils before deciding where to dump it. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-28-BL-KQED-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12092759\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-28-BL-KQED-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-28-BL-KQED-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-28-BL-KQED-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ships anchored in the San Francisco Bay, in what are called anchor buckets, on Jan. 14, 2026. Anchor buckets offer longer-term places to park for commercial ships.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-28-BL-KQED-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12092759\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ships anchored in the San Francisco Bay, in what are called anchor buckets, on Jan. 14, 2026. Anchor buckets offer longer-term places to park for commercial ships.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But ultimately, the material has to go somewhere, so even stuff dredged up near former military sites does get dumped about 50 miles offshore.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But ultimately, the material has to go somewhere, so even stuff dredged up near former military sites does get dumped about 50 miles offshore.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The rules governing the bay and the vessels on it often feel totally separate from Bay Area life lived on shore. For many, the complex work of the maritime industry is just a picturesque backdrop to the daily commute, a necessary but mysterious business. But knowing a bit more about how it all works might mean the next time you look out over the water you’ll be able to say: “Anchorage 9 is looking pretty full today.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The rules governing the bay and the vessels on it often feel totally separate from Bay Area life lived on shore. For many, the complex work of the maritime industry is just a picturesque backdrop to the daily commute, a necessary but mysterious business. But knowing a bit more about how it all works might mean the next time you look out over the water you’ll be able to say: “Anchorage 9 is looking pretty full today.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I’m Olivia Allen-Price. This is Bay Curious – the show that answers listener questions about the San Francisco Bay Area.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Now, if you look out over that bay on any given day, and you’ll see a lot of boat traffic. Ferries chugging along their routes, massive cargo ships headed to port, oil tankers on their way to Richmond, cruise ships unload passengers.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I’m Olivia Allen-Price. This is Bay Curious – the show that answers listener questions about the San Francisco Bay Area.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Now, if you look out over that bay on any given day, and you’ll see a lot of boat traffic. Ferries chugging along their routes, massive cargo ships headed to port, oil tankers on their way to Richmond, cruise ships unload passengers.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And then weaving between those larger ships are sailboats tacking back and forth, Coast Guard boats patrolling the shoreline, kayakers, even swimmers! To an untrained eye, it can seem like absolute chaos.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>And then weaving between those larger ships are sailboats tacking back and forth, Coast Guard boats patrolling the shoreline, kayakers, even swimmers! To an untrained eye, it can seem like absolute chaos.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Stephanie Rohlfs has spent a lot of time looking at the ships on the bay.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Stephanie Rohlfs has spent a lot of time looking at the ships on the bay.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Stephane Rohlfs: \u003c/strong>I used to live in West Oakland, and during the pandemic, when we were all desperate to go outside, I started doing a little bit of jogging at Middle Harbor.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Stephane Rohlfs: \u003c/strong>I used to live in West Oakland, and during the pandemic, when we were all desperate to go outside, I started doing a little bit of jogging at Middle Harbor.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Right near the Port of Oakland.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Right near the Port of Oakland.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Stephane Rohlfs: \u003c/strong>Involved a lot of staring at container ships going by.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Stephane Rohlfs: \u003c/strong>Involved a lot of staring at container ships going by.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>She also noticed the cargo ships further out, parked in the middle of the bay. And started wondering…\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>She also noticed the cargo ships further out, parked in the middle of the bay. And started wondering…\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Stephane Rohlfs: \u003c/strong>How do the cargo ships know where to park? And is there an invisible parking lot or some other system? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Stephane Rohlfs: \u003c/strong>How do the cargo ships know where to park? And is there an invisible parking lot or some other system? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Stephanie is not the only one curious about how it all works out there. Her question won a Bay Curious voting round, so there are a lot of you with the same question. Here to answer Stephanie is Bay Curious editor and Producer Katrina Schwartz. Hey, Katrina!\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Stephanie is not the only one curious about how it all works out there. Her question won a Bay Curious voting round, so there are a lot of you with the same question. Here to answer Stephanie is Bay Curious editor and Producer Katrina Schwartz. Hey, Katrina!\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Hi, Olivia.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Hi, Olivia.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> You’ve become quite the maritime expert over the last few months.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> You’ve become quite the maritime expert over the last few months.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>I know, I got to dig into how the \u003cem>bar pilots\u003c/em> work and shadow one of them on a job for an episode that aired a few weeks ago.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>I know, I got to dig into how the \u003cem>bar pilots\u003c/em> work and shadow one of them on a job for an episode that aired a few weeks ago.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> If you’re interested in that episode, by the way, we’ll put a link in our show notes. But right now, let’s get into Stephanie’s question. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> If you’re interested in that episode, by the way, we’ll put a link in our show notes. But right now, let’s get into Stephanie’s question. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Well, before we get into where and how cargo ships park, I first need to tell you a little story that sets up how we got to the system we have today\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Well, before we get into where and how cargo ships park, I first need to tell you a little story that sets up how we got to the system we have today\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> OK, I’m listening.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> OK, I’m listening.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Allow me to set the scene…\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Dramatic music\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>It was a cold, foggy night in 1971…the kind where you’d be happy to be snuggled up at home. But a disaster was quietly unfolding in the bay, right under the Golden Gate Bridge. Two big oil tankers were heading in opposite directions…\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Allow me to set the scene…\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Dramatic music\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>It was a cold, foggy night in 1971…the kind where you’d be happy to be snuggled up at home. But a disaster was quietly unfolding in the bay, right under the Golden Gate Bridge. Two big oil tankers were heading in opposite directions…\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival tape: \u003c/strong>The Oregon was moving out of the Gate and the Arizona was moving toward the Gate to come inside the bay. Both ships had been in touch with the Coast Guard for information on weather conditions and locations of ships.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival tape: \u003c/strong>The Oregon was moving out of the Gate and the Arizona was moving toward the Gate to come inside the bay. Both ships had been in touch with the Coast Guard for information on weather conditions and locations of ships.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>But back then, there weren’t as many safety protocols in place. So after checking in with the Coast Guard, both ships stopped communicating.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>But back then, there weren’t as many safety protocols in place. So after checking in with the Coast Guard, both ships stopped communicating.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival tape: \u003c/strong>At about 1:45 Monday morning, the incoming Arizona rammed the Oregon port side, about a quarter mile west of the Golden Gate just opposite the center span. The two ships locked together with oil gushing from the gaping hole and drifted towards the south end of Angel Island.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival tape: \u003c/strong>At about 1:45 Monday morning, the incoming Arizona rammed the Oregon port side, about a quarter mile west of the Golden Gate just opposite the center span. The two ships locked together with oil gushing from the gaping hole and drifted towards the south end of Angel Island.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed: \u003c/strong>So 800,000 gallons of petroleum spilled in the bay.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed: \u003c/strong>So 800,000 gallons of petroleum spilled in the bay.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>That’s Gary Reed. He works for the Coast Guard, managing Vessel Traffic Services in San Francisco. He knows this history intimately.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>That’s Gary Reed. He works for the Coast Guard, managing Vessel Traffic Services in San Francisco. He knows this history intimately.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed: \u003c/strong>Now the two operators were trying to call the ships and trying to call the ships; they were just watching this slow train wreck about to happen. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed: \u003c/strong>Now the two operators were trying to call the ships and trying to call the ships; they were just watching this slow train wreck about to happen. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Gary told me that since ships only checked in when they wanted to…there was no way to alert the two ships they were on a path to collision, even though the Coast Guard could see it all on the radar.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Gary told me that since ships only checked in when they wanted to…there was no way to alert the two ships they were on a path to collision, even though the Coast Guard could see it all on the radar.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San Franciscans woke up that Monday morning to oil on their beaches.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>San Franciscans woke up that Monday morning to oil on their beaches.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival tape: \u003c/strong>I went down to the beach, down to Ocean Beach, Monday afternoon at about 2 o’clock. I swim in the ocean every day. And I go down there and see all this oil. It’s just sick.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival tape: \u003c/strong>I went down to the beach, down to Ocean Beach, Monday afternoon at about 2 o’clock. I swim in the ocean every day. And I go down there and see all this oil. It’s just sick.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>There was a huge outpouring of volunteers over the following days and weeks to not only help clean up oil, but to also try and save the birds that were so covered in oil they could barely move.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>There was a huge outpouring of volunteers over the following days and weeks to not only help clean up oil, but to also try and save the birds that were so covered in oil they could barely move.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival tape: \u003c/strong>In addition to the 150 or so paid workmen, there were at least that many volunteers along the marina today. Most of them young, and many of them there to save the birds, which came floating in soaked in oil.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival tape: \u003c/strong>In addition to the 150 or so paid workmen, there were at least that many volunteers along the marina today. Most of them young, and many of them there to save the birds, which came floating in soaked in oil.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Even though this is pretty recent history – 1971 – I haven’t heard about it before.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Even though this is pretty recent history – 1971 – I haven’t heard about it before.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>That’s so often true of things that happened after the “past” we learn about in high school history class, right?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Yeah. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>That’s so often true of things that happened after the “past” we learn about in high school history class, right?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Yeah. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Well, I’m telling you this story because it was a wake-up call for everyone around the country. Even Congress — all the way in D.C. — paid attention and eventually passed a law that created the Vessel Traffic Services or VTS. They made it mandatory for ships in every port throughout the country to participate in shore monitoring and to have the necessary radio equipment to communicate with VTS.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Well, I’m telling you this story because it was a wake-up call for everyone around the country. Even Congress — all the way in D.C. — paid attention and eventually passed a law that created the Vessel Traffic Services or VTS. They made it mandatory for ships in every port throughout the country to participate in shore monitoring and to have the necessary radio equipment to communicate with VTS.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed: \u003c/strong>So they made it mandatory for you to listen to a particular channel on the radio and follow the direction of the vessel traffic service. And in 1972, VTS San Francisco became the very first VTS in the United States. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed: \u003c/strong>So they made it mandatory for you to listen to a particular channel on the radio and follow the direction of the vessel traffic service. And in 1972, VTS San Francisco became the very first VTS in the United States. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> The very first VTS! That’s kind of a claim to fame. Um, what does VTS do exactly?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> The very first VTS! That’s kind of a claim to fame. Um, what does VTS do exactly?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Well, they are basically air traffic control for ships. And they’re important to Stephanie’s question about parking in the bay because they communicate with ships coming in from the open sea, and manage the areas where they can park.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Well, they are basically air traffic control for ships. And they’re important to Stephanie’s question about parking in the bay because they communicate with ships coming in from the open sea, and manage the areas where they can park.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> So there IS a parking lot!\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> So there IS a parking lot!\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>There is, although in maritime lingo they call parking lots “anchorages.” There are 30 anchorages, or zones, in total. Most are in the main bay, and then others are scattered throughout the region’s waterways.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>There is, although in maritime lingo they call parking lots “anchorages.” There are 30 anchorages, or zones, in total. Most are in the main bay, and then others are scattered throughout the region’s waterways.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed:\u003c/strong> I would say technically you are not allowed to anchor anywhere outside of those anchorages.\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>And this is for big ships – recreational vessels like sailboats or yachts are another story.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed:\u003c/strong> I would say technically you are not allowed to anchor anywhere outside of those anchorages.\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>And this is for big ships – recreational vessels like sailboats or yachts are another story.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Tell me about a few of the most prominent anchorages we might see from shore.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Tell me about a few of the most prominent anchorages we might see from shore.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>OK, so, one of them is called Anchorage 5. It’s just south of the Richmond Bridge. You’ll often see tugboats parked there because when an oil tanker ship comes in, the tugboats are waiting to push it up alongside the oil terminals there in Richmond.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>OK, so, one of them is called Anchorage 5. It’s just south of the Richmond Bridge. You’ll often see tugboats parked there because when an oil tanker ship comes in, the tugboats are waiting to push it up alongside the oil terminals there in Richmond.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed: \u003c/strong>Just west of Treasure Island, we have Anchorage 7. And that’s the one that I think a lot of people, well, it piques my attention when I see someone anchored there because it is very visible and it’s highly susceptible to winds and currents and all the weather aspects you can get outta that.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed: \u003c/strong>Just west of Treasure Island, we have Anchorage 7. And that’s the one that I think a lot of people, well, it piques my attention when I see someone anchored there because it is very visible and it’s highly susceptible to winds and currents and all the weather aspects you can get outta that.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Gary says that one is temporary and is most often used by ships that are only going to be there a few hours while they bring on supplies. You won’t see ships there all the time. But the area south of the Bay Bridge and north of the San Mateo Bridge is what most people see.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Gary says that one is temporary and is most often used by ships that are only going to be there a few hours while they bring on supplies. You won’t see ships there all the time. But the area south of the Bay Bridge and north of the San Mateo Bridge is what most people see.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed: \u003c/strong>And then the biggest one I think most people see when you’re driving across the Bay Bridge, and you’re looking south, you’ll see what we call Anchorage 9, that is our parking lot. That’s where the large ships go to await birth or make repairs or refuel. But that’s our big one down there. That’s our major parking lot.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed: \u003c/strong>And then the biggest one I think most people see when you’re driving across the Bay Bridge, and you’re looking south, you’ll see what we call Anchorage 9, that is our parking lot. That’s where the large ships go to await birth or make repairs or refuel. But that’s our big one down there. That’s our major parking lot.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Anchorage nine gets a lot of use by really large ships, so there are designated “buckets” or spots where ships drop their anchors. And that’s because if the weather is really bad and a ship is getting buffeted by the wind and is out at the end of its anchor chain that it’s not going to hit anything nearby. All told, there are 24 of those “anchor buckets” in Anchorage 9. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Anchorage nine gets a lot of use by really large ships, so there are designated “buckets” or spots where ships drop their anchors. And that’s because if the weather is really bad and a ship is getting buffeted by the wind and is out at the end of its anchor chain that it’s not going to hit anything nearby. All told, there are 24 of those “anchor buckets” in Anchorage 9. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Tell me a little more about how this whole parking lot system works. Is there a parking meter? A valet? Are we talking parallel parking or pull-in?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Tell me a little more about how this whole parking lot system works. Is there a parking meter? A valet? Are we talking parallel parking or pull-in?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Gary said in this system the bar pilots are your very expert valets. They’re those local mariners who specialize in this region. And they decide who parks where.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Gary said in this system the bar pilots are your very expert valets. They’re those local mariners who specialize in this region. And they decide who parks where.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed: \u003c/strong>They have a little bit more in-depth knowledge of where the ship is going, when does it need to be there, how deep is its draft and what is it carrying. I kind of think of it like the matrix. They’re looking at all the windows. They know what’s coming next and who’s leaving next.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed: \u003c/strong>They have a little bit more in-depth knowledge of where the ship is going, when does it need to be there, how deep is its draft and what is it carrying. I kind of think of it like the matrix. They’re looking at all the windows. They know what’s coming next and who’s leaving next.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>My first question was how much it costs to park at one of these anchorages, but Gary said the fee structure doesn’t work the same way as a parking lot. Instead, the shipping companies pay the bar pilots a fee that’s based on tonnage. They don’t pay the Coast Guard anything for the actual harbor spot. But most ships don’t want to sit around long in the harbor because that’s money lost.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>My first question was how much it costs to park at one of these anchorages, but Gary said the fee structure doesn’t work the same way as a parking lot. Instead, the shipping companies pay the bar pilots a fee that’s based on tonnage. They don’t pay the Coast Guard anything for the actual harbor spot. But most ships don’t want to sit around long in the harbor because that’s money lost.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> We need to take a quick break, but when we come back we’ll learn what makes this region so tricky to manage. Stay with us.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> We need to take a quick break, but when we come back we’ll learn what makes this region so tricky to manage. Stay with us.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> KQED is member-supported media. That means we don’t have any shareholders to please or business conflicts that could affect our reporting. It’s you we’re serving – plain and simple. If that type of journalism sounds like your jam, consider becoming a member at \u003ca href=\"http://donate.kqed.org/podcasts\">donate.kqed.org/podcasts\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> KQED is member-supported media. That means we don’t have any shareholders to please or business conflicts that could affect our reporting. It’s you we’re serving – plain and simple. If that type of journalism sounds like your jam, consider becoming a member at \u003ca href=\"http://donate.kqed.org/podcasts\">donate.kqed.org/podcasts\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>OK, now back to talking about all the boat traffic we see in the Bay with Bay Curious editor and producer Katrina Schwartz. So, we’ve established that there IS a parking lot for the ships in the bay and that it’s highly regulated because when ships collide, it can be catastrophic, as we saw in 1971. What makes this area so tricky for mariners?. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>OK, now back to talking about all the boat traffic we see in the Bay with Bay Curious editor and producer Katrina Schwartz. So, we’ve established that there IS a parking lot for the ships in the bay and that it’s highly regulated because when ships collide, it can be catastrophic, as we saw in 1971. What makes this area so tricky for mariners?. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>I’m going to let Gary Reed, head of VTS, answer that.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed:\u003c/strong> It is tricky because of the weather, and it’s tricky, tricky, it’s unique because of the different kinds of waters that we have. We have offshore, we have a bay, we have estuary, we have delta. I mean rivers that go all the way up to Sacramento and Stockton.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed:\u003c/strong> It is tricky because of the weather, and it’s tricky, tricky, it’s unique because of the different kinds of waters that we have. We have offshore, we have a bay, we have estuary, we have delta. I mean rivers that go all the way up to Sacramento and Stockton.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Gary compared it to the port in Long Beach, which actually does a lot more shipping than any of our ports, but is also simpler.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Gary compared it to the port in Long Beach, which actually does a lot more shipping than any of our ports, but is also simpler.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed: \u003c/strong>Their area is very limited. They have about a 25-mile area that they monitor and manage. And we have 5,000 square miles that we monitor and manage.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed: \u003c/strong>Their area is very limited. They have about a 25-mile area that they monitor and manage. And we have 5,000 square miles that we monitor and manage.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Wow, that’s a huge difference.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Yes, and the waterways themselves in the Bay Area are complicated, with bridges, rivers, shallow areas, etc. It’s part of the reason we have the bar pilots…mariners with local knowledge who board every ship over a certain size and navigate it in and out of the bay. And many local disasters have happened in the fog. Like in 2007…the Costco-Busan incident when an oil tanker clipped the Bay Bridge. So, Gary says now ships don’t go under the bridge or leave anchor if visibility is less than half a nautical mile.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Yes, and the waterways themselves in the Bay Area are complicated, with bridges, rivers, shallow areas, etc. It’s part of the reason we have the bar pilots…mariners with local knowledge who board every ship over a certain size and navigate it in and out of the bay. And many local disasters have happened in the fog. Like in 2007…the Costco-Busan incident when an oil tanker clipped the Bay Bridge. So, Gary says now ships don’t go under the bridge or leave anchor if visibility is less than half a nautical mile.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed:\u003c/strong> One of our particular cameras is on Yerba Buena Island, and we can look out and see the Oakland Bay Bridge. And we know that if we can’t see the Oakland Bay Bridge from our camera, then the visibility is such that people can’t move.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed:\u003c/strong> One of our particular cameras is on Yerba Buena Island, and we can look out and see the Oakland Bay Bridge. And we know that if we can’t see the Oakland Bay Bridge from our camera, then the visibility is such that people can’t move.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>While we’re talking about the bay, I want to ask another question that we get a lot from audience members. Many know that on average, the bay is actually pretty shallow, especially down in the South Bay. It can be only 12 feet deep or so. So some of our waterways are dredged. Explain what that is, who does it and how often?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>While we’re talking about the bay, I want to ask another question that we get a lot from audience members. Many know that on average, the bay is actually pretty shallow, especially down in the South Bay. It can be only 12 feet deep or so. So some of our waterways are dredged. Explain what that is, who does it and how often?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Dredging is the process of excavating the bay floor to make deeper shipping channels. The Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for dredging…and they do it on an ongoing basis. Remember, many of these cargo ships are truly huge, like skyscrapers on their sides moving through the water. And they’re carrying a lot of weight, which means they also stick down into the water pretty far too…that’s called the ship’s draft. Dredging shipping lanes that are deeper than the natural bay floor is the only way that these big container ships can continue to work here.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Dredging is the process of excavating the bay floor to make deeper shipping channels. The Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for dredging…and they do it on an ongoing basis. Remember, many of these cargo ships are truly huge, like skyscrapers on their sides moving through the water. And they’re carrying a lot of weight, which means they also stick down into the water pretty far too…that’s called the ship’s draft. Dredging shipping lanes that are deeper than the natural bay floor is the only way that these big container ships can continue to work here.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And I did ask Gary where the Army Corps of Engineers dump the stuff they’ve dredged up.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed: [00:40:46] There is a spot off a Pacific beach that they can dump their spoils because what they’re dredging is non-toxic. They’re just putting dirt on dirt.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>He also said if they’re worried about toxins in dredged spoils, they’ll test it first to make sure it won’t damage the environment where they dump it.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Alright, any last thoughts since you’ve been immersed in the maritime world?\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>One of the interesting things I learned that’s a bit of a side note to the question is that the crews on foreign ships are not allowed off the vessel when they are at anchor or unloading because they are considered foreign nationals. But sometimes ships do sit at anchor for months at a time, which is obviously a tough situation for the folks on board. So, there’s an organization… Seafarer’s Ministry of the Golden Gate… whose mission is to check up on those folks, on the mental and physical well-being of crew members.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>One of the interesting things I learned that’s a bit of a side note to the question is that the crews on foreign ships are not allowed off the vessel when they are at anchor or unloading because they are considered foreign nationals. But sometimes ships do sit at anchor for months at a time, which is obviously a tough situation for the folks on board. So, there’s an organization… Seafarer’s Ministry of the Golden Gate… whose mission is to check up on those folks, on the mental and physical well-being of crew members.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I can’t imagine being on a ship for weeks and weeks and then getting near land and having to look at it and not get off the ship.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I can’t imagine being on a ship for weeks and weeks and then getting near land and having to look at it and not get off the ship.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>I know. And these people actually go onboard, they bring care packages and offer to listen or counsel crew members in their own languages. I’m sure it’s not enough, but at least it’s something.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>I know. And these people actually go onboard, they bring care packages and offer to listen or counsel crew members in their own languages. I’m sure it’s not enough, but at least it’s something.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Yeah, sounds like a really interesting job. Well, Katrina, thanks for your reporting.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Yeah, sounds like a really interesting job. Well, Katrina, thanks for your reporting.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>My pleasure. These maritime jobs are really interesting. A totally different lifestyle than what a lot of us landlubbers are used to.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>My pleasure. These maritime jobs are really interesting. A totally different lifestyle than what a lot of us landlubbers are used to.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> That was Bay Curious editor and producer, Katrina Schwartz.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> That was Bay Curious editor and producer, Katrina Schwartz.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This question was selected by you in a voting round on \u003ca href=\"http://baycurious.org\">BayCurious.org\u003c/a>. Be sure you never miss a voting round by subscribing to the Bay Curious newsletter. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>This question was selected by you in a voting round on \u003ca href=\"http://baycurious.org\">BayCurious.org\u003c/a>. Be sure you never miss a voting round by subscribing to the Bay Curious newsletter. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Bay Curious is made at member-supported KQED in San Francisco. Our show is produced by Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, and me, Olivia Allen-Price. With extra support from Maha Sanad, Katie Sprenger, Jen Chien, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on team KQED.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Bay Curious is made at member-supported KQED in San Francisco. Our show is produced by Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, and me, Olivia Allen-Price. With extra support from Maha Sanad, Katie Sprenger, Jen Chien, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on team KQED.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>I’m Olivia Allen-Price. Have a great week.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Ships entering and exiting San Francisco Bay have to follow strict safety protocols. They can only “park” in designated areas called anchorages that are managed by Vessel Traffic Services.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"#episode-transcript\">View the full episode transcript.\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Look out over the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco-bay\">San Francisco Bay\u003c/a> on any given day, and you may see a collection of giant container ships anchored offshore. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bay Curious listener Stephanie Rohlfs has seen them countless times on her runs, and the same question always pops into her mind: “How do the cargo ships know where to park? Is there an invisible parking lot or some other system?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-12-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12092756\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-12-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-12-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-12-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Janice Smith points to a map of ships anchored in the San Francisco Bay, in what are called anchor buckets, at the San Francisco Bar Pilots headquarters in San Francisco on Jan. 14, 2026. Anchor buckets offer longer-term places to park for commercial ships. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The short answer is: yes, there is a parking lot, although mariners call them anchorages. The largest ship parking lot in the bay is called Anchorage 9, just south of the Bay Bridge and north of the San Mateo Bridge. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In that area, there are 24 designated “anchor buckets” where ships can drop anchor and be confident that even if they are buffeted by wind and current, there’s no danger they will swing into another ship. They are arrayed in three rows of eight going north-south.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The answer may seem simple, but the journey to arrive at this system is both tragic and riveting.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Standard Oil collision\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the early morning hours of Jan. 19, 1971, two big oil tankers operated by Standard Oil were on the move. The Oregon was leaving Richmond headed towards the open ocean. The Arizona was heading into the bay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Both ships contacted the Coast Guard for weather updates and information on other boat traffic initially, but as they neared the Golden Gate Strait, they stopped communicating. It was a night of thick fog. At around 1:45 a.m., disaster struck. A quarter mile west of the Golden Gate Bridge, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/chronicle_vault/article/Chronicle-Covers-San-Francisco-Bay-s-oil-spill-6754542.php\">two ships collided\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“800,000 gallons of petroleum spilled in the bay,” said Gary Reed, Director of \u003ca href=\"https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/VTS%20User%20Guides/VTS_SF_UserManual_APR2025.pdf\">Vessel Traffic Service San Francisco\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"950\" height=\"753\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/ShipParking-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12092755\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/ShipParking-02-KQED.jpg 950w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/ShipParking-02-KQED-160x127.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 950px) 100vw, 950px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bulldozers were used to try and clean up oil-soaked sand at San Francisco’s Ocean Beach in 1971. (Courtesy of San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Reed said back then the Coast Guard had two employees watching the radar at Fort Mason Center along the San Francisco waterfront. They could see the two ships moving on their display, but had no way of radioing them. Ships only checked in when they \u003cem>wanted\u003c/em> to.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The two operators were trying to call the ships and trying to call the ships. They were just watching this slow train wreck about to happen,” Reed said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bay Area residents woke the next morning to oil on their beaches. Birds covered in oil were washing up on shore, unable to move. Standard Oil paid workmen to help clean up the beaches, but volunteers also came out in droves to help.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The incident caught the attention of legislators in Washington, D.C. They passed the \u003ca href=\"https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title46/subtitle7/chapter700&edition=prelim\">Ports and Waterways Safety Act\u003c/a>, which created Vessel Traffic Services.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s a bit like air traffic control in aviation — responsible for knowing where ships are in the bay and communicating with them as they enter and exit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The new law also made participation in shore monitoring \u003cem>mandatory\u003c/em> for all ships entering U.S. ports.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They made it mandatory for you to listen to a particular channel on the radio and follow the direction of the Vessel Traffic Service,” Reed said. “So that’s what gave us our authority. And in 1972, VTS San Francisco became the very first VTS in the United States.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The VTS is in charge of communicating with ships as they enter and exit the bay, and they manage the anchorages where ships can “park.” They work closely with the San Francisco Bar Pilots, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089929/why-specialized-mariners-are-required-on-every-ship-sailing-into-san-francisco-bay\">local mariners with expert knowledge\u003c/a> of the waterways and conditions, to assign ships to specific spots.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They have a little bit more in-depth knowledge of where the ship is going, when it needs to be there, how deep is its draft and what is it carrying,” Reed said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Other prominent anchorages\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In addition to Anchorage 9 in the main part of the bay, Bay Area residents have likely also seen ship action at Anchorage 5, just south of the Richmond-San Rafael bridge and near the Richmond oil terminals. Often tugboats and barges are anchored there waiting to assist oil tankers as they come into the bay to load and unload.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Another eye-catching location is Anchorage 7, just west of Treasure Island. Reed said this is a temporary anchorage meant for short-term use. Most frequently, ships will stop and anchor here if they’ve been sitting at anchor for weeks and are finally headed to their next destination, but need to resupply before doing so. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1616\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/ShipParking-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12092754\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/ShipParking-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/ShipParking-01-KQED-160x129.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/ShipParking-01-KQED-1536x1241.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Volunteers work to clean up oil washing up on Ocean Beach after a collision between two oil tankers under the Golden Gate Bridge spilled 800,000 gallons of oil into the bay in 1971. (Courtesy of San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Anchorage 7 is also used in emergencies. If a ship is coming into the bay and has an engine problem, VTS does not want that ship traveling under the Bay Bridge. They’ll ask the ship to wait at Anchorage 7 until its engine is repaired.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It piques my attention when I see someone anchored there because it is very visible and it’s highly susceptible to winds and currents,” Reed said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Constant dredging\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To keep Bay Area ports operating, the Army Corps of Engineers dredges the shipping channels on an \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/marine-protection-permitting/sf-bay-ltms\">ongoing basis\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some of the container ships that call at the Port of Oakland are longer than the Salesforce Tower is high. And when a ship that big is loaded up with cargo, it has a deep draft — meaning it sticks way down into the water and needs a deep channel.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The stuff the Corps dredges up from the bottom of the bay is called “spoils” and is most often dumped offshore in the Pacific Ocean. Reed said the Army Corps of Engineers knows which parts of the bay are likely to have toxic or harmful materials and they test the spoils before deciding where to dump it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-28-BL-KQED-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12092759\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-28-BL-KQED-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-28-BL-KQED-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-28-BL-KQED-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ships anchored in the San Francisco Bay, in what are called anchor buckets, on Jan. 14, 2026. Anchor buckets offer longer-term places to park for commercial ships. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But ultimately, the material has to go somewhere, so even stuff dredged up near former military sites does get dumped about 50 miles offshore.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The rules governing the bay and the vessels on it often feel totally separate from Bay Area life lived on shore. For many, the complex work of the maritime industry is just a picturesque backdrop to the daily commute, a necessary but mysterious business. But knowing a bit more about how it all works might mean the next time you look out over the water you’ll be able to say: “Anchorage 9 is looking pretty full today.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-content post-body\">\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"episode-transcript\">Episode transcript\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I’m Olivia Allen-Price. This is Bay Curious – the show that answers listener questions about the San Francisco Bay Area.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Now, if you look out over that bay on any given day, and you’ll see a lot of boat traffic. Ferries chugging along their routes, massive cargo ships headed to port, oil tankers on their way to Richmond, cruise ships unload passengers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And then weaving between those larger ships are sailboats tacking back and forth, Coast Guard boats patrolling the shoreline, kayakers, even swimmers! To an untrained eye, it can seem like absolute chaos.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Stephanie Rohlfs has spent a lot of time looking at the ships on the bay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Stephane Rohlfs: \u003c/strong>I used to live in West Oakland, and during the pandemic, when we were all desperate to go outside, I started doing a little bit of jogging at Middle Harbor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Right near the Port of Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Stephane Rohlfs: \u003c/strong>Involved a lot of staring at container ships going by.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>She also noticed the cargo ships further out, parked in the middle of the bay. And started wondering…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Stephane Rohlfs: \u003c/strong>How do the cargo ships know where to park? And is there an invisible parking lot or some other system? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Stephanie is not the only one curious about how it all works out there. Her question won a Bay Curious voting round, so there are a lot of you with the same question. Here to answer Stephanie is Bay Curious editor and Producer Katrina Schwartz. Hey, Katrina!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Hi, Olivia.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> You’ve become quite the maritime expert over the last few months.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>I know, I got to dig into how the \u003cem>bar pilots\u003c/em> work and shadow one of them on a job for an episode that aired a few weeks ago.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> If you’re interested in that episode, by the way, we’ll put a link in our show notes. But right now, let’s get into Stephanie’s question. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Well, before we get into where and how cargo ships park, I first need to tell you a little story that sets up how we got to the system we have today\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> OK, I’m listening.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Allow me to set the scene…\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Dramatic music\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>It was a cold, foggy night in 1971…the kind where you’d be happy to be snuggled up at home. But a disaster was quietly unfolding in the bay, right under the Golden Gate Bridge. Two big oil tankers were heading in opposite directions…\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival tape: \u003c/strong>The Oregon was moving out of the Gate and the Arizona was moving toward the Gate to come inside the bay. Both ships had been in touch with the Coast Guard for information on weather conditions and locations of ships.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>But back then, there weren’t as many safety protocols in place. So after checking in with the Coast Guard, both ships stopped communicating.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival tape: \u003c/strong>At about 1:45 Monday morning, the incoming Arizona rammed the Oregon port side, about a quarter mile west of the Golden Gate just opposite the center span. The two ships locked together with oil gushing from the gaping hole and drifted towards the south end of Angel Island.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed: \u003c/strong>So 800,000 gallons of petroleum spilled in the bay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>That’s Gary Reed. He works for the Coast Guard, managing Vessel Traffic Services in San Francisco. He knows this history intimately.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed: \u003c/strong>Now the two operators were trying to call the ships and trying to call the ships; they were just watching this slow train wreck about to happen. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Gary told me that since ships only checked in when they wanted to…there was no way to alert the two ships they were on a path to collision, even though the Coast Guard could see it all on the radar.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San Franciscans woke up that Monday morning to oil on their beaches.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival tape: \u003c/strong>I went down to the beach, down to Ocean Beach, Monday afternoon at about 2 o’clock. I swim in the ocean every day. And I go down there and see all this oil. It’s just sick.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>There was a huge outpouring of volunteers over the following days and weeks to not only help clean up oil, but to also try and save the birds that were so covered in oil they could barely move.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Archival tape: \u003c/strong>In addition to the 150 or so paid workmen, there were at least that many volunteers along the marina today. Most of them young, and many of them there to save the birds, which came floating in soaked in oil.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Even though this is pretty recent history – 1971 – I haven’t heard about it before.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>That’s so often true of things that happened after the “past” we learn about in high school history class, right?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Yeah. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Well, I’m telling you this story because it was a wake-up call for everyone around the country. Even Congress — all the way in D.C. — paid attention and eventually passed a law that created the Vessel Traffic Services or VTS. They made it mandatory for ships in every port throughout the country to participate in shore monitoring and to have the necessary radio equipment to communicate with VTS.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed: \u003c/strong>So they made it mandatory for you to listen to a particular channel on the radio and follow the direction of the vessel traffic service. And in 1972, VTS San Francisco became the very first VTS in the United States. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> The very first VTS! That’s kind of a claim to fame. Um, what does VTS do exactly?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Well, they are basically air traffic control for ships. And they’re important to Stephanie’s question about parking in the bay because they communicate with ships coming in from the open sea, and manage the areas where they can park.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> So there IS a parking lot!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>There is, although in maritime lingo they call parking lots “anchorages.” There are 30 anchorages, or zones, in total. Most are in the main bay, and then others are scattered throughout the region’s waterways.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed:\u003c/strong> I would say technically you are not allowed to anchor anywhere outside of those anchorages.\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>And this is for big ships – recreational vessels like sailboats or yachts are another story.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Tell me about a few of the most prominent anchorages we might see from shore.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>OK, so, one of them is called Anchorage 5. It’s just south of the Richmond Bridge. You’ll often see tugboats parked there because when an oil tanker ship comes in, the tugboats are waiting to push it up alongside the oil terminals there in Richmond.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed: \u003c/strong>Just west of Treasure Island, we have Anchorage 7. And that’s the one that I think a lot of people, well, it piques my attention when I see someone anchored there because it is very visible and it’s highly susceptible to winds and currents and all the weather aspects you can get outta that.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Gary says that one is temporary and is most often used by ships that are only going to be there a few hours while they bring on supplies. You won’t see ships there all the time. But the area south of the Bay Bridge and north of the San Mateo Bridge is what most people see.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed: \u003c/strong>And then the biggest one I think most people see when you’re driving across the Bay Bridge, and you’re looking south, you’ll see what we call Anchorage 9, that is our parking lot. That’s where the large ships go to await birth or make repairs or refuel. But that’s our big one down there. That’s our major parking lot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Anchorage nine gets a lot of use by really large ships, so there are designated “buckets” or spots where ships drop their anchors. And that’s because if the weather is really bad and a ship is getting buffeted by the wind and is out at the end of its anchor chain that it’s not going to hit anything nearby. All told, there are 24 of those “anchor buckets” in Anchorage 9. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Tell me a little more about how this whole parking lot system works. Is there a parking meter? A valet? Are we talking parallel parking or pull-in?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Gary said in this system the bar pilots are your very expert valets. They’re those local mariners who specialize in this region. And they decide who parks where.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed: \u003c/strong>They have a little bit more in-depth knowledge of where the ship is going, when does it need to be there, how deep is its draft and what is it carrying. I kind of think of it like the matrix. They’re looking at all the windows. They know what’s coming next and who’s leaving next.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>My first question was how much it costs to park at one of these anchorages, but Gary said the fee structure doesn’t work the same way as a parking lot. Instead, the shipping companies pay the bar pilots a fee that’s based on tonnage. They don’t pay the Coast Guard anything for the actual harbor spot. But most ships don’t want to sit around long in the harbor because that’s money lost.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> We need to take a quick break, but when we come back we’ll learn what makes this region so tricky to manage. Stay with us.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sponsor Break\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> KQED is member-supported media. That means we don’t have any shareholders to please or business conflicts that could affect our reporting. It’s you we’re serving – plain and simple. If that type of journalism sounds like your jam, consider becoming a member at \u003ca href=\"http://donate.kqed.org/podcasts\">donate.kqed.org/podcasts\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>OK, now back to talking about all the boat traffic we see in the Bay with Bay Curious editor and producer Katrina Schwartz. So, we’ve established that there IS a parking lot for the ships in the bay and that it’s highly regulated because when ships collide, it can be catastrophic, as we saw in 1971. What makes this area so tricky for mariners?. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>I’m going to let Gary Reed, head of VTS, answer that.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed:\u003c/strong> It is tricky because of the weather, and it’s tricky, tricky, it’s unique because of the different kinds of waters that we have. We have offshore, we have a bay, we have estuary, we have delta. I mean rivers that go all the way up to Sacramento and Stockton.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Gary compared it to the port in Long Beach, which actually does a lot more shipping than any of our ports, but is also simpler.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed: \u003c/strong>Their area is very limited. They have about a 25-mile area that they monitor and manage. And we have 5,000 square miles that we monitor and manage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Wow, that’s a huge difference.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Yes, and the waterways themselves in the Bay Area are complicated, with bridges, rivers, shallow areas, etc. It’s part of the reason we have the bar pilots…mariners with local knowledge who board every ship over a certain size and navigate it in and out of the bay. And many local disasters have happened in the fog. Like in 2007…the Costco-Busan incident when an oil tanker clipped the Bay Bridge. So, Gary says now ships don’t go under the bridge or leave anchor if visibility is less than half a nautical mile.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed:\u003c/strong> One of our particular cameras is on Yerba Buena Island, and we can look out and see the Oakland Bay Bridge. And we know that if we can’t see the Oakland Bay Bridge from our camera, then the visibility is such that people can’t move.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>While we’re talking about the bay, I want to ask another question that we get a lot from audience members. Many know that on average, the bay is actually pretty shallow, especially down in the South Bay. It can be only 12 feet deep or so. So some of our waterways are dredged. Explain what that is, who does it and how often?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Dredging is the process of excavating the bay floor to make deeper shipping channels. The Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for dredging…and they do it on an ongoing basis. Remember, many of these cargo ships are truly huge, like skyscrapers on their sides moving through the water. And they’re carrying a lot of weight, which means they also stick down into the water pretty far too…that’s called the ship’s draft. Dredging shipping lanes that are deeper than the natural bay floor is the only way that these big container ships can continue to work here.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And I did ask Gary where the Army Corps of Engineers dump the stuff they’ve dredged up.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gary Reed: [00:40:46] There is a spot off a Pacific beach that they can dump their spoils because what they’re dredging is non-toxic. They’re just putting dirt on dirt.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>He also said if they’re worried about toxins in dredged spoils, they’ll test it first to make sure it won’t damage the environment where they dump it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Alright, any last thoughts since you’ve been immersed in the maritime world?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>One of the interesting things I learned that’s a bit of a side note to the question is that the crews on foreign ships are not allowed off the vessel when they are at anchor or unloading because they are considered foreign nationals. But sometimes ships do sit at anchor for months at a time, which is obviously a tough situation for the folks on board. So, there’s an organization… Seafarer’s Ministry of the Golden Gate… whose mission is to check up on those folks, on the mental and physical well-being of crew members.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I can’t imagine being on a ship for weeks and weeks and then getting near land and having to look at it and not get off the ship.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>I know. And these people actually go onboard, they bring care packages and offer to listen or counsel crew members in their own languages. I’m sure it’s not enough, but at least it’s something.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Yeah, sounds like a really interesting job. Well, Katrina, thanks for your reporting.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>My pleasure. These maritime jobs are really interesting. A totally different lifestyle than what a lot of us landlubbers are used to.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> That was Bay Curious editor and producer, Katrina Schwartz.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This question was selected by you in a voting round on \u003ca href=\"http://baycurious.org\">BayCurious.org\u003c/a>. Be sure you never miss a voting round by subscribing to the Bay Curious newsletter. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bay Curious is made at member-supported KQED in San Francisco. Our show is produced by Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale, and me, Olivia Allen-Price. With extra support from Maha Sanad, Katie Sprenger, Jen Chien, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on team KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’m Olivia Allen-Price. Have a great week.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>"
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"slug": "sunken-boat-located-cause-of-fatal-capsize-under-investigation",
"title": "Sunken Boat Located: Cause of Fatal Capsize Under Investigation",
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"headTitle": "Sunken Boat Located: Cause of Fatal Capsize Under Investigation | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Officials from the San Francisco Police Department on Friday located the submerged wreckage of the Volare — a 49-foot cabin cruiser that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091098/search-continues-for-3-missing-people-after-boat-sinks-near-alcatraz-1-dead\">capsized earlier this week\u003c/a>, leaving two people dead and two still missing, department officials said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Since Tuesday’s fatal boat sinking in the San Francisco Bay, initial explanations by officials pinned the cause on a wave that rolled the boat, throwing some of its 20 passengers into the water and possibly trapping others below deck.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The official cause of the capsizing is still under investigation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I don’t know the cause of that at this point in time,” said Capt. Jarod Toczko, sector commander for the U.S. Coast Guard, during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260717-Gas-House-Cove-ADE-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091668\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260717-Gas-House-Cove-ADE-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260717-Gas-House-Cove-ADE-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260717-Gas-House-Cove-ADE-01-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gas House Cove in San Francisco on July 14, 2026. (Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In order to drive a recreational boat the size of the Volare in California, \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=29416\">state law requires\u003c/a> the person operating the vessel to hold a California Boater Card, and for the boat to possess basic safety equipment, such as fire extinguishers and lifejackets for everyone on board. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco Recreation and Parks has confirmed the Volare was captained by John Boisa, 62, who is a former naval officer. A person under the name John Boisa was issued a \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/\">California Boater Card\u003c/a>, according to Angelica De La Peña, a spokesperson with California State Parks. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To Matt Juanes, who has captained his own boats as a commercial fisherman and charter boat captain in the Bay Area for the last 12 years, Boisa’s decision to take the Volare out on a cruise toward Angel Island with 20 people on that particular Tuesday wasn’t a safety risk. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s nothing out of the ordinary. It doesn’t throw a flag for me,” Juanes said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said that, in his personal opinion, the fact that a kiteboarder and a fisherman in a 22-foot boat were able to aid in the rescue pointed to relatively calm conditions — not the kind that would swamp the much larger Volare on its own. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Initial reports by first responders and rescuers described a plume of smoke emanating from the vessel, leading officials to initially suspect the Volare was on fire. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Toczko said reports of a fire were unsubstantiated.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“After talking to survivors and folks on scene, there is no evidence of a fire of any kind,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>James Smith, who has captained boats for close to 40 years and owns the Berkeley-based charter fishing boat California Dawn, was among the local fishermen who responded to the Coast Guard’s report of a vessel in distress. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Smith believes whatever happened was a “catastrophic failure.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Coming into the bay from a salmon fishing trip, he said he could see a plume of smoke emanating from the boat, adding that it may have been caused by water hitting the engine.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260716-ALCATRAZ-BOAT-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091355\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260716-ALCATRAZ-BOAT-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260716-ALCATRAZ-BOAT-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260716-ALCATRAZ-BOAT-01-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A boat carrying 20 passengers sank near Alcatraz Island on Tuesday, July 14, leaving one person dead and three missing. (Courtesy of James Kim)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ If you have a hot motor, and if the engine’s running and the water goes into the oil, the first thing it’s going to do is make a pile of smoke,” Smith said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The only way to know for sure would be to take statements from the passengers on board and to inspect the boat, Smith said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After locating the Volare on Friday with boat-mounted sonar, officers in SFPD’s Marine Unit are now using a remotely operated vehicle to assess the wreckage, officials said in a statement. The department is working with partner agencies to evaluate recovery options and determine “whether it is safe and feasible” to recover the Volare. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ They have to potentially raise the boat to get the answers, which is going to be extremely difficult, because that thing is rolling around on the bottom and is probably going to be smashed into a million pieces in a few days,” Smith said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Friday, a friend of Mary Ann Boisa, whose father, Clifford Boisa, died in the sinking, started a GoFundMe for the grieving daughter. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“These funds will allow Mary Ann to focus on honoring her father and celebrating the incredible person he was. Let’s remind her she is not alone in facing this overwhelming heartbreak and is surrounded by a community that deeply cares for her,” Michelle Fales wrote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mary Ann’s mother, Jackie Boisa, and an aunt, Carol Boisa, are still among the missing, and Cliff and Jackie would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in November, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-mary-ann-boisa-after-tragic-loss\">GoFundMe\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Officials from the SFPD said Friday the department will continue its investigation into the cause of the sinking vessel while continuing the recovery efforts for the remaining two individuals missing.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Officials from the San Francisco Police Department on Friday located the submerged wreckage of the Volare — a 49-foot cabin cruiser that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091098/search-continues-for-3-missing-people-after-boat-sinks-near-alcatraz-1-dead\">capsized earlier this week\u003c/a>, leaving two people dead and two still missing, department officials said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Officials from the San Francisco Police Department on Friday located the submerged wreckage of the Volare — a 49-foot cabin cruiser that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091098/search-continues-for-3-missing-people-after-boat-sinks-near-alcatraz-1-dead\">capsized earlier this week\u003c/a>, leaving two people dead and two still missing, department officials said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Since Tuesday’s fatal boat sinking in the San Francisco Bay, initial explanations by officials pinned the cause on a wave that rolled the boat, throwing some of its 20 passengers into the water and possibly trapping others below deck.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The official cause of the capsizing is still under investigation.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I don’t know the cause of that at this point in time,” said Capt. Jarod Toczko, sector commander for the U.S. Coast Guard, during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I don’t know the cause of that at this point in time,” said Capt. Jarod Toczko, sector commander for the U.S. Coast Guard, during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon.\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260717-Gas-House-Cove-ADE-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260717-Gas-House-Cove-ADE-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260717-Gas-House-Cove-ADE-01-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260717-Gas-House-Cove-ADE-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091668\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260717-Gas-House-Cove-ADE-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260717-Gas-House-Cove-ADE-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260717-Gas-House-Cove-ADE-01-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gas House Cove in San Francisco on July 14, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260717-Gas-House-Cove-ADE-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091668\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gas House Cove in San Francisco on July 14, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In order to drive a recreational boat the size of the Volare in California, \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=29416\">state law requires\u003c/a> the person operating the vessel to hold a California Boater Card, and for the boat to possess basic safety equipment, such as fire extinguishers and lifejackets for everyone on board. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In order to drive a recreational boat the size of the Volare in California, \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=29416\">state law requires\u003c/a> the person operating the vessel to hold a California Boater Card, and for the boat to possess basic safety equipment, such as fire extinguishers and lifejackets for everyone on board. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San Francisco Recreation and Parks has confirmed the Volare was captained by John Boisa, 62, who is a former naval officer. A person under the name John Boisa was issued a \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/\">California Boater Card\u003c/a>, according to Angelica De La Peña, a spokesperson with California State Parks. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>San Francisco Recreation and Parks has confirmed the Volare was captained by John Boisa, 62, who is a former naval officer. A person under the name John Boisa was issued a \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/\">California Boater Card\u003c/a>, according to Angelica De La Peña, a spokesperson with California State Parks. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>To Matt Juanes, who has captained his own boats as a commercial fisherman and charter boat captain in the Bay Area for the last 12 years, Boisa’s decision to take the Volare out on a cruise toward Angel Island with 20 people on that particular Tuesday wasn’t a safety risk. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>To Matt Juanes, who has captained his own boats as a commercial fisherman and charter boat captain in the Bay Area for the last 12 years, Boisa’s decision to take the Volare out on a cruise toward Angel Island with 20 people on that particular Tuesday wasn’t a safety risk. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s nothing out of the ordinary. It doesn’t throw a flag for me,” Juanes said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He said that, in his personal opinion, the fact that a kiteboarder and a fisherman in a 22-foot boat were able to aid in the rescue pointed to relatively calm conditions — not the kind that would swamp the much larger Volare on its own. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>He said that, in his personal opinion, the fact that a kiteboarder and a fisherman in a 22-foot boat were able to aid in the rescue pointed to relatively calm conditions — not the kind that would swamp the much larger Volare on its own. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Initial reports by first responders and rescuers described a plume of smoke emanating from the vessel, leading officials to initially suspect the Volare was on fire. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Toczko said reports of a fire were unsubstantiated.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“After talking to survivors and folks on scene, there is no evidence of a fire of any kind,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>James Smith, who has captained boats for close to 40 years and owns the Berkeley-based charter fishing boat California Dawn, was among the local fishermen who responded to the Coast Guard’s report of a vessel in distress. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Smith believes whatever happened was a “catastrophic failure.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Coming into the bay from a salmon fishing trip, he said he could see a plume of smoke emanating from the boat, adding that it may have been caused by water hitting the engine.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Coming into the bay from a salmon fishing trip, he said he could see a plume of smoke emanating from the boat, adding that it may have been caused by water hitting the engine.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260716-ALCATRAZ-BOAT-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091355\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260716-ALCATRAZ-BOAT-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260716-ALCATRAZ-BOAT-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260716-ALCATRAZ-BOAT-01-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A boat carrying 20 passengers sank near Alcatraz Island on Tuesday, July 14, leaving one person dead and three missing.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260716-ALCATRAZ-BOAT-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091355\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A boat carrying 20 passengers sank near Alcatraz Island on Tuesday, July 14, leaving one person dead and three missing.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ If you have a hot motor, and if the engine’s running and the water goes into the oil, the first thing it’s going to do is make a pile of smoke,” Smith said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The only way to know for sure would be to take statements from the passengers on board and to inspect the boat, Smith said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The only way to know for sure would be to take statements from the passengers on board and to inspect the boat, Smith said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>After locating the Volare on Friday with boat-mounted sonar, officers in SFPD’s Marine Unit are now using a remotely operated vehicle to assess the wreckage, officials said in a statement. The department is working with partner agencies to evaluate recovery options and determine “whether it is safe and feasible” to recover the Volare. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>After locating the Volare on Friday with boat-mounted sonar, officers in SFPD’s Marine Unit are now using a remotely operated vehicle to assess the wreckage, officials said in a statement. The department is working with partner agencies to evaluate recovery options and determine “whether it is safe and feasible” to recover the Volare. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ They have to potentially raise the boat to get the answers, which is going to be extremely difficult, because that thing is rolling around on the bottom and is probably going to be smashed into a million pieces in a few days,” Smith said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Friday, a friend of Mary Ann Boisa, whose father, Clifford Boisa, died in the sinking, started a GoFundMe for the grieving daughter. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“These funds will allow Mary Ann to focus on honoring her father and celebrating the incredible person he was. Let’s remind her she is not alone in facing this overwhelming heartbreak and is surrounded by a community that deeply cares for her,” Michelle Fales wrote.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“These funds will allow Mary Ann to focus on honoring her father and celebrating the incredible person he was. Let’s remind her she is not alone in facing this overwhelming heartbreak and is surrounded by a community that deeply cares for her,” Michelle Fales wrote.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mary Ann’s mother, Jackie Boisa, and an aunt, Carol Boisa, are still among the missing, and Cliff and Jackie would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in November, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-mary-ann-boisa-after-tragic-loss\">GoFundMe\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Mary Ann’s mother, Jackie Boisa, and an aunt, Carol Boisa, are still among the missing, and Cliff and Jackie would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in November, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-mary-ann-boisa-after-tragic-loss\">GoFundMe\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Officials from the SFPD said Friday the department will continue its investigation into the cause of the sinking vessel while continuing the recovery efforts for the remaining two individuals missing.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Officials from the SFPD said Friday the department will continue its investigation into the cause of the sinking vessel while continuing the recovery efforts for the remaining two individuals missing.\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "The SFPD Marine Unit said it located the wreckage of the Volare in the San Francisco Bay on Friday.",
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"title": "Sunken Boat Located: Cause of Fatal Capsize Under Investigation | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Officials from the San Francisco Police Department on Friday located the submerged wreckage of the Volare — a 49-foot cabin cruiser that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091098/search-continues-for-3-missing-people-after-boat-sinks-near-alcatraz-1-dead\">capsized earlier this week\u003c/a>, leaving two people dead and two still missing, department officials said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Since Tuesday’s fatal boat sinking in the San Francisco Bay, initial explanations by officials pinned the cause on a wave that rolled the boat, throwing some of its 20 passengers into the water and possibly trapping others below deck.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The official cause of the capsizing is still under investigation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I don’t know the cause of that at this point in time,” said Capt. Jarod Toczko, sector commander for the U.S. Coast Guard, during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260717-Gas-House-Cove-ADE-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091668\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260717-Gas-House-Cove-ADE-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260717-Gas-House-Cove-ADE-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260717-Gas-House-Cove-ADE-01-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gas House Cove in San Francisco on July 14, 2026. (Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In order to drive a recreational boat the size of the Volare in California, \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=29416\">state law requires\u003c/a> the person operating the vessel to hold a California Boater Card, and for the boat to possess basic safety equipment, such as fire extinguishers and lifejackets for everyone on board. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco Recreation and Parks has confirmed the Volare was captained by John Boisa, 62, who is a former naval officer. A person under the name John Boisa was issued a \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/\">California Boater Card\u003c/a>, according to Angelica De La Peña, a spokesperson with California State Parks. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To Matt Juanes, who has captained his own boats as a commercial fisherman and charter boat captain in the Bay Area for the last 12 years, Boisa’s decision to take the Volare out on a cruise toward Angel Island with 20 people on that particular Tuesday wasn’t a safety risk. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s nothing out of the ordinary. It doesn’t throw a flag for me,” Juanes said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said that, in his personal opinion, the fact that a kiteboarder and a fisherman in a 22-foot boat were able to aid in the rescue pointed to relatively calm conditions — not the kind that would swamp the much larger Volare on its own. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Initial reports by first responders and rescuers described a plume of smoke emanating from the vessel, leading officials to initially suspect the Volare was on fire. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Toczko said reports of a fire were unsubstantiated.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“After talking to survivors and folks on scene, there is no evidence of a fire of any kind,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>James Smith, who has captained boats for close to 40 years and owns the Berkeley-based charter fishing boat California Dawn, was among the local fishermen who responded to the Coast Guard’s report of a vessel in distress. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Smith believes whatever happened was a “catastrophic failure.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Coming into the bay from a salmon fishing trip, he said he could see a plume of smoke emanating from the boat, adding that it may have been caused by water hitting the engine.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260716-ALCATRAZ-BOAT-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091355\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260716-ALCATRAZ-BOAT-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260716-ALCATRAZ-BOAT-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260716-ALCATRAZ-BOAT-01-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A boat carrying 20 passengers sank near Alcatraz Island on Tuesday, July 14, leaving one person dead and three missing. (Courtesy of James Kim)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ If you have a hot motor, and if the engine’s running and the water goes into the oil, the first thing it’s going to do is make a pile of smoke,” Smith said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The only way to know for sure would be to take statements from the passengers on board and to inspect the boat, Smith said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After locating the Volare on Friday with boat-mounted sonar, officers in SFPD’s Marine Unit are now using a remotely operated vehicle to assess the wreckage, officials said in a statement. The department is working with partner agencies to evaluate recovery options and determine “whether it is safe and feasible” to recover the Volare. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ They have to potentially raise the boat to get the answers, which is going to be extremely difficult, because that thing is rolling around on the bottom and is probably going to be smashed into a million pieces in a few days,” Smith said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Friday, a friend of Mary Ann Boisa, whose father, Clifford Boisa, died in the sinking, started a GoFundMe for the grieving daughter. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“These funds will allow Mary Ann to focus on honoring her father and celebrating the incredible person he was. Let’s remind her she is not alone in facing this overwhelming heartbreak and is surrounded by a community that deeply cares for her,” Michelle Fales wrote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mary Ann’s mother, Jackie Boisa, and an aunt, Carol Boisa, are still among the missing, and Cliff and Jackie would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in November, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-mary-ann-boisa-after-tragic-loss\">GoFundMe\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Officials from the SFPD said Friday the department will continue its investigation into the cause of the sinking vessel while continuing the recovery efforts for the remaining two individuals missing.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "what-passengers-should-know-about-boat-safety-on-the-san-francisco-bay",
"title": "What Passengers Should Know About Boat Safety on the San Francisco Bay",
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"headTitle": "What Passengers Should Know About Boat Safety on the San Francisco Bay | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>A deadly boating incident on the San Francisco Bay has killed at least one person, with three still missing as the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091098/search-continues-for-3-missing-people-after-boat-sinks-near-alcatraz-1-dead\">search becomes a recovery mission. \u003c/a>The body of a person who has not been identified was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091414/san-francisco-police-searching-for-sunken-vessel\">pulled from the water on Thursday afternoon\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091098/search-continues-for-3-missing-people-after-boat-sinks-near-alcatraz-1-dead\">Early reports from the incident\u003c/a> suggest\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091126/total-chaos-bay-area-sailors-recall-rescue-of-boat-passengers-near-alcatraz\"> a wave\u003c/a> struck the three-story boat before rolling over and sinking a short way from Alcatraz Island. Conditions on the water on Tuesday were windy with rough seas, according to witnesses and first responders. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer, 3rd Class, Kenneth Wiese said strong tides and afternoon wind in the bay can “get pretty turbulent out there.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It looks like a river when the tide is going in and out [at] certain times of day,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The bay tides are so tricky to navigate, in fact, that all ships over 750 gross tons are required to have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089929/why-specialized-mariners-are-required-on-every-ship-sailing-into-san-francisco-bay\">a “bar pilot\u003c/a>”: a special mariner who knows the local conditions to help them enter and exit these waters. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-06-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091156\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-06-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-06-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-06-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter team looks for three people missing on July 15, 2026, after a boat capsized in the San Francisco Bay on July 14. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even so, boating accidents — especially deadly ones — aren’t particularly common in the state. There were \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/pages/28702/files/ADA%20Overview%20of%20the%20Boating%20Accident%20Program.pdf\">479 recreational boating incidents\u003c/a> in California in 2024, according to the California State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways. Those incidents, which span the coast and inland waterways like rivers and lakes, resulted in 214 injuries and 47 fatalities.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Compared to open coastal waters, fatalities from recreational boating accidents are relatively rare on the San Francisco Bay. Zero fatalities were reported on the San Francisco Bay from \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/pages/28702/files/2019%20Recreational%20Boating%20Accident%20Statistics%20-%20Final.pdf\">boating accidents in 2019\u003c/a>, dipping from three \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/pages/28702/files/2016DBW_AccidentStats_NorCal_050517.pdf\">deaths in 2015\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For a boat of this size to capsize, “this is a really unusual circumstance,” said David McMurdie, co-founder of California Recovery Divers — a volunteer team that leads underwater search and recoveries in Northern and Central California. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, he said, a plunge in the bay’s cold, fast-moving waters can quickly become life-threatening to even the most experienced boaters. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It can turn deadly instantly,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Here’s what you need to know about boating safety in the San Francisco Bay, whether you’re renting a boat or planning to be a passenger on a vessel.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#boat-begins-to-sink\">What experts say you should do if you’re on a sinking boat\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Check the weather before you go out … and be prepared to cancel your plans\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>First things first: Check the weather and water conditions. Wiese said the Coast Guard relies on forecasts and \u003ca href=\"https://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/data/Forecasts/FZUS56.KMTR.html\">real-time water conditions from NOAA. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If you’re worried, I’d say the best case is not to go out,” Wiese said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wiese also suggested bringing extra layers and, depending on the weather of the day and your itinerary, bringing or wearing a dry suit. You can also designate someone to be “lookout” on the vessel to watch for hazardous conditions like mounting waves or nearby boats, he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get your vessel checked by the Coast Guard\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Before you head out on the water, it’s best to make sure all your safety gear is on board and hasn’t expired. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That includes items like life jackets, fire extinguishers, lights, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sarsat.noaa.gov/register-your-beacon/\">registered emergency beacons\u003c/a> and — as required on certain boats since 2021 — an \u003ca href=\"https://uscgboating.org/recreational-boaters/engine-cut-off-devices.php\">engine cut-off switch\u003c/a> that activates when the boat’s operator falls away from the boat. Wiese said it’s common to find boats with expired flares, for example. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-15-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091228\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-15-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-15-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-15-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A U.S. Coast Guard boat participates in a search and rescue operation for three people missing on July 15, 2026, after a vessel carrying 20 passengers sank near Alcatraz in the San Francisco Bay on July 14. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Coast Guard Auxiliary offers free \u003ca href=\"https://www.cgaux.org/vsc/\">vessel safety checks\u003c/a> where volunteers will check your boat, without the possibility of punishment if you don’t pass — to ensure you have all your federally required equipment on board. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Make sure you have everything on board according to federal regulations,” he said. “It could really save your life if the worst-case scenario happens and buy you time when we’re looking for you.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Take a boating safety course\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the Coast Guard, in 2024, 69% of deaths occurred on boats where the operator had not received boating safety instruction. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Coast Guard Auxiliary offers \u003ca href=\"https://www.cgaux.org/boatinged/\">boating safety courses\u003c/a> for a fee for anyone who wants to sign up, covering topics like boating law, safety operations and emergencies.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://wow.uscgaux.info/content.php?unit=B-DEPT&category=for-boaters\">Coast Guard Auxiliary’s website\u003c/a> is rich with information for boaters if you’re looking for answers on equipment, regulations or statistics.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Listen to the onboard safety briefing\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Coast Guard \u003ca href=\"https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/46/185.506\">requires commercial vessels\u003c/a> to give a safety briefing before the boat starts cruising. McMurdie said it’s important that you actually listen to it, so you know where the life jackets are located on the boat and any other need-to-know information. And if you’re just out with friends on a boat one of you owns, it’s still good practice to let everyone know where they can find emergency devices and life jackets. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While boarding the boat, you should also take mental note of all the escape routes from interior areas of the boat so you don’t have to figure them out in case of an emergency.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-02-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12026945\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-02-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-02-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-02-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-02-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-02-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-02-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Boats sit in the harbor in Moss Landing on Feb. 12, 2025. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s going to be really disorienting,” McMurdie said. “A boat topples over with you inside of it, and you’re getting tumbled around — and if you add water inside the cab, it’s probably going to be really dark.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Just having that situational awareness might give you an extra chance of survival,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Always wear a life jacket\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The number one thing you should always do if you’re worried about safety on a boat is wear a life jacket, also called a personal flotation device or PFD.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“One of the guys I work with likes to say, ‘We’ve never recovered anybody wearing a PFD,’” said McMurdie, who leads and performs underwater search and recoveries for deceased boaters. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.mycg.uscg.mil/News/Article/4487038/make-sure-youre-safe-on-the-water/\">Coast Guard\u003c/a>, around 75% of boating deaths annually are due to drowning, with 87% of victims not wearing a life jacket. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Create and follow a ‘float plan’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even if it’s a clear day, Wiese said creating and following a \u003ca href=\"https://floatplancentral.cgaux.org/\">float plan\u003c/a> is a way to let your family and friends know where you intend to go and what time you expect to be back, as well as leaving contact information for passengers in case of an emergency. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>No boat nor journey is too small to take this precaution, the \u003ca href=\"https://floatplancentral.cgaux.org/classroom/floatplans.htm\">Coast Guard emphasizes.\u003c/a> A float plan is “equally effective for the owner of a 10-foot kayak or flat-bottom skiff as it is for a 48-foot express cruiser, or a 90-foot sport-fishing vessel or luxury yacht,” the agency said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Don’t drink and boat\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the Coast Guard, \u003ca href=\"https://www.uscgboating.org/recreational-boaters/boating-under-the-influence.php\">alcohol is the single biggest contributing \u003c/a>factor to boating deaths. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Boating while under the influence is actually illegal and dangerous to you, your passengers and other boaters nearby. Plus, the marine environment — meaning the constant motion, vibration and engine noise of the boat itself plus the sun, wind and spray exposure — all accelerate impairment, the Coast Guard said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Alcohol is even more hazardous on the water than on land,” its website said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"boat-begins-to-sink\">What to know if your boat begins to sink\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you are on a boat that begins to sink — or if you’re at all worried about going overboard for any reason — the best thing to do is immediately put on a life jacket, Wiese said. You can then start to assist others with their life jackets. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’re inside or below deck, quickly leave for the top deck via one of the escape routes you identified and consider whether others might be trapped inside, too.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Whether or not you should stay with the boat or swim away from it depends on how \u003cem>quickly \u003c/em>it’s sinking, he said. If it’s staying mostly afloat, it’s best to keep holding onto it so you don’t have to expend energy treading water. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“But if the boat is actively sinking and you know it’s going to go under, I suggest swimming away from it, looking out also for any entangling lines in the water that could wrap around you and take you down with it,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s easier said than done, but try to stay calm in this situation, Wiese said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s a tendency to get cold water shock with these water temperatures that we have in the Bay Area,” he said. “If you stay calm and relax, it’s hard for your muscles to tense up.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’re able, try to get everyone together in the water, both to make sure everyone is accounted for — it’s easy to get separated with the strong currents in the San Francisco Bay — and for bodily warmth, he said. Form a circle, if you can, to help make floating easier and to conserve body heat between you. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While it might seem counterintuitive, Wiese advised against trying hard to swim: “It’s better to stay still if you can and wait for help,” he said. “Stay calm and try not to move around as much as possible, as the core temperature of your body can be seriously depleted by movement.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When you’re moving around in cold waters like we have in the bay here, all the body heat from your internal core will go to the outside to keep you warm, but you actually end up getting colder faster in the end,” he said. “And limiting movement will conserve a lot of that core body heat and allow your body to stay alive longer without experiencing the heightened symptoms of hypothermia.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you can find something floating to grab onto, try to do so. And if you have any means to call the Coast Guard for help or signal distress to nearby boaters, you should do that as well. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to help someone else at risk of drowning\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’re on a boat in the bay and you see someone else in distress, you can immediately \u003ca href=\"https://www.pacificarea.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/Southwest-District/District-Units/Sector-San-Francisco/Contacts/\">reach out to the Coast Guard\u003c/a> at 415-399-3547 to alert its 24/7 hotline that will activate emergency responders. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>You can also attempt to help them, but in general, \u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/content/dam/redcross/training-services/whale-tales/pdfs/Lesson_8_FINAL.pdf?srsltid=AfmBOoo48gYiXZCe7XPMhQFI_-Qmbpk9GG5sFgi-PR7aiCFze2zIRXLM\">water safety experts advise\u003c/a> against jumping into the water yourself to save someone. Instead, toss them a flotation device, then attempt to pull them out of the water.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/sjohnson\">\u003cem>Sydney Johnson\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A deadly boating incident on the San Francisco Bay has killed at least one person, with three still missing as the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091098/search-continues-for-3-missing-people-after-boat-sinks-near-alcatraz-1-dead\">search becomes a recovery mission. \u003c/a>The body of a person who has not been identified was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091414/san-francisco-police-searching-for-sunken-vessel\">pulled from the water on Thursday afternoon\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A deadly boating incident on the San Francisco Bay has killed at least one person, with three still missing as the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091098/search-continues-for-3-missing-people-after-boat-sinks-near-alcatraz-1-dead\">search becomes a recovery mission. \u003c/a>The body of a person who has not been identified was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091414/san-francisco-police-searching-for-sunken-vessel\">pulled from the water on Thursday afternoon\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091098/search-continues-for-3-missing-people-after-boat-sinks-near-alcatraz-1-dead\">Early reports from the incident\u003c/a> suggest\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091126/total-chaos-bay-area-sailors-recall-rescue-of-boat-passengers-near-alcatraz\"> a wave\u003c/a> struck the three-story boat before rolling over and sinking a short way from Alcatraz Island. Conditions on the water on Tuesday were windy with rough seas, according to witnesses and first responders. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091098/search-continues-for-3-missing-people-after-boat-sinks-near-alcatraz-1-dead\">Early reports from the incident\u003c/a> suggest\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091126/total-chaos-bay-area-sailors-recall-rescue-of-boat-passengers-near-alcatraz\"> a wave\u003c/a> struck the three-story boat before rolling over and sinking a short way from Alcatraz Island. Conditions on the water on Tuesday were windy with rough seas, according to witnesses and first responders. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer, 3rd Class, Kenneth Wiese said strong tides and afternoon wind in the bay can “get pretty turbulent out there.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer, 3rd Class, Kenneth Wiese said strong tides and afternoon wind in the bay can “get pretty turbulent out there.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It looks like a river when the tide is going in and out [at] certain times of day,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“It looks like a river when the tide is going in and out [at] certain times of day,” he said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The bay tides are so tricky to navigate, in fact, that all ships over 750 gross tons are required to have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089929/why-specialized-mariners-are-required-on-every-ship-sailing-into-san-francisco-bay\">a “bar pilot\u003c/a>”: a special mariner who knows the local conditions to help them enter and exit these waters. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The bay tides are so tricky to navigate, in fact, that all ships over 750 gross tons are required to have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089929/why-specialized-mariners-are-required-on-every-ship-sailing-into-san-francisco-bay\">a “bar pilot\u003c/a>”: a special mariner who knows the local conditions to help them enter and exit these waters. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-06-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091156\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-06-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-06-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-06-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter team looks for three people missing on July 15, 2026, after a boat capsized in the San Francisco Bay on July 14.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-06-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091156\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter team looks for three people missing on July 15, 2026, after a boat capsized in the San Francisco Bay on July 14.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Even so, boating accidents — especially deadly ones — aren’t particularly common in the state. There were \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/pages/28702/files/ADA%20Overview%20of%20the%20Boating%20Accident%20Program.pdf\">479 recreational boating incidents\u003c/a> in California in 2024, according to the California State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways. Those incidents, which span the coast and inland waterways like rivers and lakes, resulted in 214 injuries and 47 fatalities.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Even so, boating accidents — especially deadly ones — aren’t particularly common in the state. There were \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/pages/28702/files/ADA%20Overview%20of%20the%20Boating%20Accident%20Program.pdf\">479 recreational boating incidents\u003c/a> in California in 2024, according to the California State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways. Those incidents, which span the coast and inland waterways like rivers and lakes, resulted in 214 injuries and 47 fatalities.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Compared to open coastal waters, fatalities from recreational boating accidents are relatively rare on the San Francisco Bay. Zero fatalities were reported on the San Francisco Bay from \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/pages/28702/files/2019%20Recreational%20Boating%20Accident%20Statistics%20-%20Final.pdf\">boating accidents in 2019\u003c/a>, dipping from three \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/pages/28702/files/2016DBW_AccidentStats_NorCal_050517.pdf\">deaths in 2015\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Compared to open coastal waters, fatalities from recreational boating accidents are relatively rare on the San Francisco Bay. Zero fatalities were reported on the San Francisco Bay from \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/pages/28702/files/2019%20Recreational%20Boating%20Accident%20Statistics%20-%20Final.pdf\">boating accidents in 2019\u003c/a>, dipping from three \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/pages/28702/files/2016DBW_AccidentStats_NorCal_050517.pdf\">deaths in 2015\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For a boat of this size to capsize, “this is a really unusual circumstance,” said David McMurdie, co-founder of California Recovery Divers — a volunteer team that leads underwater search and recoveries in Northern and Central California. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>For a boat of this size to capsize, “this is a really unusual circumstance,” said David McMurdie, co-founder of California Recovery Divers — a volunteer team that leads underwater search and recoveries in Northern and Central California. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Still, he said, a plunge in the bay’s cold, fast-moving waters can quickly become life-threatening to even the most experienced boaters. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Still, he said, a plunge in the bay’s cold, fast-moving waters can quickly become life-threatening to even the most experienced boaters. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It can turn deadly instantly,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It can turn deadly instantly,” he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Here’s what you need to know about boating safety in the San Francisco Bay, whether you’re renting a boat or planning to be a passenger on a vessel.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Here’s what you need to know about boating safety in the San Francisco Bay, whether you’re renting a boat or planning to be a passenger on a vessel.\u003c/p>\n"
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"Jump straight to: What experts say you should do if you’re on a sinking boat"
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null,
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#boat-begins-to-sink\">What experts say you should do if you’re on a sinking boat\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#boat-begins-to-sink\">What experts say you should do if you’re on a sinking boat\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Check the weather before you go out … and be prepared to cancel your plans",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Check the weather before you go out … and be prepared to cancel your plans\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Check the weather before you go out … and be prepared to cancel your plans\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>First things first: Check the weather and water conditions. Wiese said the Coast Guard relies on forecasts and \u003ca href=\"https://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/data/Forecasts/FZUS56.KMTR.html\">real-time water conditions from NOAA. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>First things first: Check the weather and water conditions. Wiese said the Coast Guard relies on forecasts and \u003ca href=\"https://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/data/Forecasts/FZUS56.KMTR.html\">real-time water conditions from NOAA. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If you’re worried, I’d say the best case is not to go out,” Wiese said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“If you’re worried, I’d say the best case is not to go out,” Wiese said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Wiese also suggested bringing extra layers and, depending on the weather of the day and your itinerary, bringing or wearing a dry suit. You can also designate someone to be “lookout” on the vessel to watch for hazardous conditions like mounting waves or nearby boats, he said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Wiese also suggested bringing extra layers and, depending on the weather of the day and your itinerary, bringing or wearing a dry suit. You can also designate someone to be “lookout” on the vessel to watch for hazardous conditions like mounting waves or nearby boats, he said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Get your vessel checked by the Coast Guard",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get your vessel checked by the Coast Guard\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get your vessel checked by the Coast Guard\u003c/h2>\n"
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"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Before you head out on the water, it’s best to make sure all your safety gear is on board and hasn’t expired. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Before you head out on the water, it’s best to make sure all your safety gear is on board and hasn’t expired. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That includes items like life jackets, fire extinguishers, lights, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sarsat.noaa.gov/register-your-beacon/\">registered emergency beacons\u003c/a> and — as required on certain boats since 2021 — an \u003ca href=\"https://uscgboating.org/recreational-boaters/engine-cut-off-devices.php\">engine cut-off switch\u003c/a> that activates when the boat’s operator falls away from the boat. Wiese said it’s common to find boats with expired flares, for example. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>That includes items like life jackets, fire extinguishers, lights, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sarsat.noaa.gov/register-your-beacon/\">registered emergency beacons\u003c/a> and — as required on certain boats since 2021 — an \u003ca href=\"https://uscgboating.org/recreational-boaters/engine-cut-off-devices.php\">engine cut-off switch\u003c/a> that activates when the boat’s operator falls away from the boat. Wiese said it’s common to find boats with expired flares, for example. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-15-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091228\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-15-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-15-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-15-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A U.S. Coast Guard boat participates in a search and rescue operation for three people missing on July 15, 2026, after a vessel carrying 20 passengers sank near Alcatraz in the San Francisco Bay on July 14.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-15-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091228\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A U.S. Coast Guard boat participates in a search and rescue operation for three people missing on July 15, 2026, after a vessel carrying 20 passengers sank near Alcatraz in the San Francisco Bay on July 14.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Coast Guard Auxiliary offers free \u003ca href=\"https://www.cgaux.org/vsc/\">vessel safety checks\u003c/a> where volunteers will check your boat, without the possibility of punishment if you don’t pass — to ensure you have all your federally required equipment on board. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Coast Guard Auxiliary offers free \u003ca href=\"https://www.cgaux.org/vsc/\">vessel safety checks\u003c/a> where volunteers will check your boat, without the possibility of punishment if you don’t pass — to ensure you have all your federally required equipment on board. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Make sure you have everything on board according to federal regulations,” he said. “It could really save your life if the worst-case scenario happens and buy you time when we’re looking for you.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Make sure you have everything on board according to federal regulations,” he said. “It could really save your life if the worst-case scenario happens and buy you time when we’re looking for you.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Take a boating safety course",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to the Coast Guard, in 2024, 69% of deaths occurred on boats where the operator had not received boating safety instruction. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>According to the Coast Guard, in 2024, 69% of deaths occurred on boats where the operator had not received boating safety instruction. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Coast Guard Auxiliary offers \u003ca href=\"https://www.cgaux.org/boatinged/\">boating safety courses\u003c/a> for a fee for anyone who wants to sign up, covering topics like boating law, safety operations and emergencies.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Coast Guard Auxiliary offers \u003ca href=\"https://www.cgaux.org/boatinged/\">boating safety courses\u003c/a> for a fee for anyone who wants to sign up, covering topics like boating law, safety operations and emergencies.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://wow.uscgaux.info/content.php?unit=B-DEPT&category=for-boaters\">Coast Guard Auxiliary’s website\u003c/a> is rich with information for boaters if you’re looking for answers on equipment, regulations or statistics.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://wow.uscgaux.info/content.php?unit=B-DEPT&category=for-boaters\">Coast Guard Auxiliary’s website\u003c/a> is rich with information for boaters if you’re looking for answers on equipment, regulations or statistics.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Listen to the onboard safety briefing",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Coast Guard \u003ca href=\"https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/46/185.506\">requires commercial vessels\u003c/a> to give a safety briefing before the boat starts cruising. McMurdie said it’s important that you actually listen to it, so you know where the life jackets are located on the boat and any other need-to-know information. And if you’re just out with friends on a boat one of you owns, it’s still good practice to let everyone know where they can find emergency devices and life jackets. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Coast Guard \u003ca href=\"https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/46/185.506\">requires commercial vessels\u003c/a> to give a safety briefing before the boat starts cruising. McMurdie said it’s important that you actually listen to it, so you know where the life jackets are located on the boat and any other need-to-know information. And if you’re just out with friends on a boat one of you owns, it’s still good practice to let everyone know where they can find emergency devices and life jackets. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While boarding the boat, you should also take mental note of all the escape routes from interior areas of the boat so you don’t have to figure them out in case of an emergency.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While boarding the boat, you should also take mental note of all the escape routes from interior areas of the boat so you don’t have to figure them out in case of an emergency.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-02-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12026945\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-02-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-02-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-02-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-02-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-02-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-02-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Boats sit in the harbor in Moss Landing on Feb. 12, 2025.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-02-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12026945\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Boats sit in the harbor in Moss Landing on Feb. 12, 2025.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s going to be really disorienting,” McMurdie said. “A boat topples over with you inside of it, and you’re getting tumbled around — and if you add water inside the cab, it’s probably going to be really dark.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s going to be really disorienting,” McMurdie said. “A boat topples over with you inside of it, and you’re getting tumbled around — and if you add water inside the cab, it’s probably going to be really dark.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Just having that situational awareness might give you an extra chance of survival,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Just having that situational awareness might give you an extra chance of survival,” he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Always wear a life jacket",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The number one thing you should always do if you’re worried about safety on a boat is wear a life jacket, also called a personal flotation device or PFD.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The number one thing you should always do if you’re worried about safety on a boat is wear a life jacket, also called a personal flotation device or PFD.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“One of the guys I work with likes to say, ‘We’ve never recovered anybody wearing a PFD,’” said McMurdie, who leads and performs underwater search and recoveries for deceased boaters. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“One of the guys I work with likes to say, ‘We’ve never recovered anybody wearing a PFD,’” said McMurdie, who leads and performs underwater search and recoveries for deceased boaters. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.mycg.uscg.mil/News/Article/4487038/make-sure-youre-safe-on-the-water/\">Coast Guard\u003c/a>, around 75% of boating deaths annually are due to drowning, with 87% of victims not wearing a life jacket. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>According to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.mycg.uscg.mil/News/Article/4487038/make-sure-youre-safe-on-the-water/\">Coast Guard\u003c/a>, around 75% of boating deaths annually are due to drowning, with 87% of victims not wearing a life jacket. \u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Create and follow a ‘float plan’",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Create and follow a ‘float plan’\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Create and follow a ‘float plan’\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Even if it’s a clear day, Wiese said creating and following a \u003ca href=\"https://floatplancentral.cgaux.org/\">float plan\u003c/a> is a way to let your family and friends know where you intend to go and what time you expect to be back, as well as leaving contact information for passengers in case of an emergency. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Even if it’s a clear day, Wiese said creating and following a \u003ca href=\"https://floatplancentral.cgaux.org/\">float plan\u003c/a> is a way to let your family and friends know where you intend to go and what time you expect to be back, as well as leaving contact information for passengers in case of an emergency. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>No boat nor journey is too small to take this precaution, the \u003ca href=\"https://floatplancentral.cgaux.org/classroom/floatplans.htm\">Coast Guard emphasizes.\u003c/a> A float plan is “equally effective for the owner of a 10-foot kayak or flat-bottom skiff as it is for a 48-foot express cruiser, or a 90-foot sport-fishing vessel or luxury yacht,” the agency said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>No boat nor journey is too small to take this precaution, the \u003ca href=\"https://floatplancentral.cgaux.org/classroom/floatplans.htm\">Coast Guard emphasizes.\u003c/a> A float plan is “equally effective for the owner of a 10-foot kayak or flat-bottom skiff as it is for a 48-foot express cruiser, or a 90-foot sport-fishing vessel or luxury yacht,” the agency said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Don’t drink and boat",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Don’t drink and boat\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to the Coast Guard, \u003ca href=\"https://www.uscgboating.org/recreational-boaters/boating-under-the-influence.php\">alcohol is the single biggest contributing \u003c/a>factor to boating deaths. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>According to the Coast Guard, \u003ca href=\"https://www.uscgboating.org/recreational-boaters/boating-under-the-influence.php\">alcohol is the single biggest contributing \u003c/a>factor to boating deaths. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Boating while under the influence is actually illegal and dangerous to you, your passengers and other boaters nearby. Plus, the marine environment — meaning the constant motion, vibration and engine noise of the boat itself plus the sun, wind and spray exposure — all accelerate impairment, the Coast Guard said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Boating while under the influence is actually illegal and dangerous to you, your passengers and other boaters nearby. Plus, the marine environment — meaning the constant motion, vibration and engine noise of the boat itself plus the sun, wind and spray exposure — all accelerate impairment, the Coast Guard said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Alcohol is even more hazardous on the water than on land,” its website said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Alcohol is even more hazardous on the water than on land,” its website said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "What to know if your boat begins to sink",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"boat-begins-to-sink\">What to know if your boat begins to sink\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you are on a boat that begins to sink — or if you’re at all worried about going overboard for any reason — the best thing to do is immediately put on a life jacket, Wiese said. You can then start to assist others with their life jackets. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If you are on a boat that begins to sink — or if you’re at all worried about going overboard for any reason — the best thing to do is immediately put on a life jacket, Wiese said. You can then start to assist others with their life jackets. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you’re inside or below deck, quickly leave for the top deck via one of the escape routes you identified and consider whether others might be trapped inside, too.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If you’re inside or below deck, quickly leave for the top deck via one of the escape routes you identified and consider whether others might be trapped inside, too.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Whether or not you should stay with the boat or swim away from it depends on how \u003cem>quickly \u003c/em>it’s sinking, he said. If it’s staying mostly afloat, it’s best to keep holding onto it so you don’t have to expend energy treading water. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Whether or not you should stay with the boat or swim away from it depends on how \u003cem>quickly \u003c/em>it’s sinking, he said. If it’s staying mostly afloat, it’s best to keep holding onto it so you don’t have to expend energy treading water. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“But if the boat is actively sinking and you know it’s going to go under, I suggest swimming away from it, looking out also for any entangling lines in the water that could wrap around you and take you down with it,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“But if the boat is actively sinking and you know it’s going to go under, I suggest swimming away from it, looking out also for any entangling lines in the water that could wrap around you and take you down with it,” he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s easier said than done, but try to stay calm in this situation, Wiese said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It’s easier said than done, but try to stay calm in this situation, Wiese said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There’s a tendency to get cold water shock with these water temperatures that we have in the Bay Area,” he said. “If you stay calm and relax, it’s hard for your muscles to tense up.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“There’s a tendency to get cold water shock with these water temperatures that we have in the Bay Area,” he said. “If you stay calm and relax, it’s hard for your muscles to tense up.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you’re able, try to get everyone together in the water, both to make sure everyone is accounted for — it’s easy to get separated with the strong currents in the San Francisco Bay — and for bodily warmth, he said. Form a circle, if you can, to help make floating easier and to conserve body heat between you. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If you’re able, try to get everyone together in the water, both to make sure everyone is accounted for — it’s easy to get separated with the strong currents in the San Francisco Bay — and for bodily warmth, he said. Form a circle, if you can, to help make floating easier and to conserve body heat between you. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While it might seem counterintuitive, Wiese advised against trying hard to swim: “It’s better to stay still if you can and wait for help,” he said. “Stay calm and try not to move around as much as possible, as the core temperature of your body can be seriously depleted by movement.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While it might seem counterintuitive, Wiese advised against trying hard to swim: “It’s better to stay still if you can and wait for help,” he said. “Stay calm and try not to move around as much as possible, as the core temperature of your body can be seriously depleted by movement.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“When you’re moving around in cold waters like we have in the bay here, all the body heat from your internal core will go to the outside to keep you warm, but you actually end up getting colder faster in the end,” he said. “And limiting movement will conserve a lot of that core body heat and allow your body to stay alive longer without experiencing the heightened symptoms of hypothermia.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“When you’re moving around in cold waters like we have in the bay here, all the body heat from your internal core will go to the outside to keep you warm, but you actually end up getting colder faster in the end,” he said. “And limiting movement will conserve a lot of that core body heat and allow your body to stay alive longer without experiencing the heightened symptoms of hypothermia.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you can find something floating to grab onto, try to do so. And if you have any means to call the Coast Guard for help or signal distress to nearby boaters, you should do that as well. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If you can find something floating to grab onto, try to do so. And if you have any means to call the Coast Guard for help or signal distress to nearby boaters, you should do that as well. \u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "How to help someone else at risk of drowning",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to help someone else at risk of drowning\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you’re on a boat in the bay and you see someone else in distress, you can immediately \u003ca href=\"https://www.pacificarea.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/Southwest-District/District-Units/Sector-San-Francisco/Contacts/\">reach out to the Coast Guard\u003c/a> at 415-399-3547 to alert its 24/7 hotline that will activate emergency responders. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If you’re on a boat in the bay and you see someone else in distress, you can immediately \u003ca href=\"https://www.pacificarea.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/Southwest-District/District-Units/Sector-San-Francisco/Contacts/\">reach out to the Coast Guard\u003c/a> at 415-399-3547 to alert its 24/7 hotline that will activate emergency responders. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>You can also attempt to help them, but in general, \u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/content/dam/redcross/training-services/whale-tales/pdfs/Lesson_8_FINAL.pdf?srsltid=AfmBOoo48gYiXZCe7XPMhQFI_-Qmbpk9GG5sFgi-PR7aiCFze2zIRXLM\">water safety experts advise\u003c/a> against jumping into the water yourself to save someone. Instead, toss them a flotation device, then attempt to pull them out of the water.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>You can also attempt to help them, but in general, \u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/content/dam/redcross/training-services/whale-tales/pdfs/Lesson_8_FINAL.pdf?srsltid=AfmBOoo48gYiXZCe7XPMhQFI_-Qmbpk9GG5sFgi-PR7aiCFze2zIRXLM\">water safety experts advise\u003c/a> against jumping into the water yourself to save someone. Instead, toss them a flotation device, then attempt to pull them out of the water.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/sjohnson\">\u003cem>Sydney Johnson\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Tuesday’s deadly incident is a sobering reminder of the dangers of the bay.",
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"title": "What Passengers Should Know About Boat Safety on the San Francisco Bay | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>A deadly boating incident on the San Francisco Bay has killed at least one person, with three still missing as the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091098/search-continues-for-3-missing-people-after-boat-sinks-near-alcatraz-1-dead\">search becomes a recovery mission. \u003c/a>The body of a person who has not been identified was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091414/san-francisco-police-searching-for-sunken-vessel\">pulled from the water on Thursday afternoon\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091098/search-continues-for-3-missing-people-after-boat-sinks-near-alcatraz-1-dead\">Early reports from the incident\u003c/a> suggest\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091126/total-chaos-bay-area-sailors-recall-rescue-of-boat-passengers-near-alcatraz\"> a wave\u003c/a> struck the three-story boat before rolling over and sinking a short way from Alcatraz Island. Conditions on the water on Tuesday were windy with rough seas, according to witnesses and first responders. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer, 3rd Class, Kenneth Wiese said strong tides and afternoon wind in the bay can “get pretty turbulent out there.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It looks like a river when the tide is going in and out [at] certain times of day,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The bay tides are so tricky to navigate, in fact, that all ships over 750 gross tons are required to have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089929/why-specialized-mariners-are-required-on-every-ship-sailing-into-san-francisco-bay\">a “bar pilot\u003c/a>”: a special mariner who knows the local conditions to help them enter and exit these waters. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-06-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091156\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-06-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-06-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-06-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter team looks for three people missing on July 15, 2026, after a boat capsized in the San Francisco Bay on July 14. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even so, boating accidents — especially deadly ones — aren’t particularly common in the state. There were \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/pages/28702/files/ADA%20Overview%20of%20the%20Boating%20Accident%20Program.pdf\">479 recreational boating incidents\u003c/a> in California in 2024, according to the California State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways. Those incidents, which span the coast and inland waterways like rivers and lakes, resulted in 214 injuries and 47 fatalities.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Compared to open coastal waters, fatalities from recreational boating accidents are relatively rare on the San Francisco Bay. Zero fatalities were reported on the San Francisco Bay from \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/pages/28702/files/2019%20Recreational%20Boating%20Accident%20Statistics%20-%20Final.pdf\">boating accidents in 2019\u003c/a>, dipping from three \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/pages/28702/files/2016DBW_AccidentStats_NorCal_050517.pdf\">deaths in 2015\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For a boat of this size to capsize, “this is a really unusual circumstance,” said David McMurdie, co-founder of California Recovery Divers — a volunteer team that leads underwater search and recoveries in Northern and Central California. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, he said, a plunge in the bay’s cold, fast-moving waters can quickly become life-threatening to even the most experienced boaters. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It can turn deadly instantly,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Here’s what you need to know about boating safety in the San Francisco Bay, whether you’re renting a boat or planning to be a passenger on a vessel.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#boat-begins-to-sink\">What experts say you should do if you’re on a sinking boat\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Check the weather before you go out … and be prepared to cancel your plans\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>First things first: Check the weather and water conditions. Wiese said the Coast Guard relies on forecasts and \u003ca href=\"https://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/data/Forecasts/FZUS56.KMTR.html\">real-time water conditions from NOAA. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If you’re worried, I’d say the best case is not to go out,” Wiese said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wiese also suggested bringing extra layers and, depending on the weather of the day and your itinerary, bringing or wearing a dry suit. You can also designate someone to be “lookout” on the vessel to watch for hazardous conditions like mounting waves or nearby boats, he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get your vessel checked by the Coast Guard\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Before you head out on the water, it’s best to make sure all your safety gear is on board and hasn’t expired. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That includes items like life jackets, fire extinguishers, lights, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sarsat.noaa.gov/register-your-beacon/\">registered emergency beacons\u003c/a> and — as required on certain boats since 2021 — an \u003ca href=\"https://uscgboating.org/recreational-boaters/engine-cut-off-devices.php\">engine cut-off switch\u003c/a> that activates when the boat’s operator falls away from the boat. Wiese said it’s common to find boats with expired flares, for example. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-15-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091228\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-15-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-15-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-15-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A U.S. Coast Guard boat participates in a search and rescue operation for three people missing on July 15, 2026, after a vessel carrying 20 passengers sank near Alcatraz in the San Francisco Bay on July 14. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Coast Guard Auxiliary offers free \u003ca href=\"https://www.cgaux.org/vsc/\">vessel safety checks\u003c/a> where volunteers will check your boat, without the possibility of punishment if you don’t pass — to ensure you have all your federally required equipment on board. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Make sure you have everything on board according to federal regulations,” he said. “It could really save your life if the worst-case scenario happens and buy you time when we’re looking for you.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Take a boating safety course\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the Coast Guard, in 2024, 69% of deaths occurred on boats where the operator had not received boating safety instruction. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Coast Guard Auxiliary offers \u003ca href=\"https://www.cgaux.org/boatinged/\">boating safety courses\u003c/a> for a fee for anyone who wants to sign up, covering topics like boating law, safety operations and emergencies.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://wow.uscgaux.info/content.php?unit=B-DEPT&category=for-boaters\">Coast Guard Auxiliary’s website\u003c/a> is rich with information for boaters if you’re looking for answers on equipment, regulations or statistics.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Listen to the onboard safety briefing\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Coast Guard \u003ca href=\"https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/46/185.506\">requires commercial vessels\u003c/a> to give a safety briefing before the boat starts cruising. McMurdie said it’s important that you actually listen to it, so you know where the life jackets are located on the boat and any other need-to-know information. And if you’re just out with friends on a boat one of you owns, it’s still good practice to let everyone know where they can find emergency devices and life jackets. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While boarding the boat, you should also take mental note of all the escape routes from interior areas of the boat so you don’t have to figure them out in case of an emergency.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-02-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12026945\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-02-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-02-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-02-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-02-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-02-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/250212-ELKHORNSLOUGH-02-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Boats sit in the harbor in Moss Landing on Feb. 12, 2025. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s going to be really disorienting,” McMurdie said. “A boat topples over with you inside of it, and you’re getting tumbled around — and if you add water inside the cab, it’s probably going to be really dark.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Just having that situational awareness might give you an extra chance of survival,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Always wear a life jacket\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The number one thing you should always do if you’re worried about safety on a boat is wear a life jacket, also called a personal flotation device or PFD.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“One of the guys I work with likes to say, ‘We’ve never recovered anybody wearing a PFD,’” said McMurdie, who leads and performs underwater search and recoveries for deceased boaters. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.mycg.uscg.mil/News/Article/4487038/make-sure-youre-safe-on-the-water/\">Coast Guard\u003c/a>, around 75% of boating deaths annually are due to drowning, with 87% of victims not wearing a life jacket. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Create and follow a ‘float plan’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even if it’s a clear day, Wiese said creating and following a \u003ca href=\"https://floatplancentral.cgaux.org/\">float plan\u003c/a> is a way to let your family and friends know where you intend to go and what time you expect to be back, as well as leaving contact information for passengers in case of an emergency. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>No boat nor journey is too small to take this precaution, the \u003ca href=\"https://floatplancentral.cgaux.org/classroom/floatplans.htm\">Coast Guard emphasizes.\u003c/a> A float plan is “equally effective for the owner of a 10-foot kayak or flat-bottom skiff as it is for a 48-foot express cruiser, or a 90-foot sport-fishing vessel or luxury yacht,” the agency said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Don’t drink and boat\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the Coast Guard, \u003ca href=\"https://www.uscgboating.org/recreational-boaters/boating-under-the-influence.php\">alcohol is the single biggest contributing \u003c/a>factor to boating deaths. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Boating while under the influence is actually illegal and dangerous to you, your passengers and other boaters nearby. Plus, the marine environment — meaning the constant motion, vibration and engine noise of the boat itself plus the sun, wind and spray exposure — all accelerate impairment, the Coast Guard said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Alcohol is even more hazardous on the water than on land,” its website said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"boat-begins-to-sink\">What to know if your boat begins to sink\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you are on a boat that begins to sink — or if you’re at all worried about going overboard for any reason — the best thing to do is immediately put on a life jacket, Wiese said. You can then start to assist others with their life jackets. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’re inside or below deck, quickly leave for the top deck via one of the escape routes you identified and consider whether others might be trapped inside, too.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Whether or not you should stay with the boat or swim away from it depends on how \u003cem>quickly \u003c/em>it’s sinking, he said. If it’s staying mostly afloat, it’s best to keep holding onto it so you don’t have to expend energy treading water. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“But if the boat is actively sinking and you know it’s going to go under, I suggest swimming away from it, looking out also for any entangling lines in the water that could wrap around you and take you down with it,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s easier said than done, but try to stay calm in this situation, Wiese said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s a tendency to get cold water shock with these water temperatures that we have in the Bay Area,” he said. “If you stay calm and relax, it’s hard for your muscles to tense up.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’re able, try to get everyone together in the water, both to make sure everyone is accounted for — it’s easy to get separated with the strong currents in the San Francisco Bay — and for bodily warmth, he said. Form a circle, if you can, to help make floating easier and to conserve body heat between you. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While it might seem counterintuitive, Wiese advised against trying hard to swim: “It’s better to stay still if you can and wait for help,” he said. “Stay calm and try not to move around as much as possible, as the core temperature of your body can be seriously depleted by movement.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When you’re moving around in cold waters like we have in the bay here, all the body heat from your internal core will go to the outside to keep you warm, but you actually end up getting colder faster in the end,” he said. “And limiting movement will conserve a lot of that core body heat and allow your body to stay alive longer without experiencing the heightened symptoms of hypothermia.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you can find something floating to grab onto, try to do so. And if you have any means to call the Coast Guard for help or signal distress to nearby boaters, you should do that as well. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to help someone else at risk of drowning\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’re on a boat in the bay and you see someone else in distress, you can immediately \u003ca href=\"https://www.pacificarea.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/Southwest-District/District-Units/Sector-San-Francisco/Contacts/\">reach out to the Coast Guard\u003c/a> at 415-399-3547 to alert its 24/7 hotline that will activate emergency responders. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>You can also attempt to help them, but in general, \u003ca href=\"https://www.redcross.org/content/dam/redcross/training-services/whale-tales/pdfs/Lesson_8_FINAL.pdf?srsltid=AfmBOoo48gYiXZCe7XPMhQFI_-Qmbpk9GG5sFgi-PR7aiCFze2zIRXLM\">water safety experts advise\u003c/a> against jumping into the water yourself to save someone. Instead, toss them a flotation device, then attempt to pull them out of the water.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "search-continues-for-3-missing-people-after-boat-sinks-near-alcatraz-1-dead",
"title": "Search for Victims of Capsized Boat Near Alcatraz Suspended",
"publishDate": 1784221079,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Search for Victims of Capsized Boat Near Alcatraz Suspended | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news"
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"content": "\u003cp>Officials suspended their active search for three missing passengers who were aboard a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091126/total-chaos-bay-area-sailors-recall-rescue-of-boat-passengers-near-alcatraz\">boat that \u003c/a>capsized in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco-bay\">San Francisco Bay\u003c/a> Wednesday, the U.S. Coast Guard announced.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One person is dead, and three remained missing Thursday after a boat carrying 20 passengers sank near Alcatraz Island on Tuesday afternoon.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have completely saturated the search area,” said Captain Jarod Toczko, sector commander for the U.S. Coast Guard, during a press conference Wednesday afternoon. “Despite that extensive effort, we have been unsuccessful in locating any survivors within the search area.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-07-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091148\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-07-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-07-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-07-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter is pictured over the waters near Alcatraz on July 15, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The deceased, Clifford Joseph Boisa, 79, of Sutter County, was identified Wednesday morning by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. San Francisco Recreation and Parks confirmed that the boat was captained by John Boisa, 62, who is the deceased’s younger brother. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to their brother, Ralph, Clifford’s wife, Jackie, and their sister, Carol, are among the three people who remain missing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco Fire Department Chief Dean Crispen said officers with the San Francisco Police Department’s Marine Unit were the first on the scene and saw a man in the water in “severe distress” near the capsized pontoon boat.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They initiated CPR, but after transporting him to Gas House Cove in the Marina District, he was pronounced dead.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Three passengers, including the boat’s captain, were injured and transported to local hospitals and have since been released. SFFD confirmed one dog also died in the sinking. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Crispen said the passengers were mostly made up of family members. They were participating in a memorial service when they were hit by a wave, took on water, and the boat capsized.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Family shares details \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ralph Boisa, 77, whose daughter Yvonne Thatcher was on the boat with her husband and three kids, said some family members were inside the boat’s cabin when it took on the wave and quickly lost stability. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thatcher told her father that she was with Clifford, his wife, Jackie, and a third woman in the enclosed space. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“She managed to get to the door and get out, just before the boat fully went under,” Ralph said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>U.S. Coast Guard officials said Tuesday that there is a “high possibility” that the missing passengers were trapped in the vessel when it sank. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’ve done survivor debriefs, and we do know that individuals were in the main deck and potentially below deck,” he said. “However, that is gonna come out in the investigation stage of this. We’re still focused on the search and rescue, trying our best to see if we can locate the three missing individuals.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What’s the status of the rescue?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The U.S. Coast Guard led the initial search and rescue effort, covering 950 square nautical miles and 1,700 miles of the boat’s route over 29 hours.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At sunset Wednesday, officials suspended the active search, turning the case over to the San Francisco Police Department to steer boat recovery. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-ALCATRAZSEARCHUPDATE-32-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091253\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-ALCATRAZSEARCHUPDATE-32-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-ALCATRAZSEARCHUPDATE-32-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-ALCATRAZSEARCHUPDATE-32-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Commander Brien Hoo speaks during a press conference at Gashouse Cove Marina in San Francisco on July 15, 2026, about the fatal capsizing of a boat near Alcatraz on July 14. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Suspending an active search is one of the most difficult things we do as Coast Guard commanders,” Coast Guard Captain Jared Toczko said Wednesday. “I don’t take that responsibility lightly at all. Our goal is always to bring home families, loved ones, and we understand that families want answers. And that is never lost on us.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>SFPD Commander Brian Hoo said that the department will work with private companies specializing in diving recovery for that effort, but the department will not know if pulling the boat out is feasible until it is located. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The U.S. Coast Guard has the exact location of where the boat was last seen, but they are still searching for where the boat ultimately sank. The area they believe the boat is located is around 130 feet deep, which can be difficult for diving, officials said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Family members react\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ralph, who was not on the boat with his siblings Tuesday, said many members of his extended family had taken the boat out on the bay for a memorial of his adopted daughter, Maria. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She lived in San Francisco before she died by suicide in 2016, he said, and spent much of her time surfing in the Pacific Ocean. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-15-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091228\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-15-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-15-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-15-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A U.S. Coast Guard boat participates in a search and rescue operation for three people missing on July 15, 2026, after a vessel carrying 20 passengers sank near Alcatraz in the San Francisco Bay on July 14. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ralph’s other daughter and her family, along with Clifford’s daughter and her family, were also aboard the Volare, according to Ralph. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He described his sister Carol, who is still missing, as jovial and said all of his siblings were \u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>a jokester one way or another.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Clifford, who worked as a volunteer sheriff in Sutter County for more than a decade, was about to celebrate his 80th birthday in September.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Civilians assisted with rescue operations\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fishing boat captain Aaron Anfinson, of the Bass Tub, said he noticed that some of the people weren’t wearing life jackets, and there was no life raft in sight, crucial safety gear that Coast Guard certified vessels like his are required to carry. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ I pulled the boat up to them and my crew member threw them lifejackets. After yelling several times, they finally put them on, I think they were probably in shock.” Anfinson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-18-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091212\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-18-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-18-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-18-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aaron Anfinson, captain of the Bass Tub, stands on the fishing boat docked in Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco on July 16, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Anfinson noticed a woman he estimated to be in her 40s hanging onto a kiteboard who was bleeding from the head.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“My crewmember threw a throw ring at her, told her to hold on and we pulled her onto the boat,” Anfinson said. Meanwhile a halibut fisherman was busy “grabbing the rest of them and putting them on his boat,” Anfinson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What a diving expert says about rescue efforts on the Bay\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The crews out the bay face difficult conditions, according to David McMurdie, co-founder of California Recovery Divers, a volunteer team that leads underwater search and recoveries in Northern and Central California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s a lot of surface chop, and there’s a fair amount of wind,” McMurdie told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The rescue operation involves using an underwater exploration device called a sonar towfish. McMurdie said poor surface conditions can make using the tool tough “because the towfish under the water is bounced around as the boat is balanced on the surface.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-01-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091145\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-01-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-01-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-01-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A San Francisco Fire Department boat pictured in the waters near Alcatraz on July 15, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even in calm waters, the San Francisco Bay water lacks visibility.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s a blackout condition. When you get down to the bottom, you might have enough visibility to see your hand if you put it out in front of you, and you might not,” McMurdie said. “It’s a really dangerous situation because the boat can be rocking around, you could be trapped in the boat, so the extent of the search is a real challenge.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Boat departed from San Francisco Marina Yacht Harbor\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At 3:37 p.m. Tuesday, the SFFD received a report of a vessel in distress or on fire approximately 600 yards off Alcatraz Island, Crispin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lt. Mariano Elias, public information officer for the San Francisco Fire Department, described the vessel as a 50-foot “cabin cruiser” boat with three levels, including enclosed main and lower decks. He said the boat, named Volare, was based out of Stockton. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Toczko said that officials believe the vessel took on a wave and leaned heavily to its starboard side before it quickly rolled over.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>People were jumping into the water when rescuers arrived, and the boat was already mostly underwater, Elias said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-06-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091156\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-06-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-06-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-06-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter team looks for three people missing on July 15, 2026, after a boat capsized in the San Francisco Bay on July 14. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The reports we’ve had from witnesses is that there were rough seas, and apparently the vessel began to take on water and was turned over in the bay,” Crispen said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Crispen initially said the vessel left from the St. Francis Yacht Club, but a spokesperson for San Francisco Recreation and Parks confirmed that the boat departed from the nearby San Francisco Marina Yacht Harbor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Officials initially believed the boat had 19 passengers, but after talking to witnesses, they determined there were 20 people on board. Sixteen have been recovered.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a statement, the St. Francis Yacht Club said, “Our hearts go out to the friends and family of those on board the boat that sank off the waters of Alcatraz Island. While the boat did not embark from St. Francis Yacht Club, nor were there members on board, we share this day and therefore understand the weight of this tragedy.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Boating risks\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There were 47 fatalities due to \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/pages/28702/files/ADA%20Overview%20of%20the%20Boating%20Accident%20Program.pdf\">recreational boating\u003c/a> incidents in California in 2024, according to the California State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways. Compared to open coastal waters, fatalities from recreational boating accidents are relatively rare in the San Francisco Bay. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Zero deaths were reported in the San Francisco Bay from boating \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/pages/28702/files/2019%20Recreational%20Boating%20Accident%20Statistics%20-%20Final.pdf\">accidents in 2019\u003c/a>, dipping from \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/pages/28702/files/2016DBW_AccidentStats_NorCal_050517.pdf\">3 deaths in 2015\u003c/a>, according to DBW. For pontoon boats specifically, the most common types of accidents in 2019 were related to operator inexperience or inattention. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-ALCATRAZSEARCHUPDATE-27-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091251\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-ALCATRAZSEARCHUPDATE-27-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-ALCATRAZSEARCHUPDATE-27-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-ALCATRAZSEARCHUPDATE-27-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San Francisco Fire Chief Dean Crispin speaks during a press conference at Gashouse Cove Marina in San Francisco on July 15, 2026, about the fatal capsizing of a boat near Alcatraz on July 14. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That mirrors trends nationwide where boating-related deaths occur predominantly on vessels operated by people lacking safety instruction, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/4231745/coast-guard-reports-fewest-boating-fatalities-in-more-than-50-years/\">U.S. Coast Guard\u003c/a>. Alcohol is also considered a leading contributing factor in boating accidents and fatalities. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The boat in Tuesday’s accident was registered by the U.S. Coast Guard and was theoretically capable of carrying 20 passengers, Toczko said, “but there are a lot of things that go into account when you consider the stability of a vessel.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This is a developing story and will be updated. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/nnavarro\">\u003cem>Natalia Navarro\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Officials suspended their active search for three missing passengers who were aboard a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091126/total-chaos-bay-area-sailors-recall-rescue-of-boat-passengers-near-alcatraz\">boat that \u003c/a>capsized in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco-bay\">San Francisco Bay\u003c/a> Wednesday, the U.S. Coast Guard announced.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Officials suspended their active search for three missing passengers who were aboard a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091126/total-chaos-bay-area-sailors-recall-rescue-of-boat-passengers-near-alcatraz\">boat that \u003c/a>capsized in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco-bay\">San Francisco Bay\u003c/a> Wednesday, the U.S. Coast Guard announced.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One person is dead, and three remained missing Thursday after a boat carrying 20 passengers sank near Alcatraz Island on Tuesday afternoon.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We have completely saturated the search area,” said Captain Jarod Toczko, sector commander for the U.S. Coast Guard, during a press conference Wednesday afternoon. “Despite that extensive effort, we have been unsuccessful in locating any survivors within the search area.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We have completely saturated the search area,” said Captain Jarod Toczko, sector commander for the U.S. Coast Guard, during a press conference Wednesday afternoon. “Despite that extensive effort, we have been unsuccessful in locating any survivors within the search area.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-07-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091148\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-07-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-07-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-07-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter is pictured over the waters near Alcatraz on July 15, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-07-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091148\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter is pictured over the waters near Alcatraz on July 15, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The deceased, Clifford Joseph Boisa, 79, of Sutter County, was identified Wednesday morning by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. San Francisco Recreation and Parks confirmed that the boat was captained by John Boisa, 62, who is the deceased’s younger brother. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The deceased, Clifford Joseph Boisa, 79, of Sutter County, was identified Wednesday morning by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. San Francisco Recreation and Parks confirmed that the boat was captained by John Boisa, 62, who is the deceased’s younger brother. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to their brother, Ralph, Clifford’s wife, Jackie, and their sister, Carol, are among the three people who remain missing.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>According to their brother, Ralph, Clifford’s wife, Jackie, and their sister, Carol, are among the three people who remain missing.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San Francisco Fire Department Chief Dean Crispen said officers with the San Francisco Police Department’s Marine Unit were the first on the scene and saw a man in the water in “severe distress” near the capsized pontoon boat.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>San Francisco Fire Department Chief Dean Crispen said officers with the San Francisco Police Department’s Marine Unit were the first on the scene and saw a man in the water in “severe distress” near the capsized pontoon boat.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>They initiated CPR, but after transporting him to Gas House Cove in the Marina District, he was pronounced dead.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Three passengers, including the boat’s captain, were injured and transported to local hospitals and have since been released. SFFD confirmed one dog also died in the sinking. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Three passengers, including the boat’s captain, were injured and transported to local hospitals and have since been released. SFFD confirmed one dog also died in the sinking. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Crispen said the passengers were mostly made up of family members. They were participating in a memorial service when they were hit by a wave, took on water, and the boat capsized.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Crispen said the passengers were mostly made up of family members. They were participating in a memorial service when they were hit by a wave, took on water, and the boat capsized.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Family shares details ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Family shares details \u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Ralph Boisa, 77, whose daughter Yvonne Thatcher was on the boat with her husband and three kids, said some family members were inside the boat’s cabin when it took on the wave and quickly lost stability. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Ralph Boisa, 77, whose daughter Yvonne Thatcher was on the boat with her husband and three kids, said some family members were inside the boat’s cabin when it took on the wave and quickly lost stability. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Thatcher told her father that she was with Clifford, his wife, Jackie, and a third woman in the enclosed space. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Thatcher told her father that she was with Clifford, his wife, Jackie, and a third woman in the enclosed space. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“She managed to get to the door and get out, just before the boat fully went under,” Ralph said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“She managed to get to the door and get out, just before the boat fully went under,” Ralph said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>U.S. Coast Guard officials said Tuesday that there is a “high possibility” that the missing passengers were trapped in the vessel when it sank. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>U.S. Coast Guard officials said Tuesday that there is a “high possibility” that the missing passengers were trapped in the vessel when it sank. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’ve done survivor debriefs, and we do know that individuals were in the main deck and potentially below deck,” he said. “However, that is gonna come out in the investigation stage of this. We’re still focused on the search and rescue, trying our best to see if we can locate the three missing individuals.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We’ve done survivor debriefs, and we do know that individuals were in the main deck and potentially below deck,” he said. “However, that is gonna come out in the investigation stage of this. We’re still focused on the search and rescue, trying our best to see if we can locate the three missing individuals.”\u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "What’s the status of the rescue?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What’s the status of the rescue?\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What’s the status of the rescue?\u003c/h2>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The U.S. Coast Guard led the initial search and rescue effort, covering 950 square nautical miles and 1,700 miles of the boat’s route over 29 hours.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The U.S. Coast Guard led the initial search and rescue effort, covering 950 square nautical miles and 1,700 miles of the boat’s route over 29 hours.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At sunset Wednesday, officials suspended the active search, turning the case over to the San Francisco Police Department to steer boat recovery. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>At sunset Wednesday, officials suspended the active search, turning the case over to the San Francisco Police Department to steer boat recovery. \u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-ALCATRAZSEARCHUPDATE-32-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-ALCATRAZSEARCHUPDATE-32-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-ALCATRAZSEARCHUPDATE-32-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-ALCATRAZSEARCHUPDATE-32-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091253\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-ALCATRAZSEARCHUPDATE-32-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-ALCATRAZSEARCHUPDATE-32-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-ALCATRAZSEARCHUPDATE-32-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Commander Brien Hoo speaks during a press conference at Gashouse Cove Marina in San Francisco on July 15, 2026, about the fatal capsizing of a boat near Alcatraz on July 14.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-ALCATRAZSEARCHUPDATE-32-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091253\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Commander Brien Hoo speaks during a press conference at Gashouse Cove Marina in San Francisco on July 15, 2026, about the fatal capsizing of a boat near Alcatraz on July 14.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Suspending an active search is one of the most difficult things we do as Coast Guard commanders,” Coast Guard Captain Jared Toczko said Wednesday. “I don’t take that responsibility lightly at all. Our goal is always to bring home families, loved ones, and we understand that families want answers. And that is never lost on us.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Suspending an active search is one of the most difficult things we do as Coast Guard commanders,” Coast Guard Captain Jared Toczko said Wednesday. “I don’t take that responsibility lightly at all. Our goal is always to bring home families, loved ones, and we understand that families want answers. And that is never lost on us.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>SFPD Commander Brian Hoo said that the department will work with private companies specializing in diving recovery for that effort, but the department will not know if pulling the boat out is feasible until it is located. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>SFPD Commander Brian Hoo said that the department will work with private companies specializing in diving recovery for that effort, but the department will not know if pulling the boat out is feasible until it is located. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The U.S. Coast Guard has the exact location of where the boat was last seen, but they are still searching for where the boat ultimately sank. The area they believe the boat is located is around 130 feet deep, which can be difficult for diving, officials said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The U.S. Coast Guard has the exact location of where the boat was last seen, but they are still searching for where the boat ultimately sank. The area they believe the boat is located is around 130 feet deep, which can be difficult for diving, officials said.\u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Family members react",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Family members react\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Family members react\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Ralph, who was not on the boat with his siblings Tuesday, said many members of his extended family had taken the boat out on the bay for a memorial of his adopted daughter, Maria. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Ralph, who was not on the boat with his siblings Tuesday, said many members of his extended family had taken the boat out on the bay for a memorial of his adopted daughter, Maria. \u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She lived in San Francisco before she died by suicide in 2016, he said, and spent much of her time surfing in the Pacific Ocean. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>She lived in San Francisco before she died by suicide in 2016, he said, and spent much of her time surfing in the Pacific Ocean. \u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-15-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-15-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-15-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-15-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091228\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-15-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-15-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-15-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A U.S. Coast Guard boat participates in a search and rescue operation for three people missing on July 15, 2026, after a vessel carrying 20 passengers sank near Alcatraz in the San Francisco Bay on July 14.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-15-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091228\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A U.S. Coast Guard boat participates in a search and rescue operation for three people missing on July 15, 2026, after a vessel carrying 20 passengers sank near Alcatraz in the San Francisco Bay on July 14.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Ralph’s other daughter and her family, along with Clifford’s daughter and her family, were also aboard the Volare, according to Ralph. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Ralph’s other daughter and her family, along with Clifford’s daughter and her family, were also aboard the Volare, according to Ralph. \u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He described his sister Carol, who is still missing, as jovial and said all of his siblings were \u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>a jokester one way or another.” \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>He described his sister Carol, who is still missing, as jovial and said all of his siblings were \u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>a jokester one way or another.” \u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Clifford, who worked as a volunteer sheriff in Sutter County for more than a decade, was about to celebrate his 80th birthday in September.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Clifford, who worked as a volunteer sheriff in Sutter County for more than a decade, was about to celebrate his 80th birthday in September.\u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Civilians assisted with rescue operations",
"level": 2
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Civilians assisted with rescue operations\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Civilians assisted with rescue operations\u003c/h2>\n"
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"blockName": "core/paragraph",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Fishing boat captain Aaron Anfinson, of the Bass Tub, said he noticed that some of the people weren’t wearing life jackets, and there was no life raft in sight, crucial safety gear that Coast Guard certified vessels like his are required to carry. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Fishing boat captain Aaron Anfinson, of the Bass Tub, said he noticed that some of the people weren’t wearing life jackets, and there was no life raft in sight, crucial safety gear that Coast Guard certified vessels like his are required to carry. \u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ I pulled the boat up to them and my crew member threw them lifejackets. After yelling several times, they finally put them on, I think they were probably in shock.” Anfinson said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“ I pulled the boat up to them and my crew member threw them lifejackets. After yelling several times, they finally put them on, I think they were probably in shock.” Anfinson said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"id": 12091212,
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-18-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-18-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-18-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-18-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091212\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-18-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-18-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-18-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aaron Anfinson, captain of the Bass Tub, stands on the fishing boat docked in Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco on July 16, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-18-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091212\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aaron Anfinson, captain of the Bass Tub, stands on the fishing boat docked in Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco on July 16, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Anfinson noticed a woman he estimated to be in her 40s hanging onto a kiteboard who was bleeding from the head.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Anfinson noticed a woman he estimated to be in her 40s hanging onto a kiteboard who was bleeding from the head.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“My crewmember threw a throw ring at her, told her to hold on and we pulled her onto the boat,” Anfinson said. Meanwhile a halibut fisherman was busy “grabbing the rest of them and putting them on his boat,” Anfinson said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“My crewmember threw a throw ring at her, told her to hold on and we pulled her onto the boat,” Anfinson said. Meanwhile a halibut fisherman was busy “grabbing the rest of them and putting them on his boat,” Anfinson said.\u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "What a diving expert says about rescue efforts on the Bay",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What a diving expert says about rescue efforts on the Bay\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What a diving expert says about rescue efforts on the Bay\u003c/h2>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The crews out the bay face difficult conditions, according to David McMurdie, co-founder of California Recovery Divers, a volunteer team that leads underwater search and recoveries in Northern and Central California.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The crews out the bay face difficult conditions, according to David McMurdie, co-founder of California Recovery Divers, a volunteer team that leads underwater search and recoveries in Northern and Central California.\u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There’s a lot of surface chop, and there’s a fair amount of wind,” McMurdie told KQED.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“There’s a lot of surface chop, and there’s a fair amount of wind,” McMurdie told KQED.\u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/paragraph",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The rescue operation involves using an underwater exploration device called a sonar towfish. McMurdie said poor surface conditions can make using the tool tough “because the towfish under the water is bounced around as the boat is balanced on the surface.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The rescue operation involves using an underwater exploration device called a sonar towfish. McMurdie said poor surface conditions can make using the tool tough “because the towfish under the water is bounced around as the boat is balanced on the surface.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-01-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-01-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-01-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-01-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091145\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-01-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-01-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-01-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A San Francisco Fire Department boat pictured in the waters near Alcatraz on July 15, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-01-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091145\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A San Francisco Fire Department boat pictured in the waters near Alcatraz on July 15, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Even in calm waters, the San Francisco Bay water lacks visibility.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Even in calm waters, the San Francisco Bay water lacks visibility.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s a blackout condition. When you get down to the bottom, you might have enough visibility to see your hand if you put it out in front of you, and you might not,” McMurdie said. “It’s a really dangerous situation because the boat can be rocking around, you could be trapped in the boat, so the extent of the search is a real challenge.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s a blackout condition. When you get down to the bottom, you might have enough visibility to see your hand if you put it out in front of you, and you might not,” McMurdie said. “It’s a really dangerous situation because the boat can be rocking around, you could be trapped in the boat, so the extent of the search is a real challenge.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Boat departed from San Francisco Marina Yacht Harbor",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Boat departed from San Francisco Marina Yacht Harbor\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Boat departed from San Francisco Marina Yacht Harbor\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At 3:37 p.m. Tuesday, the SFFD received a report of a vessel in distress or on fire approximately 600 yards off Alcatraz Island, Crispin said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>At 3:37 p.m. Tuesday, the SFFD received a report of a vessel in distress or on fire approximately 600 yards off Alcatraz Island, Crispin said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Lt. Mariano Elias, public information officer for the San Francisco Fire Department, described the vessel as a 50-foot “cabin cruiser” boat with three levels, including enclosed main and lower decks. He said the boat, named Volare, was based out of Stockton. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Lt. Mariano Elias, public information officer for the San Francisco Fire Department, described the vessel as a 50-foot “cabin cruiser” boat with three levels, including enclosed main and lower decks. He said the boat, named Volare, was based out of Stockton. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Toczko said that officials believe the vessel took on a wave and leaned heavily to its starboard side before it quickly rolled over.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>People were jumping into the water when rescuers arrived, and the boat was already mostly underwater, Elias said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>People were jumping into the water when rescuers arrived, and the boat was already mostly underwater, Elias said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-06-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091156\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-06-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-06-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-06-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter team looks for three people missing on July 15, 2026, after a boat capsized in the San Francisco Bay on July 14.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-06-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091156\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter team looks for three people missing on July 15, 2026, after a boat capsized in the San Francisco Bay on July 14.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The reports we’ve had from witnesses is that there were rough seas, and apparently the vessel began to take on water and was turned over in the bay,” Crispen said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Crispen initially said the vessel left from the St. Francis Yacht Club, but a spokesperson for San Francisco Recreation and Parks confirmed that the boat departed from the nearby San Francisco Marina Yacht Harbor. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Crispen initially said the vessel left from the St. Francis Yacht Club, but a spokesperson for San Francisco Recreation and Parks confirmed that the boat departed from the nearby San Francisco Marina Yacht Harbor. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Officials initially believed the boat had 19 passengers, but after talking to witnesses, they determined there were 20 people on board. Sixteen have been recovered.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Officials initially believed the boat had 19 passengers, but after talking to witnesses, they determined there were 20 people on board. Sixteen have been recovered.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a statement, the St. Francis Yacht Club said, “Our hearts go out to the friends and family of those on board the boat that sank off the waters of Alcatraz Island. While the boat did not embark from St. Francis Yacht Club, nor were there members on board, we share this day and therefore understand the weight of this tragedy.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In a statement, the St. Francis Yacht Club said, “Our hearts go out to the friends and family of those on board the boat that sank off the waters of Alcatraz Island. While the boat did not embark from St. Francis Yacht Club, nor were there members on board, we share this day and therefore understand the weight of this tragedy.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Boating risks",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Boating risks\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There were 47 fatalities due to \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/pages/28702/files/ADA%20Overview%20of%20the%20Boating%20Accident%20Program.pdf\">recreational boating\u003c/a> incidents in California in 2024, according to the California State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways. Compared to open coastal waters, fatalities from recreational boating accidents are relatively rare in the San Francisco Bay. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>There were 47 fatalities due to \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/pages/28702/files/ADA%20Overview%20of%20the%20Boating%20Accident%20Program.pdf\">recreational boating\u003c/a> incidents in California in 2024, according to the California State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways. Compared to open coastal waters, fatalities from recreational boating accidents are relatively rare in the San Francisco Bay. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Zero deaths were reported in the San Francisco Bay from boating \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/pages/28702/files/2019%20Recreational%20Boating%20Accident%20Statistics%20-%20Final.pdf\">accidents in 2019\u003c/a>, dipping from \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/pages/28702/files/2016DBW_AccidentStats_NorCal_050517.pdf\">3 deaths in 2015\u003c/a>, according to DBW. For pontoon boats specifically, the most common types of accidents in 2019 were related to operator inexperience or inattention. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Zero deaths were reported in the San Francisco Bay from boating \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/pages/28702/files/2019%20Recreational%20Boating%20Accident%20Statistics%20-%20Final.pdf\">accidents in 2019\u003c/a>, dipping from \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/pages/28702/files/2016DBW_AccidentStats_NorCal_050517.pdf\">3 deaths in 2015\u003c/a>, according to DBW. For pontoon boats specifically, the most common types of accidents in 2019 were related to operator inexperience or inattention. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-ALCATRAZSEARCHUPDATE-27-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091251\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-ALCATRAZSEARCHUPDATE-27-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-ALCATRAZSEARCHUPDATE-27-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-ALCATRAZSEARCHUPDATE-27-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San Francisco Fire Chief Dean Crispin speaks during a press conference at Gashouse Cove Marina in San Francisco on July 15, 2026, about the fatal capsizing of a boat near Alcatraz on July 14.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-ALCATRAZSEARCHUPDATE-27-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091251\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San Francisco Fire Chief Dean Crispin speaks during a press conference at Gashouse Cove Marina in San Francisco on July 15, 2026, about the fatal capsizing of a boat near Alcatraz on July 14.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That mirrors trends nationwide where boating-related deaths occur predominantly on vessels operated by people lacking safety instruction, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/4231745/coast-guard-reports-fewest-boating-fatalities-in-more-than-50-years/\">U.S. Coast Guard\u003c/a>. Alcohol is also considered a leading contributing factor in boating accidents and fatalities. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That mirrors trends nationwide where boating-related deaths occur predominantly on vessels operated by people lacking safety instruction, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/4231745/coast-guard-reports-fewest-boating-fatalities-in-more-than-50-years/\">U.S. Coast Guard\u003c/a>. Alcohol is also considered a leading contributing factor in boating accidents and fatalities. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The boat in Tuesday’s accident was registered by the U.S. Coast Guard and was theoretically capable of carrying 20 passengers, Toczko said, “but there are a lot of things that go into account when you consider the stability of a vessel.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The boat in Tuesday’s accident was registered by the U.S. Coast Guard and was theoretically capable of carrying 20 passengers, Toczko said, “but there are a lot of things that go into account when you consider the stability of a vessel.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This is a developing story and will be updated. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/nnavarro\">\u003cem>Natalia Navarro\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "One Sutter County man died and three others remain missing after a boat based out of Stockton sank in the San Francisco Bay on Tuesday afternoon. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Officials suspended their active search for three missing passengers who were aboard a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091126/total-chaos-bay-area-sailors-recall-rescue-of-boat-passengers-near-alcatraz\">boat that \u003c/a>capsized in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco-bay\">San Francisco Bay\u003c/a> Wednesday, the U.S. Coast Guard announced.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One person is dead, and three remained missing Thursday after a boat carrying 20 passengers sank near Alcatraz Island on Tuesday afternoon.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have completely saturated the search area,” said Captain Jarod Toczko, sector commander for the U.S. Coast Guard, during a press conference Wednesday afternoon. “Despite that extensive effort, we have been unsuccessful in locating any survivors within the search area.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-07-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091148\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-07-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-07-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-07-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter is pictured over the waters near Alcatraz on July 15, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The deceased, Clifford Joseph Boisa, 79, of Sutter County, was identified Wednesday morning by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. San Francisco Recreation and Parks confirmed that the boat was captained by John Boisa, 62, who is the deceased’s younger brother. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to their brother, Ralph, Clifford’s wife, Jackie, and their sister, Carol, are among the three people who remain missing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco Fire Department Chief Dean Crispen said officers with the San Francisco Police Department’s Marine Unit were the first on the scene and saw a man in the water in “severe distress” near the capsized pontoon boat.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They initiated CPR, but after transporting him to Gas House Cove in the Marina District, he was pronounced dead.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Three passengers, including the boat’s captain, were injured and transported to local hospitals and have since been released. SFFD confirmed one dog also died in the sinking. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Crispen said the passengers were mostly made up of family members. They were participating in a memorial service when they were hit by a wave, took on water, and the boat capsized.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Family shares details \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ralph Boisa, 77, whose daughter Yvonne Thatcher was on the boat with her husband and three kids, said some family members were inside the boat’s cabin when it took on the wave and quickly lost stability. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thatcher told her father that she was with Clifford, his wife, Jackie, and a third woman in the enclosed space. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“She managed to get to the door and get out, just before the boat fully went under,” Ralph said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>U.S. Coast Guard officials said Tuesday that there is a “high possibility” that the missing passengers were trapped in the vessel when it sank. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’ve done survivor debriefs, and we do know that individuals were in the main deck and potentially below deck,” he said. “However, that is gonna come out in the investigation stage of this. We’re still focused on the search and rescue, trying our best to see if we can locate the three missing individuals.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What’s the status of the rescue?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The U.S. Coast Guard led the initial search and rescue effort, covering 950 square nautical miles and 1,700 miles of the boat’s route over 29 hours.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At sunset Wednesday, officials suspended the active search, turning the case over to the San Francisco Police Department to steer boat recovery. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-ALCATRAZSEARCHUPDATE-32-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091253\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-ALCATRAZSEARCHUPDATE-32-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-ALCATRAZSEARCHUPDATE-32-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-ALCATRAZSEARCHUPDATE-32-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Commander Brien Hoo speaks during a press conference at Gashouse Cove Marina in San Francisco on July 15, 2026, about the fatal capsizing of a boat near Alcatraz on July 14. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Suspending an active search is one of the most difficult things we do as Coast Guard commanders,” Coast Guard Captain Jared Toczko said Wednesday. “I don’t take that responsibility lightly at all. Our goal is always to bring home families, loved ones, and we understand that families want answers. And that is never lost on us.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>SFPD Commander Brian Hoo said that the department will work with private companies specializing in diving recovery for that effort, but the department will not know if pulling the boat out is feasible until it is located. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The U.S. Coast Guard has the exact location of where the boat was last seen, but they are still searching for where the boat ultimately sank. The area they believe the boat is located is around 130 feet deep, which can be difficult for diving, officials said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Family members react\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ralph, who was not on the boat with his siblings Tuesday, said many members of his extended family had taken the boat out on the bay for a memorial of his adopted daughter, Maria. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She lived in San Francisco before she died by suicide in 2016, he said, and spent much of her time surfing in the Pacific Ocean. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-15-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091228\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-15-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-15-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-15-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A U.S. Coast Guard boat participates in a search and rescue operation for three people missing on July 15, 2026, after a vessel carrying 20 passengers sank near Alcatraz in the San Francisco Bay on July 14. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ralph’s other daughter and her family, along with Clifford’s daughter and her family, were also aboard the Volare, according to Ralph. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He described his sister Carol, who is still missing, as jovial and said all of his siblings were \u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>a jokester one way or another.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Clifford, who worked as a volunteer sheriff in Sutter County for more than a decade, was about to celebrate his 80th birthday in September.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Civilians assisted with rescue operations\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fishing boat captain Aaron Anfinson, of the Bass Tub, said he noticed that some of the people weren’t wearing life jackets, and there was no life raft in sight, crucial safety gear that Coast Guard certified vessels like his are required to carry. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ I pulled the boat up to them and my crew member threw them lifejackets. After yelling several times, they finally put them on, I think they were probably in shock.” Anfinson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-18-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091212\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-18-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-18-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-18-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aaron Anfinson, captain of the Bass Tub, stands on the fishing boat docked in Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco on July 16, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Anfinson noticed a woman he estimated to be in her 40s hanging onto a kiteboard who was bleeding from the head.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“My crewmember threw a throw ring at her, told her to hold on and we pulled her onto the boat,” Anfinson said. Meanwhile a halibut fisherman was busy “grabbing the rest of them and putting them on his boat,” Anfinson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What a diving expert says about rescue efforts on the Bay\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The crews out the bay face difficult conditions, according to David McMurdie, co-founder of California Recovery Divers, a volunteer team that leads underwater search and recoveries in Northern and Central California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s a lot of surface chop, and there’s a fair amount of wind,” McMurdie told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The rescue operation involves using an underwater exploration device called a sonar towfish. McMurdie said poor surface conditions can make using the tool tough “because the towfish under the water is bounced around as the boat is balanced on the surface.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-01-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091145\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-01-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-01-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-01-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A San Francisco Fire Department boat pictured in the waters near Alcatraz on July 15, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even in calm waters, the San Francisco Bay water lacks visibility.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s a blackout condition. When you get down to the bottom, you might have enough visibility to see your hand if you put it out in front of you, and you might not,” McMurdie said. “It’s a really dangerous situation because the boat can be rocking around, you could be trapped in the boat, so the extent of the search is a real challenge.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Boat departed from San Francisco Marina Yacht Harbor\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At 3:37 p.m. Tuesday, the SFFD received a report of a vessel in distress or on fire approximately 600 yards off Alcatraz Island, Crispin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Lt. Mariano Elias, public information officer for the San Francisco Fire Department, described the vessel as a 50-foot “cabin cruiser” boat with three levels, including enclosed main and lower decks. He said the boat, named Volare, was based out of Stockton. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Toczko said that officials believe the vessel took on a wave and leaned heavily to its starboard side before it quickly rolled over.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>People were jumping into the water when rescuers arrived, and the boat was already mostly underwater, Elias said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-06-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091156\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-06-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-06-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-06-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter team looks for three people missing on July 15, 2026, after a boat capsized in the San Francisco Bay on July 14. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The reports we’ve had from witnesses is that there were rough seas, and apparently the vessel began to take on water and was turned over in the bay,” Crispen said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Crispen initially said the vessel left from the St. Francis Yacht Club, but a spokesperson for San Francisco Recreation and Parks confirmed that the boat departed from the nearby San Francisco Marina Yacht Harbor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Officials initially believed the boat had 19 passengers, but after talking to witnesses, they determined there were 20 people on board. Sixteen have been recovered.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a statement, the St. Francis Yacht Club said, “Our hearts go out to the friends and family of those on board the boat that sank off the waters of Alcatraz Island. While the boat did not embark from St. Francis Yacht Club, nor were there members on board, we share this day and therefore understand the weight of this tragedy.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Boating risks\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There were 47 fatalities due to \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/pages/28702/files/ADA%20Overview%20of%20the%20Boating%20Accident%20Program.pdf\">recreational boating\u003c/a> incidents in California in 2024, according to the California State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways. Compared to open coastal waters, fatalities from recreational boating accidents are relatively rare in the San Francisco Bay. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Zero deaths were reported in the San Francisco Bay from boating \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/pages/28702/files/2019%20Recreational%20Boating%20Accident%20Statistics%20-%20Final.pdf\">accidents in 2019\u003c/a>, dipping from \u003ca href=\"https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/pages/28702/files/2016DBW_AccidentStats_NorCal_050517.pdf\">3 deaths in 2015\u003c/a>, according to DBW. For pontoon boats specifically, the most common types of accidents in 2019 were related to operator inexperience or inattention. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-ALCATRAZSEARCHUPDATE-27-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091251\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-ALCATRAZSEARCHUPDATE-27-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-ALCATRAZSEARCHUPDATE-27-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-ALCATRAZSEARCHUPDATE-27-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San Francisco Fire Chief Dean Crispin speaks during a press conference at Gashouse Cove Marina in San Francisco on July 15, 2026, about the fatal capsizing of a boat near Alcatraz on July 14. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That mirrors trends nationwide where boating-related deaths occur predominantly on vessels operated by people lacking safety instruction, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/4231745/coast-guard-reports-fewest-boating-fatalities-in-more-than-50-years/\">U.S. Coast Guard\u003c/a>. Alcohol is also considered a leading contributing factor in boating accidents and fatalities. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The boat in Tuesday’s accident was registered by the U.S. Coast Guard and was theoretically capable of carrying 20 passengers, Toczko said, “but there are a lot of things that go into account when you consider the stability of a vessel.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This is a developing story and will be updated. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/nnavarro\">\u003cem>Natalia Navarro\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "total-chaos-bay-area-sailors-recall-rescue-of-boat-passengers-near-alcatraz",
"title": "‘Total Chaos’: Bay Area Sailors Recall Rescue of Boat Passengers Near Alcatraz",
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"headTitle": "‘Total Chaos’: Bay Area Sailors Recall Rescue of Boat Passengers Near Alcatraz | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Captain Aaron Anfinson was driving his fishing boat, Bass Tub, up the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco-bay\">San Francisco\u003c/a> waterfront toward the Golden Gate Bridge on Tuesday afternoon when a halibut fisherman flagged him down, pointing to what looked like a plume of dark smoke in the center of the bay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I thought, ‘Oh, there’s a fire on that boat,” Anfinson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Anfinson was in the middle of a chartered 32-passenger cruise, but the trip quickly turned into a rescue mission. He radioed the U.S. Coast Guard to let them know what was happening. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I had my crew member grab the fire hose and put all the passengers inside, and we raced out there,” Anfinson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He was among the first to arrive at the site of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091098/search-continues-for-3-missing-people-after-boat-sinks-near-alcatraz-1-dead\">disaster in the San Francisco Bay\u003c/a> that claimed one life and left three missing. He saw the Volare, a 49-foot cabin cruiser based out of Stockton, that was sinking rapidly, sending its 20 passengers into the choppy, frigid waters of the San Francisco Bay. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-01-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091145\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-01-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-01-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-01-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A San Francisco Fire Department boat pictured in the waters near Alcatraz on July 15, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There were a bunch of people hanging onto the boat as it was sinking,” Anfinson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other privately owned boats, a kiteboarder, and a Red and White Fleet ferry also joined in on the efforts, Anfinson said. Emergency first responders had yet to arrive. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Four or five more people were hanging onto the kiteboarders’ board, Anfinson said. Boats from the San Francisco Police Department’s Marine Unit and U.S. Coast Guard arrived soon after and started rescuing people, he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Anfinson said he noticed that some passengers weren’t wearing life jackets, and there was no liferaft in sight — crucial safety gear that Coast Guard-certified vessels like his are required to carry. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ I pulled the boat up to them, and my crew member threw them lifejackets. After yelling several times, they finally put them on. I think they were probably in shock,” Anfinson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Anfinson noticed a woman he guessed was in her 40s hanging onto the kiteboard and bleeding from the head.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“My crewmember threw a throw ring at her, told her to hold on, and we pulled her onto the boat,” Anfinson said. “Meanwhile, the halibut fisherman was busy grabbing the rest of them and putting them on his boat,” Anfinson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Anfinson transported the woman to Gas House Cove in the Marina District, where emergency first responders were waiting. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ She was very upset,” Anfinson said. “It was a very scary situation.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner identified the man who died as Clifford Joseph Boisa, 79. A family member confirmed to KQED that the boat was captained by John Boisa, 62, who is the deceased’s younger brother. The family member said John was an experienced sailor and formerly in the Navy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Search and rescue teams worked through the night to locate the missing boat passengers. At a Wednesday press conference, U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Jarod Toczko took time to thank the civilians who aided in Tuesday’s rescue. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Those good samaritans called this distress case in, initially made us aware of it and then rescued people from the water. Your actions saved lives.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The passengers were mostly family members and were holding a memorial service when the boat was hit by a wave and capsized 600 yards — about five football fields — from shore.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Commercial fisherman Shawn Chen Flading said the boat looked like a vessel more suited to calmer waters. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ Those boats normally stick to the Delta, rivers and lakes. It’s not a seaworthy boat,” Flading said, adding that 20 people likely pushed the limit for a safe number of passengers on board. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-07-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091148\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-07-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-07-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-07-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter is pictured over the waters near Alcatraz on July 15, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Flading said conditions were so windy on Tuesday afternoon that he decided not to take his 79-foot fishing boat out. He said on days like that, the wind can add 2 to 3 feet to the height of waves. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ One moment the bay can look very peaceful and calm, and within a blink of an eye, the wind can pick up, and the swells come, and it’s a totally different, more dangerous scenario,” Flading said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>James Smith, captain of the charter fishing boat California Dawn, based in Berkeley, was returning from a Salmon fishing trip when he heard a Coast Guard report that there was a vessel on fire a quarter mile from Alcatraz. He sped towards the scene.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It was total chaos. There were people clinging to a board; there were people on the boat, which we didn’t know if it was going to sink on the spot. It was a big, terrifying mess,” Smith said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But Smith doubted that winds and waves could be responsible for capsizing a boat so large. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ I think something catastrophic happened,” Smith said. “There was probably no fire when the officials got on the scene, but there was definitely a fire there, because we could see the plumes of smoke coming from the boat.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said witnessing something like that “hit close to home” for him and his crew. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ It’s just tough to see people going out for an enjoyable outing or a memorial, however enjoyable that is, and not expecting a boat to sink and take people down with it,” Smith said. “That’s a lot, man. That’s a lot to chew on.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/kdebenedetti\">\u003cem>Katie DeBenedetti\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There were a bunch of people hanging onto the boat as it was sinking,” Anfinson said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Other privately owned boats, a kiteboarder, and a Red and White Fleet ferry also joined in on the efforts, Anfinson said. Emergency first responders had yet to arrive. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Four or five more people were hanging onto the kiteboarders’ board, Anfinson said. Boats from the San Francisco Police Department’s Marine Unit and U.S. Coast Guard arrived soon after and started rescuing people, he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Anfinson said he noticed that some passengers weren’t wearing life jackets, and there was no liferaft in sight — crucial safety gear that Coast Guard-certified vessels like his are required to carry. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ I pulled the boat up to them, and my crew member threw them lifejackets. After yelling several times, they finally put them on. I think they were probably in shock,” Anfinson said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Anfinson noticed a woman he guessed was in her 40s hanging onto the kiteboard and bleeding from the head.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“My crewmember threw a throw ring at her, told her to hold on, and we pulled her onto the boat,” Anfinson said. “Meanwhile, the halibut fisherman was busy grabbing the rest of them and putting them on his boat,” Anfinson said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“My crewmember threw a throw ring at her, told her to hold on, and we pulled her onto the boat,” Anfinson said. “Meanwhile, the halibut fisherman was busy grabbing the rest of them and putting them on his boat,” Anfinson said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Anfinson transported the woman to Gas House Cove in the Marina District, where emergency first responders were waiting. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ She was very upset,” Anfinson said. “It was a very scary situation.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner identified the man who died as Clifford Joseph Boisa, 79. A family member confirmed to KQED that the boat was captained by John Boisa, 62, who is the deceased’s younger brother. The family member said John was an experienced sailor and formerly in the Navy. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The city’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner identified the man who died as Clifford Joseph Boisa, 79. A family member confirmed to KQED that the boat was captained by John Boisa, 62, who is the deceased’s younger brother. The family member said John was an experienced sailor and formerly in the Navy. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Search and rescue teams worked through the night to locate the missing boat passengers. At a Wednesday press conference, U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Jarod Toczko took time to thank the civilians who aided in Tuesday’s rescue. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Search and rescue teams worked through the night to locate the missing boat passengers. At a Wednesday press conference, U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Jarod Toczko took time to thank the civilians who aided in Tuesday’s rescue. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Those good samaritans called this distress case in, initially made us aware of it and then rescued people from the water. Your actions saved lives.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The passengers were mostly family members and were holding a memorial service when the boat was hit by a wave and capsized 600 yards — about five football fields — from shore.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Commercial fisherman Shawn Chen Flading said the boat looked like a vessel more suited to calmer waters. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ Those boats normally stick to the Delta, rivers and lakes. It’s not a seaworthy boat,” Flading said, adding that 20 people likely pushed the limit for a safe number of passengers on board. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ Those boats normally stick to the Delta, rivers and lakes. It’s not a seaworthy boat,” Flading said, adding that 20 people likely pushed the limit for a safe number of passengers on board. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Flading said conditions were so windy on Tuesday afternoon that he decided not to take his 79-foot fishing boat out. He said on days like that, the wind can add 2 to 3 feet to the height of waves. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Flading said conditions were so windy on Tuesday afternoon that he decided not to take his 79-foot fishing boat out. He said on days like that, the wind can add 2 to 3 feet to the height of waves. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ One moment the bay can look very peaceful and calm, and within a blink of an eye, the wind can pick up, and the swells come, and it’s a totally different, more dangerous scenario,” Flading said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>James Smith, captain of the charter fishing boat California Dawn, based in Berkeley, was returning from a Salmon fishing trip when he heard a Coast Guard report that there was a vessel on fire a quarter mile from Alcatraz. He sped towards the scene.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>James Smith, captain of the charter fishing boat California Dawn, based in Berkeley, was returning from a Salmon fishing trip when he heard a Coast Guard report that there was a vessel on fire a quarter mile from Alcatraz. He sped towards the scene.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It was total chaos. There were people clinging to a board; there were people on the boat, which we didn’t know if it was going to sink on the spot. It was a big, terrifying mess,” Smith said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ I think something catastrophic happened,” Smith said. “There was probably no fire when the officials got on the scene, but there was definitely a fire there, because we could see the plumes of smoke coming from the boat.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ I think something catastrophic happened,” Smith said. “There was probably no fire when the officials got on the scene, but there was definitely a fire there, because we could see the plumes of smoke coming from the boat.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He said witnessing something like that “hit close to home” for him and his crew. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ It’s just tough to see people going out for an enjoyable outing or a memorial, however enjoyable that is, and not expecting a boat to sink and take people down with it,” Smith said. “That’s a lot, man. That’s a lot to chew on.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/kdebenedetti\">\u003cem>Katie DeBenedetti\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "After a 49-foot vessel carrying 20 passengers began sinking near Alcatraz Island on Tuesday afternoon, San Francisco locals were among the first to arrive on the scene and took part in the lifesaving search and rescue mission.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Captain Aaron Anfinson was driving his fishing boat, Bass Tub, up the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco-bay\">San Francisco\u003c/a> waterfront toward the Golden Gate Bridge on Tuesday afternoon when a halibut fisherman flagged him down, pointing to what looked like a plume of dark smoke in the center of the bay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I thought, ‘Oh, there’s a fire on that boat,” Anfinson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Anfinson was in the middle of a chartered 32-passenger cruise, but the trip quickly turned into a rescue mission. He radioed the U.S. Coast Guard to let them know what was happening. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I had my crew member grab the fire hose and put all the passengers inside, and we raced out there,” Anfinson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He was among the first to arrive at the site of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091098/search-continues-for-3-missing-people-after-boat-sinks-near-alcatraz-1-dead\">disaster in the San Francisco Bay\u003c/a> that claimed one life and left three missing. He saw the Volare, a 49-foot cabin cruiser based out of Stockton, that was sinking rapidly, sending its 20 passengers into the choppy, frigid waters of the San Francisco Bay. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-01-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091145\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-01-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-01-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-01-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A San Francisco Fire Department boat pictured in the waters near Alcatraz on July 15, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There were a bunch of people hanging onto the boat as it was sinking,” Anfinson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other privately owned boats, a kiteboarder, and a Red and White Fleet ferry also joined in on the efforts, Anfinson said. Emergency first responders had yet to arrive. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Four or five more people were hanging onto the kiteboarders’ board, Anfinson said. Boats from the San Francisco Police Department’s Marine Unit and U.S. Coast Guard arrived soon after and started rescuing people, he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Anfinson said he noticed that some passengers weren’t wearing life jackets, and there was no liferaft in sight — crucial safety gear that Coast Guard-certified vessels like his are required to carry. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ I pulled the boat up to them, and my crew member threw them lifejackets. After yelling several times, they finally put them on. I think they were probably in shock,” Anfinson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Anfinson noticed a woman he guessed was in her 40s hanging onto the kiteboard and bleeding from the head.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“My crewmember threw a throw ring at her, told her to hold on, and we pulled her onto the boat,” Anfinson said. “Meanwhile, the halibut fisherman was busy grabbing the rest of them and putting them on his boat,” Anfinson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Anfinson transported the woman to Gas House Cove in the Marina District, where emergency first responders were waiting. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ She was very upset,” Anfinson said. “It was a very scary situation.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner identified the man who died as Clifford Joseph Boisa, 79. A family member confirmed to KQED that the boat was captained by John Boisa, 62, who is the deceased’s younger brother. The family member said John was an experienced sailor and formerly in the Navy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Search and rescue teams worked through the night to locate the missing boat passengers. At a Wednesday press conference, U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Jarod Toczko took time to thank the civilians who aided in Tuesday’s rescue. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Those good samaritans called this distress case in, initially made us aware of it and then rescued people from the water. Your actions saved lives.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The passengers were mostly family members and were holding a memorial service when the boat was hit by a wave and capsized 600 yards — about five football fields — from shore.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Commercial fisherman Shawn Chen Flading said the boat looked like a vessel more suited to calmer waters. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ Those boats normally stick to the Delta, rivers and lakes. It’s not a seaworthy boat,” Flading said, adding that 20 people likely pushed the limit for a safe number of passengers on board. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-07-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091148\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-07-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-07-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260715-AlcatrazSearchUpdate-07-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter is pictured over the waters near Alcatraz on July 15, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Flading said conditions were so windy on Tuesday afternoon that he decided not to take his 79-foot fishing boat out. He said on days like that, the wind can add 2 to 3 feet to the height of waves. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ One moment the bay can look very peaceful and calm, and within a blink of an eye, the wind can pick up, and the swells come, and it’s a totally different, more dangerous scenario,” Flading said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>James Smith, captain of the charter fishing boat California Dawn, based in Berkeley, was returning from a Salmon fishing trip when he heard a Coast Guard report that there was a vessel on fire a quarter mile from Alcatraz. He sped towards the scene.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It was total chaos. There were people clinging to a board; there were people on the boat, which we didn’t know if it was going to sink on the spot. It was a big, terrifying mess,” Smith said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But Smith doubted that winds and waves could be responsible for capsizing a boat so large. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ I think something catastrophic happened,” Smith said. “There was probably no fire when the officials got on the scene, but there was definitely a fire there, because we could see the plumes of smoke coming from the boat.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said witnessing something like that “hit close to home” for him and his crew. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ It’s just tough to see people going out for an enjoyable outing or a memorial, however enjoyable that is, and not expecting a boat to sink and take people down with it,” Smith said. “That’s a lot, man. That’s a lot to chew on.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/kdebenedetti\">\u003cem>Katie DeBenedetti\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "why-specialized-mariners-are-required-on-every-ship-sailing-into-san-francisco-bay",
"title": "Why Specialized Mariners Are Required on Every Ship Sailing Into San Francisco Bay",
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"headTitle": "Why Specialized Mariners Are Required on Every Ship Sailing Into San Francisco Bay | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"#Viewthefullepisodetranscript\">View the full episode transcript.\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a sunny day, the beauty of San Francisco Bay rivals almost any place in the world. The stately bridges boldly cross its watery expanse, dreamy islands call out for exploration, green or golden hills rise up on all sides and the twinkling lights of the city sparkle in the distance. But on a foggy, windy day, that same paradise can be treacherous for ships coming in and out of the Golden Gate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s why all ships over 750 gross tons — about 150 feet or longer — are required to use a special mariner who knows the local conditions when they enter or exit the bay. Known as bar pilots, these local guides board vessels about 11 miles west of the Golden Gate Bridge, take charge of the ship and guide it safely under the bridges and through the bay to its anchorage spot or port berth. They also help move vessels within the bay, like from anchorage to port, for example.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Erik Udd often sees the bar pilot speedboat depart from Pier 9, where the bar pilots are headquartered, as he cycles his pedicab along the Embarcadero.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’ve seen the boats, and I’ve seen them heading out towards the Golden Gate, but I never thought about the process,” Udd said. So he asked Bay Curious: “What do they do? How does it work? Do they get hazard pay when they’re out there in a storm?”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How the bar pilots came to be\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>There are a lot of reasons San Francisco Bay is a tricky port to enter. First, there’s a large sandbar outside the mouth of the Golden Gate with only a narrow channel through it that’s deep enough for ships to navigate. Then there’s the weather — dense fog, strong winds and winter storms. Lastly, the currents can be deadly and pull ships off course.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For all these reasons, many Gold Rush-era ships foundered and sank on their way into the bay. And sunken ships are bad for the flow of commerce. They create additional maritime hazards and gum up the works.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089870\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12089870 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-22-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-22-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-22-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-22-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A pilot boat operator navigates a pilot boat in the San Francisco Bay. The pilots guide large ships along California’s coast to ports in San Francisco Bay and beyond. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089871\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089871\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-28-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-28-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-28-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-28-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ships sit at anchor in the San Francisco Bay in areas known as ‘anchor buckets,’ where commercial vessels can remain for extended periods. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The San Francisco Bar Pilots have been around a long time,” said Anne McIntyre, business director for the San Francisco Bar Pilots. “We were founded in 1850. The first thing the California legislature did was pass the Pilotage Act, and that’s what founded the San Francisco Bar Pilots.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Evidence of this long history lines the walls of bar pilot headquarters at Pier 9. The first ships they served were sailing ships, but soon steam-powered vessels came on the scene, and eventually, diesel engines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089869\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089869\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-01-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-01-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-01-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-01-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Capt. Cevan LeSieur points to historic photos of early bar pilot boats at the San Francisco Bar Pilots headquarters in San Francisco. The San Francisco Bar Pilot Association was founded in 1850 and is one of the oldest maritime organizations on the Pacific Coast. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In the early days, “the pilot would get on a little dinghy, and they’d row to the side of the ship, and then climb up the ladder,” said Captain Cevan Lesieur, a bar pilot with more than 10 years of experience.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He has piloted hundreds of ships through the bay’s waters and shook his head at the idea of one man braving the fog and wind alone in a boat powered only by his own strength.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You know when I look at the type of weather and conditions we deal with, these people were just tougher than we are nowadays,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What’s it like being a bar pilot today?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>That’s not to say being a bar pilot today is easy. They have to navigate many types of waterways – including through the open ocean, up and down the Stockton and Sacramento rivers, under several bridges and through a congested central bay. They also pilot all kinds of vessels from massive cargo ships to cruise ships, tankers to bulkers, yachts to car ships.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The most harrowing part of a bar pilot’s job is open water boarding. Here’s how it works: when a ship approaches San Francisco from the open ocean, it meets up with a station boat that’s always waiting 11 miles west of the Golden Gate Bridge. The crew on that boat rotates weekly, but the bar pilots work 365 days a year in all weather conditions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089866\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089866\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-34-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-34-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-34-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-34-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Capt. Cevan LeSieur (left) prepares to board the Pasha Hawaii ship George III at the Port of Oakland. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089879\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089879\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-Diptych4-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"847\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-Diptych4-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-Diptych4-2000x662.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-Diptych4-160x53.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-Diptych4-1536x508.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-Diptych4-2048x678.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Left: A bar pilot boat pulls up next to the Pasha Hawaii ship George III at the Port of Oakland. Right: Capt. Cevan LeSieur boards the Pasha Hawaii ship George III. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As the ship approaches, it slows down to 9 knots — about 12 miles per hour — and the pilot boat comes alongside at the same speed. Then, timing the jump carefully, the bar pilot leaps across and grabs onto a ladder hanging on the side of the ship.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They are not tied into anything when they make this jump. When a ship leaves for sea, this process is reversed, with the bar pilot jumping from the ladder to the moving deck of the pilot boat.[aside postID=news_12088210 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260521-YEMENICOFFEE-11-BL-KQED.jpg']“Getting on can be tricky, and people have gone in the water,” said John Carlier, the president of the bar pilots association and a man with more than 30 years on the job. “But getting off and trying to get that small landing area on that deck while that boat’s surfing past you can be a bit sketchy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If a pilot does go in the water, he’s wearing a “float coat,” which turns into a lifejacket when it hits the water, complete with lights and a safety whistle. Pilots make the jump in all kinds of weather conditions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If it’s not safe, you don’t do it, but a lot of people would look at the conditions and not think it’s safe, but we have our own definition of it,” Lesieur said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He estimated that it’s only about once a year that the weather is so bad that the pilot can’t make the jump. If that happens, the pilot has to stay on the ship until the next port of call and then fly home, and no one wants that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our question asker, Erik Udd, was interested in knowing if bar pilots receive hazard pay during bad weather, and the answer is no. But they are paid well — in the mid-six figures on average. They are paid by the shipping companies that use their services. There’s a \u003ca href=\"https://sfbarpilots.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Pilotage-Rates.pdf\">rate structure\u003c/a> based on the tonnage of the ship.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Becoming a bar pilot\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>To become a bar pilot, a person must be a mid-career captain with decades of experience already. There’s a written test and a simulator test. Based on those scores, candidates are ranked on a list from which the bar pilots pull when apprenticeships open up. Once in the training program, most people spend close to two years shadowing more experienced pilots and learning all the different routes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The area starts with the Gulf of the Farallones, works its way through the main bay, down the Redwood City, and all the way up to Stockton and Sacramento,” Carlier said. “There’s eight different sections. You’re going to do in the neighborhood of at least 600 jobs under the tutelage of existing pilots.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089872\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089872\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-57-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-57-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-57-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-57-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bar pilot Capt. Cevan LeSieur stands on the bridge of the Pasha Hawaii ship George III while docked at the Port of Oakland. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>They also have to learn by heart over 670 aids to navigation — the lights and buoys — as well as the depth charts for the entire 5,000-square-mile area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the expertise and local knowledge of the bar pilots, there have been instances when they made mistakes with devastating consequences. In 2007, a ship with a bar pilot in charge \u003ca href=\"https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/remembering-cosco-busan-overview-2007-oil-spill\">clipped one of the Bay Bridge towers\u003c/a> and 58,000 gallons of fuel oil spilled into the bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There were some communication problems between the pilot and the crew as to where the center of the bridge was on their electronic [navigation] equipment, which definitely added to the sideswiping of the Delta Tower of the Bay Bridge,” Carlier said. “We actually bring our own electronic navigation equipment with us on board now. We also bring our GPS antennas.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Bar pilots at work\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The container ships that dock at the Port of Oakland to load and unload cargo are massive. The largest ones are as long as the Salesforce Tower is tall, but even more modestly sized ones are huge. The bar pilots have had to adapt as the ships have gotten bigger.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.pashahawaii.com/services/vessels/george-iii\">George III is a container ship\u003c/a> operated by Pasha Hawaii that brings supplies to the Hawaiian Islands. It runs the same route every two weeks, leaving Honolulu mostly empty save for a few commodities like macadamia nuts and rum, stops in Oakland to take on cargo and then heads down to Long Beach for more, before returning to Hawaii.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089946\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089946\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GraphBarPilots.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1079\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GraphBarPilots.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GraphBarPilots-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GraphBarPilots-1536x1036.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Many of the ships operating in the bay are as long as a skyscraper is tall. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of the San Francisco Bar Pilots)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The state of Hawaii has about three to five days of food availability if shipping stopped,” said Ed Washburn, senior vice president of fleet operations. “So it’s very sensitive.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The crew of the ship signs on for long stints, 10 to 14 weeks, but then gets just as much time off on land. When they’re on board, they work as a team to keep ship operations running smoothly, the loads balanced, and the engines purring.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>George III is a unique vessel because it runs on both diesel fuel and \u003ca href=\"https://www.pashahawaii.com/news-media/news/571/pasha-hawaii-marks-historic-milestone-mv-george-iii-first-lng-powered\">natural gas\u003c/a>, making it a cleaner vessel, but also one with more specific engineering needs. The crew eats, sleeps and works in shifts, building a strong sense of camaraderie.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089873\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089873\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-60-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-60-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-60-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-60-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A crew member on the Pasha Hawaii ship George III works on the bridge while docked at the Port of Oakland. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089878\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089878\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-Diptych03-BL-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"846\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-Diptych03-BL-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-Diptych03-BL-2000x661.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-Diptych03-BL-160x53.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-Diptych03-BL-1536x507.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-Diptych03-BL-2048x676.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Left: Mark Bancroft, a second assistant engineer, works in the engine room of the Pasha Hawaii ship George III while docked at the Port of Oakland. Right: Crew members eat dinner on the George III before departing the Port of Oakland. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>When it’s time to push off for sea, the bar pilot boards the ship and heads towards the ship’s bridge, at the top of the vessel. From there, he checks in with the captain, makes sure the equipment has all been tested and communicates with tugboats.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s kinda anticlimactic when you have 90-ton boats and no wind,” said Christian Barron, the bar pilot on duty as George III slowly inched away from the dock. “We’ll start casting off tugs once we get about half a mile from here and start bringing her up to speed.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089875\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089875\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-83-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-83-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-83-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-83-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">San Francisco bar pilot Christian Barron works on the Pasha Hawaii ship George III before departing the Port of Oakland. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089874\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089874\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-72-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-72-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-72-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-72-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A bar pilot boat is docked at the Port of Oakland. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089876\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089876\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-101-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-101-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-101-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-101-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Views of the San Francisco skyline from a bar pilot boat. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Once the ship was safely out of San Francisco Bay, Christian climbed down the ladder and jumped onto the station boat, where he waited for the next ship needing his services to arrive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the bar pilots are doing their jobs well, we landlubbers might not even know they exist. We only see the stocked grocery shelves, fuel at the gas pump and cruise ships awaiting passengers at the pier. But to make all of that happen, a bar pilot is working day or night, rain or shine, fog or no, to bring ships safely to port.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[baycuriousquestion]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Viewthefullepisodetranscript\">\u003c/a>Episode transcript\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> If you ask mariners, they’ll tell you, navigating a boat from the open ocean into the San Francisco Bay is notoriously treacherous.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s the dense fog that can make it hard to see. Strong currents constantly rearrange the sea floor, and can quickly throw a vessel off course. And finally – our bridges! If a boat were to strike a pillar it could be\u003cem> catastrophic. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s why captains of big ships aren’t allowed to navigate into port on their own. A specially trained mariner called a \u003cem>bar pilot\u003c/em> – hops aboard every ship that comes into San Francisco Bay, and takes over command.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We got a question about those bar pilots, so we sent Bay Curious editor and producer Katrina Schwartz to the Embarcadero to meet the man who asked it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Erik Udd said he’d meet me at the Embarcadero BART station. When I emerged on the escalator he was waiting for me, sitting at the helm of a pedicab.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Erik Udd: \u003c/strong>It’s a great retirement job, I get exercise, it is perfect for me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>While we talk, he’s giving me a ride in his pedicab over to Pier 9…near the Exploratorium…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Erik Udd: \u003c/strong>Oh, there goes a boat right now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>While Erik pedals along the Embarcadero, he often notices the orange and white boats with the word “PILOT” painted on the side in giant, all caps letters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Erik Udd: \u003c/strong>I’ve seen the boats and I’ve seen them heading out towards the golden gate, but I never thought about the process. What do they do? How does it work?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Erik wants to know everything about the bar pilots. Like, how does the pilot get onto one of those big container ships?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Erik Udd: \u003c/strong>How big of a boat needs a pilot to come into the bay?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>What kind of training do the pilots go through?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Erik Udd: \u003c/strong>Has anyone ever gone in the water? I’m sure someone has gone in the water. Maybe a better question is how many times?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>What happens when there’s a storm?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Erik Udd: \u003c/strong>Do they get hazard pay when they’re out there in a storm?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>After all, some of the ships coming into the bay are truly massive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Erik Udd: \u003c/strong>It’s like a building is moving along across the water. Those things are huge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>It’s quite a lot of questions, but I’m up to the task. Erik drops me off at Pier 9, where the Bar Pilots are headquartered. It’s the last office out at the end of the pier and sits behind a chain link fence. But once I’m inside, it looks like a fairly typical office building except the views of the bay are stunning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cevan Lesieur: \u003c/strong>Anne’s office has the best views in the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Captains Cevan Lesieur and Anne McIntyre are showing me around.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cevan has been a pilot here for 12 years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cevan Lesieur: \u003c/strong>This is the best and most interesting waterway to work on from my experience and most challenging. So I always said if I was gonna become a pilot, it’d be in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Challenging because of the currents, the weather, the varied types of waterways and a congested central bay. Bar pilots can be called upon to move cruise ships, oil tankers, cargo ships, even really big yachts. And they have to be able to skillfully maneuver each type of vessel through narrowly dredged channels up the Sacramento and Stockton rivers and around smaller vessels.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anne McIntyre: \u003c/strong>We service all nine Bay Area ports. So we take ships all the way up to West Sacramento, to Stockton, down to Redwood City, even down to Monterey.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Here’s how it works.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Every ship over about 150 feet is required by law to use a bar pilot to enter and exit the bay, as well as to move from anchor to port within the bay. The pilots serve about 75-hundred vessels a year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The most dramatic moment for a bar pilot happens out in the open ocean beyond the Golden Gate Bridge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cevan Lesieur: \u003c/strong>We have what we call our station boat or ocean boats. And one is off shore at all times, about 11 miles west of the Golden Gate Bridge. And so we have crews out there that rotate every week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>When a large vessel is heading into San Francisco Bay, it meets up with the bar pilot boat out on the ocean and the bar pilot leaps from one to the other — you heard that right — and they are not tied into anything when they do it. Then they climb up a ladder on the outside of the ship.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cevan Lesieur: \u003c/strong>Timing is critical, and especially the worse the weather, the more important timing is.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>The ships are side-by-side going about 12-miles per hour when the pilot makes his jump. Cevan says there are some weather conditions that make the transfer too dangerous, but it doesn’t happen often…maybe once a year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cevan Lesieur: \u003c/strong>If it’s not safe you don’t do it, but a lot of people would look at the conditions and not think it’s safe, but we have our own definition of it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Once the pilot is on board, he or she communicates with the captain and crew to bring the vessel safely under the Golden Gate Bridge, through the Bay and to its anchorage spot or port berth. The same happens in reverse, except the pilot has to jump off the ladder and onto the pilot boat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Every bar pilot I talked to had a harrowing story about open water boarding, but Cevan’s is the funniest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cevan Lesieur: \u003c/strong>I was boarding a car ship and the conditions were really bad and the ship and the pilot boat were going up and down and up and down. The wind was so bad, I took like 3 attempts. Finally we came alongside and I was on the platform and I jumped and landed on the deck and was laying there. And the mate looked down, and said you’re f**ing crazy!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Over their long history, pilots \u003cem>have\u003c/em> died and many have gone in the water, but it’s not common.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cevan Lesieur: \u003c/strong>In the modern era, we have not lost a pilot here. And the last time a pilot went into the water has been several years ago.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>If a pilot does miss the jump, he’s wearing a “float coat” that becomes a life jacket when he hits the water, complete with lights and whistles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And to answer our question asker, no, they don’t get hazard pay. But they are paid well… on average about 500,000 a year — all of that paid by the companies operating the boats they serve.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> We’re going to take a quick break, but when we come back we’ll learn how the bar pilots came to be and Katrina gets to shadow a pilot on a real job. Will she make the jump? All that coming up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sponsor message\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We were on a tour of bar pilot headquarters at Pier 9. Bay Curious editor and producer Katrina Schwartz found the halls are lined with evidence of the organization’s very \u003cstrong>long\u003c/strong> history.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Captains Cevan Lesieur and Anne McIntyre are showing me cool photos and artifacts from bar pilot history.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anne McIntyre: \u003c/strong>We have to stop at this one here. This is the original charter from the first California legislative session.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Anne points to an old looking document on the wall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anne McIntyre: \u003c/strong>The San Francisco Bar Pilots have been around a long time. We were founded in 1850. We’re the second oldest business in San Francisco behind Boudin Bread.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>The bar pilots are as old as the state of California. Even back in 1850, state legislators understood the future of San Francisco — California even — depended on the safe flow of ships in and out of the Bay. We couldn’t have all these shipwrecks gumming up the works.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anne McIntyre: \u003c/strong>We were the first act of the first California Legislature. So the first thing the California legislature did was pass the pilotage act happened and that’s what founded the San Francisco Bar Pilots.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Back then, the ships coming to San Francisco were mostly sailing vessels. By the end of the century coal-fired steam engines would come on the scene and later diesel engines. Each era required something different from the bar pilots, Cevan tells me. Boarding sailing ships might have been the most physically demanding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cevan Lesieur: \u003c/strong>The pilot would get on a little dinghy, and they’d row to the side of the ship, and then you’d climb up the ladder.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>He shakes his head at the idea of rowing a dingy through dense fog and huge wake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cevan Lesieur: \u003c/strong>You know when I look at the type of weather and conditions we deal with…These people were just tougher than we are nowadays. \u003cem>(Laughs, fade under)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>To become a bar pilot, you have to be a mid-career captain with many years of experience. There’s a written test and a simulator test. Candidates are ranked based on their scores and are then eligible for an apprenticeship with the bar pilots.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>John Carlier: \u003c/strong>You’re going to probably do in the neighborhood of at least 600 jobs under the tutelage of existing pilots.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>John Carlier is the President of the Bar Pilots Association. He says there are eight sections in the Bay, each with their own challenges, and the pilots have to learn all of them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>John Carlier: \u003c/strong>And the area starts with the Gulf of the Farallones, works its way through the main bay, down the Redwood City, and all the way up to Stockton and Sacramento.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Piloting up the rivers here can be especially challenging. The ships are within two feet of the bottom in narrow channels with little room for error. And it takes a long time, about 9 hours from the open ocean to Stockton or Sacramento, so they usually change bar pilots half way to avoid fatigue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite all this training, there have been incidents when ships captained by bar pilots have run into trouble in the Bay. Like in 2007 when an oil tanker clipped one of the Bay Bridge towers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>John Carlier: \u003c/strong>Yes, that was a bar pilot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>News clip: \u003c/strong>A 900 foot container ship hit the Bay Bridge tower east of the main anchorage. 58,000 gallons of fuel oil. Countless fragile ecosystems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>John Carlier: \u003c/strong>There was some communication problems between the pilot and the crew as to where the center of the bridge was on their electronic nav equipment which definitely added to you know the the sideswiping of the Delta Tower of the Bay Bridge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Because of that incident, the bar pilots now bring their own GPS navigational equipment on board with them so they don’t have to rely on the vessel’s equipment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’m going to get to see that in action soon, so we start heading towards a boat with the word “pilot” boldly written on its side tied up out back. We clamor aboard. It looks like a fancy speedboat, and head towards Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Pilot: \u003c/strong>Where do you want to head to?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cevan Lesieur: \u003c/strong>Port of Oakland, George III\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>It takes about 20 minutes to cross the bay and soon our small boat is pulling up alongside a massive containership. This boat is considered “small” by shipping standards and it’s still as tall as a 15 story building from the water up to the top. I now have to step from the bobbing deck of the pilot boat onto a rope ladder dangling from the first deck.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sounds of ladder clanking against the ship\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>I had hoped to do the open ocean leap I’d heard so much about. Climbing about 15 feet up this ladder felt pretty tame by comparison. The water in the Oakland estuary was very calm, kinda the training wheels version of this climb. No heroics for me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This ship, George the III, brings supplies to the Hawaiian Islands.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ed Washburn: \u003c/strong>Everything from medicine to groceries to fertilizer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Ed Washburn is senior vice president of fleet operations with Pasha, Hawaii, the company that owns this vessel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This ship runs the same two-week route on repeat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ed Washburn: \u003c/strong>The state of Hawaii has about three to five days of food availability, of shipping stopped. So it’s very sensitive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>It leaves Honolulu mostly empty, carrying a few commodities like rum and macadamia nuts to the mainland. Then it stops in Oakland to pick up cargo, down to Long Beach for more and back to Honolulu.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ed Washburn: \u003c/strong>The value of that is about $50 million in cargo each time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ok, should we go up to the bridge?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>The bridge is at the top of the ship and it’s where the bar pilot does their work. We walk up A LOT of steps to get there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>(sounds of steps under this)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>From up here we have incredible views of the sun setting over the bay and the internal workings of the port.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cevan Lesieur: \u003c/strong>This is Christian Barron. He’s also a Cal Maritime graduate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Today, Christian Barron is the bar pilot in charge. But Cevan is hanging out with me, explaining what’s happening so I don’t bug Christian at crucial moments, like when he’s checking in with the captain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cevan Lesieur: \u003c/strong>Once the tugs have been made fast and the engine’s been tested we can get rolling.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Captain Eric Veloni: \u003c/strong>The engine has been tested.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>These massive ships are hard to maneuver, so pilots use tugboats to pull the ship off the dock.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Radio sounds: \u003c/strong>Captain, this is the chief engineer. Show of power. Cables secured.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Captain Eric Veloni: \u003c/strong>Roger, Dave.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Christian checks in with Vessel Traffic Services, basically air traffic control for boats, to let them know his plan and find out if there are other vessels in the shipping lanes he needs to be aware of.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Christian Barron: \u003c/strong>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Traffic, good evening, 4-5. Preparing to depart Oakland 55 starboard side two bound for sea. Deep draft 32 feet two inches. Tend to Delta-Echo span and deep water traffic lane Working my tugs on 20 Alpha.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>VTS Operator:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Roger, copy that, 4-5. George the third preparing to get underway from Oakland…\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Nothing to worry about. There’s a fair amount of waiting as the crew gets in position and the port workers untie the boat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Christian Barron: \u003c/strong>All clear forward\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>And then we get going.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Christian Barron:\u003c/strong> All clear fore and aft, stand clear of your tuglines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Artemis and Apollo are the names of the tugboats.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Christian Barron: \u003c/strong>Ok, ready to go. Artemis stop and stretch. Apollo stop and stretch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>As Christian gives orders, the massive container ship starts to slowly move away from the dock.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Christian Barron: \u003c/strong>It’s kinda anticlimactic when you have 90 ton boats and no wind.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Once the tugboats are secured and ready to go, the whole procedure only takes about ten minutes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz (in scene): \u003c/strong>It is a little anticlimactic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Captain Eric Veloni: \u003c/strong>We love boring when it comes to this.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz (in scene):\u003c/strong> I didn’t even realize we were moving at first.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Port sounds\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz (in scene): \u003c/strong>You pushed off, what’s the next thing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Christian Barron: \u003c/strong>I’ll give a command for dead slow ahead. We’ll confirm the engines come up to rpm and then we’ll put the tugs in position so they can follow along so they’re not impeding us, but can still affect the boat if we have an engine or steering failure they can still maneuver the vessel if need be.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Then he’ll check in with traffic again to let them know he’s underway and get any updates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Christian Barron: \u003c/strong>And then we’ll start casting off tugs once we get about half a mile from here and start bringing her up to speed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz (in scene): \u003c/strong>Anything you’re particularly concerned about tonight?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Christian Barron: \u003c/strong>Tonight, no. We have a little bit of current at the bar, so I just need to make sure I time my turns correctly, use enough rudder, engine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Unfortunately, the bar pilots were not keen on me following Christian all the way out into the open ocean to disembark at 9 knots onto the pilot boat. Instead, we’ll be going back down the ladder in the Oakland estuary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Thanks, nice to meet you all. Safe voyage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Captain Eric Veloni: \u003c/strong>Be safe on the ladder!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>We tramp down many flights of stairs, back to the lowest deck and our ladder.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>It should be easier going down, right.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sounds of clanking\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Pilot boat crew: \u003c/strong>You’re two from the bottom…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>As we head back towards the Ferry Building, the sun’s last glow seeping from the sky, I’m struck by the vastness of the Bay as the darkness encroaches.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’m heading home to my warm bed. But a crew of bar pilots is waiting 11 miles offshore rain or shine. At their best, their work is invisible to us. We only notice the stocked shelves, cruise ships at their berths and fuel at the gas station. Our entire city works because they do. Guiding ship after ship through the fog and to safety.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sound of the pilot boat motoring back to the Embarcadero\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>That was Bay Curious editor and producer, Katrina Schwartz.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thanks to the KQED Members whose support made this episode possible! If you’d like to become a member, visit donate.kqed.org/podcasts to get started. It only takes a minute and comes with some nice perks. We’ll drop the link in our show notes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale and me, Olivia Allen-Price. With extra support from Maha Sanad, Katie Sprenger, Jen Chien, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco Northern California Local.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’m Olivia Allen-Price. Have a great week!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "San Francisco Bay is notorious in the shipping world for its tricky waters. That’s why bar pilots — specially trained mariners — board every ship entering or exiting the bay and guide it to safety.",
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"title": "Why Specialized Mariners Are Required on Every Ship Sailing Into San Francisco Bay | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"#Viewthefullepisodetranscript\">View the full episode transcript.\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a sunny day, the beauty of San Francisco Bay rivals almost any place in the world. The stately bridges boldly cross its watery expanse, dreamy islands call out for exploration, green or golden hills rise up on all sides and the twinkling lights of the city sparkle in the distance. But on a foggy, windy day, that same paradise can be treacherous for ships coming in and out of the Golden Gate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s why all ships over 750 gross tons — about 150 feet or longer — are required to use a special mariner who knows the local conditions when they enter or exit the bay. Known as bar pilots, these local guides board vessels about 11 miles west of the Golden Gate Bridge, take charge of the ship and guide it safely under the bridges and through the bay to its anchorage spot or port berth. They also help move vessels within the bay, like from anchorage to port, for example.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Erik Udd often sees the bar pilot speedboat depart from Pier 9, where the bar pilots are headquartered, as he cycles his pedicab along the Embarcadero.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’ve seen the boats, and I’ve seen them heading out towards the Golden Gate, but I never thought about the process,” Udd said. So he asked Bay Curious: “What do they do? How does it work? Do they get hazard pay when they’re out there in a storm?”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How the bar pilots came to be\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>There are a lot of reasons San Francisco Bay is a tricky port to enter. First, there’s a large sandbar outside the mouth of the Golden Gate with only a narrow channel through it that’s deep enough for ships to navigate. Then there’s the weather — dense fog, strong winds and winter storms. Lastly, the currents can be deadly and pull ships off course.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For all these reasons, many Gold Rush-era ships foundered and sank on their way into the bay. And sunken ships are bad for the flow of commerce. They create additional maritime hazards and gum up the works.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089870\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12089870 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-22-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-22-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-22-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-22-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A pilot boat operator navigates a pilot boat in the San Francisco Bay. The pilots guide large ships along California’s coast to ports in San Francisco Bay and beyond. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089871\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089871\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-28-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-28-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-28-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-28-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ships sit at anchor in the San Francisco Bay in areas known as ‘anchor buckets,’ where commercial vessels can remain for extended periods. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The San Francisco Bar Pilots have been around a long time,” said Anne McIntyre, business director for the San Francisco Bar Pilots. “We were founded in 1850. The first thing the California legislature did was pass the Pilotage Act, and that’s what founded the San Francisco Bar Pilots.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Evidence of this long history lines the walls of bar pilot headquarters at Pier 9. The first ships they served were sailing ships, but soon steam-powered vessels came on the scene, and eventually, diesel engines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089869\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089869\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-01-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-01-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-01-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-01-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Capt. Cevan LeSieur points to historic photos of early bar pilot boats at the San Francisco Bar Pilots headquarters in San Francisco. The San Francisco Bar Pilot Association was founded in 1850 and is one of the oldest maritime organizations on the Pacific Coast. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In the early days, “the pilot would get on a little dinghy, and they’d row to the side of the ship, and then climb up the ladder,” said Captain Cevan Lesieur, a bar pilot with more than 10 years of experience.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He has piloted hundreds of ships through the bay’s waters and shook his head at the idea of one man braving the fog and wind alone in a boat powered only by his own strength.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You know when I look at the type of weather and conditions we deal with, these people were just tougher than we are nowadays,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What’s it like being a bar pilot today?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>That’s not to say being a bar pilot today is easy. They have to navigate many types of waterways – including through the open ocean, up and down the Stockton and Sacramento rivers, under several bridges and through a congested central bay. They also pilot all kinds of vessels from massive cargo ships to cruise ships, tankers to bulkers, yachts to car ships.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The most harrowing part of a bar pilot’s job is open water boarding. Here’s how it works: when a ship approaches San Francisco from the open ocean, it meets up with a station boat that’s always waiting 11 miles west of the Golden Gate Bridge. The crew on that boat rotates weekly, but the bar pilots work 365 days a year in all weather conditions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089866\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089866\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-34-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-34-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-34-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-34-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Capt. Cevan LeSieur (left) prepares to board the Pasha Hawaii ship George III at the Port of Oakland. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089879\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089879\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-Diptych4-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"847\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-Diptych4-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-Diptych4-2000x662.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-Diptych4-160x53.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-Diptych4-1536x508.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-Diptych4-2048x678.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Left: A bar pilot boat pulls up next to the Pasha Hawaii ship George III at the Port of Oakland. Right: Capt. Cevan LeSieur boards the Pasha Hawaii ship George III. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As the ship approaches, it slows down to 9 knots — about 12 miles per hour — and the pilot boat comes alongside at the same speed. Then, timing the jump carefully, the bar pilot leaps across and grabs onto a ladder hanging on the side of the ship.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They are not tied into anything when they make this jump. When a ship leaves for sea, this process is reversed, with the bar pilot jumping from the ladder to the moving deck of the pilot boat.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“Getting on can be tricky, and people have gone in the water,” said John Carlier, the president of the bar pilots association and a man with more than 30 years on the job. “But getting off and trying to get that small landing area on that deck while that boat’s surfing past you can be a bit sketchy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If a pilot does go in the water, he’s wearing a “float coat,” which turns into a lifejacket when it hits the water, complete with lights and a safety whistle. Pilots make the jump in all kinds of weather conditions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If it’s not safe, you don’t do it, but a lot of people would look at the conditions and not think it’s safe, but we have our own definition of it,” Lesieur said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He estimated that it’s only about once a year that the weather is so bad that the pilot can’t make the jump. If that happens, the pilot has to stay on the ship until the next port of call and then fly home, and no one wants that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our question asker, Erik Udd, was interested in knowing if bar pilots receive hazard pay during bad weather, and the answer is no. But they are paid well — in the mid-six figures on average. They are paid by the shipping companies that use their services. There’s a \u003ca href=\"https://sfbarpilots.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Pilotage-Rates.pdf\">rate structure\u003c/a> based on the tonnage of the ship.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Becoming a bar pilot\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>To become a bar pilot, a person must be a mid-career captain with decades of experience already. There’s a written test and a simulator test. Based on those scores, candidates are ranked on a list from which the bar pilots pull when apprenticeships open up. Once in the training program, most people spend close to two years shadowing more experienced pilots and learning all the different routes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The area starts with the Gulf of the Farallones, works its way through the main bay, down the Redwood City, and all the way up to Stockton and Sacramento,” Carlier said. “There’s eight different sections. You’re going to do in the neighborhood of at least 600 jobs under the tutelage of existing pilots.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089872\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089872\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-57-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-57-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-57-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-57-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bar pilot Capt. Cevan LeSieur stands on the bridge of the Pasha Hawaii ship George III while docked at the Port of Oakland. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>They also have to learn by heart over 670 aids to navigation — the lights and buoys — as well as the depth charts for the entire 5,000-square-mile area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the expertise and local knowledge of the bar pilots, there have been instances when they made mistakes with devastating consequences. In 2007, a ship with a bar pilot in charge \u003ca href=\"https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/remembering-cosco-busan-overview-2007-oil-spill\">clipped one of the Bay Bridge towers\u003c/a> and 58,000 gallons of fuel oil spilled into the bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There were some communication problems between the pilot and the crew as to where the center of the bridge was on their electronic [navigation] equipment, which definitely added to the sideswiping of the Delta Tower of the Bay Bridge,” Carlier said. “We actually bring our own electronic navigation equipment with us on board now. We also bring our GPS antennas.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Bar pilots at work\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The container ships that dock at the Port of Oakland to load and unload cargo are massive. The largest ones are as long as the Salesforce Tower is tall, but even more modestly sized ones are huge. The bar pilots have had to adapt as the ships have gotten bigger.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.pashahawaii.com/services/vessels/george-iii\">George III is a container ship\u003c/a> operated by Pasha Hawaii that brings supplies to the Hawaiian Islands. It runs the same route every two weeks, leaving Honolulu mostly empty save for a few commodities like macadamia nuts and rum, stops in Oakland to take on cargo and then heads down to Long Beach for more, before returning to Hawaii.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089946\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089946\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GraphBarPilots.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1079\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GraphBarPilots.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GraphBarPilots-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GraphBarPilots-1536x1036.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Many of the ships operating in the bay are as long as a skyscraper is tall. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of the San Francisco Bar Pilots)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The state of Hawaii has about three to five days of food availability if shipping stopped,” said Ed Washburn, senior vice president of fleet operations. “So it’s very sensitive.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The crew of the ship signs on for long stints, 10 to 14 weeks, but then gets just as much time off on land. When they’re on board, they work as a team to keep ship operations running smoothly, the loads balanced, and the engines purring.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>George III is a unique vessel because it runs on both diesel fuel and \u003ca href=\"https://www.pashahawaii.com/news-media/news/571/pasha-hawaii-marks-historic-milestone-mv-george-iii-first-lng-powered\">natural gas\u003c/a>, making it a cleaner vessel, but also one with more specific engineering needs. The crew eats, sleeps and works in shifts, building a strong sense of camaraderie.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089873\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089873\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-60-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-60-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-60-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-60-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A crew member on the Pasha Hawaii ship George III works on the bridge while docked at the Port of Oakland. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089878\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089878\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-Diptych03-BL-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"846\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-Diptych03-BL-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-Diptych03-BL-2000x661.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-Diptych03-BL-160x53.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-Diptych03-BL-1536x507.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-Diptych03-BL-2048x676.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Left: Mark Bancroft, a second assistant engineer, works in the engine room of the Pasha Hawaii ship George III while docked at the Port of Oakland. Right: Crew members eat dinner on the George III before departing the Port of Oakland. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>When it’s time to push off for sea, the bar pilot boards the ship and heads towards the ship’s bridge, at the top of the vessel. From there, he checks in with the captain, makes sure the equipment has all been tested and communicates with tugboats.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s kinda anticlimactic when you have 90-ton boats and no wind,” said Christian Barron, the bar pilot on duty as George III slowly inched away from the dock. “We’ll start casting off tugs once we get about half a mile from here and start bringing her up to speed.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089875\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089875\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-83-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-83-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-83-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-83-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">San Francisco bar pilot Christian Barron works on the Pasha Hawaii ship George III before departing the Port of Oakland. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089874\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089874\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-72-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-72-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-72-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-72-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A bar pilot boat is docked at the Port of Oakland. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089876\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089876\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-101-BL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-101-BL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-101-BL-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260114-BarPilots-101-BL-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Views of the San Francisco skyline from a bar pilot boat. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Once the ship was safely out of San Francisco Bay, Christian climbed down the ladder and jumped onto the station boat, where he waited for the next ship needing his services to arrive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the bar pilots are doing their jobs well, we landlubbers might not even know they exist. We only see the stocked grocery shelves, fuel at the gas pump and cruise ships awaiting passengers at the pier. But to make all of that happen, a bar pilot is working day or night, rain or shine, fog or no, to bring ships safely to port.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Viewthefullepisodetranscript\">\u003c/a>Episode transcript\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> If you ask mariners, they’ll tell you, navigating a boat from the open ocean into the San Francisco Bay is notoriously treacherous.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s the dense fog that can make it hard to see. Strong currents constantly rearrange the sea floor, and can quickly throw a vessel off course. And finally – our bridges! If a boat were to strike a pillar it could be\u003cem> catastrophic. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s why captains of big ships aren’t allowed to navigate into port on their own. A specially trained mariner called a \u003cem>bar pilot\u003c/em> – hops aboard every ship that comes into San Francisco Bay, and takes over command.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We got a question about those bar pilots, so we sent Bay Curious editor and producer Katrina Schwartz to the Embarcadero to meet the man who asked it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Erik Udd said he’d meet me at the Embarcadero BART station. When I emerged on the escalator he was waiting for me, sitting at the helm of a pedicab.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Erik Udd: \u003c/strong>It’s a great retirement job, I get exercise, it is perfect for me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>While we talk, he’s giving me a ride in his pedicab over to Pier 9…near the Exploratorium…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Erik Udd: \u003c/strong>Oh, there goes a boat right now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>While Erik pedals along the Embarcadero, he often notices the orange and white boats with the word “PILOT” painted on the side in giant, all caps letters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Erik Udd: \u003c/strong>I’ve seen the boats and I’ve seen them heading out towards the golden gate, but I never thought about the process. What do they do? How does it work?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Erik wants to know everything about the bar pilots. Like, how does the pilot get onto one of those big container ships?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Erik Udd: \u003c/strong>How big of a boat needs a pilot to come into the bay?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>What kind of training do the pilots go through?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Erik Udd: \u003c/strong>Has anyone ever gone in the water? I’m sure someone has gone in the water. Maybe a better question is how many times?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>What happens when there’s a storm?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Erik Udd: \u003c/strong>Do they get hazard pay when they’re out there in a storm?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>After all, some of the ships coming into the bay are truly massive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Erik Udd: \u003c/strong>It’s like a building is moving along across the water. Those things are huge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>It’s quite a lot of questions, but I’m up to the task. Erik drops me off at Pier 9, where the Bar Pilots are headquartered. It’s the last office out at the end of the pier and sits behind a chain link fence. But once I’m inside, it looks like a fairly typical office building except the views of the bay are stunning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cevan Lesieur: \u003c/strong>Anne’s office has the best views in the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Captains Cevan Lesieur and Anne McIntyre are showing me around.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cevan has been a pilot here for 12 years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cevan Lesieur: \u003c/strong>This is the best and most interesting waterway to work on from my experience and most challenging. So I always said if I was gonna become a pilot, it’d be in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Challenging because of the currents, the weather, the varied types of waterways and a congested central bay. Bar pilots can be called upon to move cruise ships, oil tankers, cargo ships, even really big yachts. And they have to be able to skillfully maneuver each type of vessel through narrowly dredged channels up the Sacramento and Stockton rivers and around smaller vessels.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anne McIntyre: \u003c/strong>We service all nine Bay Area ports. So we take ships all the way up to West Sacramento, to Stockton, down to Redwood City, even down to Monterey.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Here’s how it works.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Every ship over about 150 feet is required by law to use a bar pilot to enter and exit the bay, as well as to move from anchor to port within the bay. The pilots serve about 75-hundred vessels a year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The most dramatic moment for a bar pilot happens out in the open ocean beyond the Golden Gate Bridge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cevan Lesieur: \u003c/strong>We have what we call our station boat or ocean boats. And one is off shore at all times, about 11 miles west of the Golden Gate Bridge. And so we have crews out there that rotate every week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>When a large vessel is heading into San Francisco Bay, it meets up with the bar pilot boat out on the ocean and the bar pilot leaps from one to the other — you heard that right — and they are not tied into anything when they do it. Then they climb up a ladder on the outside of the ship.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cevan Lesieur: \u003c/strong>Timing is critical, and especially the worse the weather, the more important timing is.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>The ships are side-by-side going about 12-miles per hour when the pilot makes his jump. Cevan says there are some weather conditions that make the transfer too dangerous, but it doesn’t happen often…maybe once a year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cevan Lesieur: \u003c/strong>If it’s not safe you don’t do it, but a lot of people would look at the conditions and not think it’s safe, but we have our own definition of it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Once the pilot is on board, he or she communicates with the captain and crew to bring the vessel safely under the Golden Gate Bridge, through the Bay and to its anchorage spot or port berth. The same happens in reverse, except the pilot has to jump off the ladder and onto the pilot boat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Every bar pilot I talked to had a harrowing story about open water boarding, but Cevan’s is the funniest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cevan Lesieur: \u003c/strong>I was boarding a car ship and the conditions were really bad and the ship and the pilot boat were going up and down and up and down. The wind was so bad, I took like 3 attempts. Finally we came alongside and I was on the platform and I jumped and landed on the deck and was laying there. And the mate looked down, and said you’re f**ing crazy!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Over their long history, pilots \u003cem>have\u003c/em> died and many have gone in the water, but it’s not common.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cevan Lesieur: \u003c/strong>In the modern era, we have not lost a pilot here. And the last time a pilot went into the water has been several years ago.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>If a pilot does miss the jump, he’s wearing a “float coat” that becomes a life jacket when he hits the water, complete with lights and whistles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And to answer our question asker, no, they don’t get hazard pay. But they are paid well… on average about 500,000 a year — all of that paid by the companies operating the boats they serve.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> We’re going to take a quick break, but when we come back we’ll learn how the bar pilots came to be and Katrina gets to shadow a pilot on a real job. Will she make the jump? All that coming up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sponsor message\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>We were on a tour of bar pilot headquarters at Pier 9. Bay Curious editor and producer Katrina Schwartz found the halls are lined with evidence of the organization’s very \u003cstrong>long\u003c/strong> history.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Captains Cevan Lesieur and Anne McIntyre are showing me cool photos and artifacts from bar pilot history.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anne McIntyre: \u003c/strong>We have to stop at this one here. This is the original charter from the first California legislative session.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Anne points to an old looking document on the wall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anne McIntyre: \u003c/strong>The San Francisco Bar Pilots have been around a long time. We were founded in 1850. We’re the second oldest business in San Francisco behind Boudin Bread.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>The bar pilots are as old as the state of California. Even back in 1850, state legislators understood the future of San Francisco — California even — depended on the safe flow of ships in and out of the Bay. We couldn’t have all these shipwrecks gumming up the works.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Anne McIntyre: \u003c/strong>We were the first act of the first California Legislature. So the first thing the California legislature did was pass the pilotage act happened and that’s what founded the San Francisco Bar Pilots.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Back then, the ships coming to San Francisco were mostly sailing vessels. By the end of the century coal-fired steam engines would come on the scene and later diesel engines. Each era required something different from the bar pilots, Cevan tells me. Boarding sailing ships might have been the most physically demanding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cevan Lesieur: \u003c/strong>The pilot would get on a little dinghy, and they’d row to the side of the ship, and then you’d climb up the ladder.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>He shakes his head at the idea of rowing a dingy through dense fog and huge wake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cevan Lesieur: \u003c/strong>You know when I look at the type of weather and conditions we deal with…These people were just tougher than we are nowadays. \u003cem>(Laughs, fade under)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>To become a bar pilot, you have to be a mid-career captain with many years of experience. There’s a written test and a simulator test. Candidates are ranked based on their scores and are then eligible for an apprenticeship with the bar pilots.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>John Carlier: \u003c/strong>You’re going to probably do in the neighborhood of at least 600 jobs under the tutelage of existing pilots.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>John Carlier is the President of the Bar Pilots Association. He says there are eight sections in the Bay, each with their own challenges, and the pilots have to learn all of them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>John Carlier: \u003c/strong>And the area starts with the Gulf of the Farallones, works its way through the main bay, down the Redwood City, and all the way up to Stockton and Sacramento.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Piloting up the rivers here can be especially challenging. The ships are within two feet of the bottom in narrow channels with little room for error. And it takes a long time, about 9 hours from the open ocean to Stockton or Sacramento, so they usually change bar pilots half way to avoid fatigue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite all this training, there have been incidents when ships captained by bar pilots have run into trouble in the Bay. Like in 2007 when an oil tanker clipped one of the Bay Bridge towers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>John Carlier: \u003c/strong>Yes, that was a bar pilot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>News clip: \u003c/strong>A 900 foot container ship hit the Bay Bridge tower east of the main anchorage. 58,000 gallons of fuel oil. Countless fragile ecosystems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>John Carlier: \u003c/strong>There was some communication problems between the pilot and the crew as to where the center of the bridge was on their electronic nav equipment which definitely added to you know the the sideswiping of the Delta Tower of the Bay Bridge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Because of that incident, the bar pilots now bring their own GPS navigational equipment on board with them so they don’t have to rely on the vessel’s equipment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’m going to get to see that in action soon, so we start heading towards a boat with the word “pilot” boldly written on its side tied up out back. We clamor aboard. It looks like a fancy speedboat, and head towards Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Pilot: \u003c/strong>Where do you want to head to?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cevan Lesieur: \u003c/strong>Port of Oakland, George III\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>It takes about 20 minutes to cross the bay and soon our small boat is pulling up alongside a massive containership. This boat is considered “small” by shipping standards and it’s still as tall as a 15 story building from the water up to the top. I now have to step from the bobbing deck of the pilot boat onto a rope ladder dangling from the first deck.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sounds of ladder clanking against the ship\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>I had hoped to do the open ocean leap I’d heard so much about. Climbing about 15 feet up this ladder felt pretty tame by comparison. The water in the Oakland estuary was very calm, kinda the training wheels version of this climb. No heroics for me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This ship, George the III, brings supplies to the Hawaiian Islands.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ed Washburn: \u003c/strong>Everything from medicine to groceries to fertilizer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Ed Washburn is senior vice president of fleet operations with Pasha, Hawaii, the company that owns this vessel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This ship runs the same two-week route on repeat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ed Washburn: \u003c/strong>The state of Hawaii has about three to five days of food availability, of shipping stopped. So it’s very sensitive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>It leaves Honolulu mostly empty, carrying a few commodities like rum and macadamia nuts to the mainland. Then it stops in Oakland to pick up cargo, down to Long Beach for more and back to Honolulu.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ed Washburn: \u003c/strong>The value of that is about $50 million in cargo each time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ok, should we go up to the bridge?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>The bridge is at the top of the ship and it’s where the bar pilot does their work. We walk up A LOT of steps to get there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>(sounds of steps under this)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>From up here we have incredible views of the sun setting over the bay and the internal workings of the port.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cevan Lesieur: \u003c/strong>This is Christian Barron. He’s also a Cal Maritime graduate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Today, Christian Barron is the bar pilot in charge. But Cevan is hanging out with me, explaining what’s happening so I don’t bug Christian at crucial moments, like when he’s checking in with the captain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cevan Lesieur: \u003c/strong>Once the tugs have been made fast and the engine’s been tested we can get rolling.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Captain Eric Veloni: \u003c/strong>The engine has been tested.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>These massive ships are hard to maneuver, so pilots use tugboats to pull the ship off the dock.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Radio sounds: \u003c/strong>Captain, this is the chief engineer. Show of power. Cables secured.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Captain Eric Veloni: \u003c/strong>Roger, Dave.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Christian checks in with Vessel Traffic Services, basically air traffic control for boats, to let them know his plan and find out if there are other vessels in the shipping lanes he needs to be aware of.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Christian Barron: \u003c/strong>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Traffic, good evening, 4-5. Preparing to depart Oakland 55 starboard side two bound for sea. Deep draft 32 feet two inches. Tend to Delta-Echo span and deep water traffic lane Working my tugs on 20 Alpha.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>VTS Operator:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Roger, copy that, 4-5. George the third preparing to get underway from Oakland…\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Nothing to worry about. There’s a fair amount of waiting as the crew gets in position and the port workers untie the boat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Christian Barron: \u003c/strong>All clear forward\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>And then we get going.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Christian Barron:\u003c/strong> All clear fore and aft, stand clear of your tuglines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Artemis and Apollo are the names of the tugboats.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Christian Barron: \u003c/strong>Ok, ready to go. Artemis stop and stretch. Apollo stop and stretch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>As Christian gives orders, the massive container ship starts to slowly move away from the dock.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Christian Barron: \u003c/strong>It’s kinda anticlimactic when you have 90 ton boats and no wind.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Once the tugboats are secured and ready to go, the whole procedure only takes about ten minutes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz (in scene): \u003c/strong>It is a little anticlimactic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Captain Eric Veloni: \u003c/strong>We love boring when it comes to this.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz (in scene):\u003c/strong> I didn’t even realize we were moving at first.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Port sounds\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz (in scene): \u003c/strong>You pushed off, what’s the next thing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Christian Barron: \u003c/strong>I’ll give a command for dead slow ahead. We’ll confirm the engines come up to rpm and then we’ll put the tugs in position so they can follow along so they’re not impeding us, but can still affect the boat if we have an engine or steering failure they can still maneuver the vessel if need be.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Then he’ll check in with traffic again to let them know he’s underway and get any updates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Christian Barron: \u003c/strong>And then we’ll start casting off tugs once we get about half a mile from here and start bringing her up to speed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz (in scene): \u003c/strong>Anything you’re particularly concerned about tonight?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Christian Barron: \u003c/strong>Tonight, no. We have a little bit of current at the bar, so I just need to make sure I time my turns correctly, use enough rudder, engine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Unfortunately, the bar pilots were not keen on me following Christian all the way out into the open ocean to disembark at 9 knots onto the pilot boat. Instead, we’ll be going back down the ladder in the Oakland estuary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>Thanks, nice to meet you all. Safe voyage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Captain Eric Veloni: \u003c/strong>Be safe on the ladder!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>We tramp down many flights of stairs, back to the lowest deck and our ladder.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>It should be easier going down, right.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sounds of clanking\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Pilot boat crew: \u003c/strong>You’re two from the bottom…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Katrina Schwartz: \u003c/strong>As we head back towards the Ferry Building, the sun’s last glow seeping from the sky, I’m struck by the vastness of the Bay as the darkness encroaches.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’m heading home to my warm bed. But a crew of bar pilots is waiting 11 miles offshore rain or shine. At their best, their work is invisible to us. We only notice the stocked shelves, cruise ships at their berths and fuel at the gas station. Our entire city works because they do. Guiding ship after ship through the fog and to safety.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sound of the pilot boat motoring back to the Embarcadero\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>That was Bay Curious editor and producer, Katrina Schwartz.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thanks to the KQED Members whose support made this episode possible! If you’d like to become a member, visit donate.kqed.org/podcasts to get started. It only takes a minute and comes with some nice perks. We’ll drop the link in our show notes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale and me, Olivia Allen-Price. With extra support from Maha Sanad, Katie Sprenger, Jen Chien, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco Northern California Local.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’m Olivia Allen-Price. Have a great week!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "el-nino-could-bring-disruptive-coastal-flooding-to-bay-area-this-winter",
"title": "El Niño Could Bring ‘Disruptive Coastal Flooding’ to Bay Area This Winter",
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"content": "\u003cp>Pacifica’s pier \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001267/you-cant-beat-mother-nature-destroyed-cafe-gives-pacifica-look-at-climate-changed-future\">cracked\u003c/a>. Parts of Marin County are underwater this week, thanks to the Bay Area’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087558/san-francisco-and-marin-face-flooding-amid-highest-summer-tide-on-record\">highest-ever summer tides\u003c/a>. And climate scientists expect coastal flooding to get worse this fall and winter, because of the potentially ‘Super’ \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087122/el-nino-is-here-heres-what-it-could-mean-for-the-bay-area-this-winter\">El Niño\u003c/a> brewing thousands of miles away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Federal scientists are now sure El Niño will affect global weather patterns this year. And Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, said on \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/live/blLHZdhqZ1o\">Tuesday\u003c/a> there’s a 90% confidence level that a record-breaking El Niño event will occur, which could intensify storms, heat up \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001047/scientists-worry-el-nino-could-supercharge-marine-heat-wave-roiling-coastal-california\">ocean water\u003c/a> off the California coast and temporarily raise sea levels. Swain said a wetter-than-normal winter is not guaranteed, but San Francisco Bay levels are “almost guaranteed” to be higher.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That’s going to be a big concern this year, and it’s only going to grow as this El Niño event intensifies,” Swain said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>El Niño forms when tropical trade winds weaken or reverse, allowing warm ocean water near Asia to move toward the Pacific Coast. This process heats the eastern Pacific Ocean and can alter the jet stream. As a result, it can lead to a stormier winter in California. It can also disrupt the ocean’s upwelling — a natural process that drives cool, nutrient-rich water to the surface — raising local ocean temperatures and affecting marine life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Pacific Ocean has risen by about 8 inches since the 1880s. State scientists project an additional rise of over a foot by 2050, and in worst-case scenarios, 6 feet or more by the end of the century.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“El Niño is going to temporarily elevate that baseline even further,” Swain said. “There’s significant potential that the combination of accumulated global warming plus a very strong to maybe even historic El Niño event in its own right could cause big problems.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12087664\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12087664\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061526Flooding_GH_003-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061526Flooding_GH_003-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061526Flooding_GH_003-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061526Flooding_GH_003-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A home along Golden Hind Passage is raised above its foundation in Corte Madera on June 15, 2026. Some homeowners are elevating structures as part of long-term efforts to adapt to recurring tidal flooding. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Swain said El Niño could temporarily raise sea levels on average by “6 inches to 2 feet in elevation for the rest of the year.” Storms and onshore winds can also raise sea levels by a foot or two.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though that increase may not seem like a lot, combined, Swain said they could add up to a “net increase in sea level during the largest coastal flood events that’s comparable to mid-chest height on the average person.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This level of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12069118/for-marin-county-last-weekends-floods-were-a-wake-up-call\">inundation\u003c/a> could pose a major risk when natural high tides and storms occur in tandem. Swain said \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2000377/for-this-bay-area-island-city-water-is-coming-from-all-sides\">elevated sea levels\u003c/a> will be a big deal for places that routinely flood across Northern California, including coastal cities like \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087577/after-pacifica-pier-damage-bay-area-leaders-urge-trump-to-restore-aid\">Pacifica\u003c/a>, San Francisco, Santa Cruz and parts of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1999871/after-king-tides-swamp-marin-san-rafael-weighs-billion-dollar-defenses-against-the-bay\">Marin County\u003c/a> along the bayshore.[aside postID=news_12087122 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/GettyImages-2197490970-scaled-e1759169024848.jpg']“All of a sudden, we kind of get to the point where 2 to 3 plus feet of temporary sea elevation is possible near California later this year during a major storm event and at least a foot or two the rest of the time,” Swain said. “We may see all-time record high water levels during storm events or king tides this year.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He adds that this advance notice should prompt local governments to prepare for the coming waves and high tides, especially agencies that run low-lying highways and communities that flood during extreme high tides and storm events.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re going to have problems,” Swain said. “There is some time to do some mitigation. You have several months at least before the most disruptive coastal flooding is likely to arrive.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Scientists warn the potential super El Niño could push Bay Area tides to record highs from Santa Cruz to Marin.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Pacifica’s pier \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001267/you-cant-beat-mother-nature-destroyed-cafe-gives-pacifica-look-at-climate-changed-future\">cracked\u003c/a>. Parts of Marin County are underwater this week, thanks to the Bay Area’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087558/san-francisco-and-marin-face-flooding-amid-highest-summer-tide-on-record\">highest-ever summer tides\u003c/a>. And climate scientists expect coastal flooding to get worse this fall and winter, because of the potentially ‘Super’ \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087122/el-nino-is-here-heres-what-it-could-mean-for-the-bay-area-this-winter\">El Niño\u003c/a> brewing thousands of miles away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Federal scientists are now sure El Niño will affect global weather patterns this year. And Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, said on \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/live/blLHZdhqZ1o\">Tuesday\u003c/a> there’s a 90% confidence level that a record-breaking El Niño event will occur, which could intensify storms, heat up \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001047/scientists-worry-el-nino-could-supercharge-marine-heat-wave-roiling-coastal-california\">ocean water\u003c/a> off the California coast and temporarily raise sea levels. Swain said a wetter-than-normal winter is not guaranteed, but San Francisco Bay levels are “almost guaranteed” to be higher.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That’s going to be a big concern this year, and it’s only going to grow as this El Niño event intensifies,” Swain said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>El Niño forms when tropical trade winds weaken or reverse, allowing warm ocean water near Asia to move toward the Pacific Coast. This process heats the eastern Pacific Ocean and can alter the jet stream. As a result, it can lead to a stormier winter in California. It can also disrupt the ocean’s upwelling — a natural process that drives cool, nutrient-rich water to the surface — raising local ocean temperatures and affecting marine life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Pacific Ocean has risen by about 8 inches since the 1880s. State scientists project an additional rise of over a foot by 2050, and in worst-case scenarios, 6 feet or more by the end of the century.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“El Niño is going to temporarily elevate that baseline even further,” Swain said. “There’s significant potential that the combination of accumulated global warming plus a very strong to maybe even historic El Niño event in its own right could cause big problems.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12087664\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12087664\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061526Flooding_GH_003-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061526Flooding_GH_003-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061526Flooding_GH_003-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061526Flooding_GH_003-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A home along Golden Hind Passage is raised above its foundation in Corte Madera on June 15, 2026. Some homeowners are elevating structures as part of long-term efforts to adapt to recurring tidal flooding. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Swain said El Niño could temporarily raise sea levels on average by “6 inches to 2 feet in elevation for the rest of the year.” Storms and onshore winds can also raise sea levels by a foot or two.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though that increase may not seem like a lot, combined, Swain said they could add up to a “net increase in sea level during the largest coastal flood events that’s comparable to mid-chest height on the average person.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This level of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12069118/for-marin-county-last-weekends-floods-were-a-wake-up-call\">inundation\u003c/a> could pose a major risk when natural high tides and storms occur in tandem. Swain said \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2000377/for-this-bay-area-island-city-water-is-coming-from-all-sides\">elevated sea levels\u003c/a> will be a big deal for places that routinely flood across Northern California, including coastal cities like \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087577/after-pacifica-pier-damage-bay-area-leaders-urge-trump-to-restore-aid\">Pacifica\u003c/a>, San Francisco, Santa Cruz and parts of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1999871/after-king-tides-swamp-marin-san-rafael-weighs-billion-dollar-defenses-against-the-bay\">Marin County\u003c/a> along the bayshore.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“All of a sudden, we kind of get to the point where 2 to 3 plus feet of temporary sea elevation is possible near California later this year during a major storm event and at least a foot or two the rest of the time,” Swain said. “We may see all-time record high water levels during storm events or king tides this year.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He adds that this advance notice should prompt local governments to prepare for the coming waves and high tides, especially agencies that run low-lying highways and communities that flood during extreme high tides and storm events.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re going to have problems,” Swain said. “There is some time to do some mitigation. You have several months at least before the most disruptive coastal flooding is likely to arrive.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "bay-area-faces-a-weather-quadfecta-heat-fire-risk-flooding-and-powerful-waves",
"title": "Bay Area Faces a Weather ‘Quadfecta’: Heat, Fire Risk, Flooding and Powerful Waves",
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"headTitle": "Bay Area Faces a Weather ‘Quadfecta’: Heat, Fire Risk, Flooding and Powerful Waves | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">Bay Area \u003c/a>is about to experience a quadfecta of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001255/bay-area-warm-up-could-bring-100-degree-heat-and-high-wildfire-risk\">hot weather\u003c/a> and climate effects this week — high temperatures, fire danger, sneaker waves and high tides.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As a ridge of higher pressure builds over the region, Bay Area National Weather Service meteorologists forecast high heat to peak on Thursday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Thursday is going to be the hottest day and almost 15 to 25 degrees above normal for this time of year,” said Lamont Bain, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Bay Area office. “It’s going to certainly be pretty warm to downright hot for some people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, temperatures will range from the 80s to 90s in inland areas, with the warmest spots reaching the triple digits, including Concord, Napa and Sonoma. Forecasters expect the ridge to keep the marine layer at bay overnight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By Thursday, meteorologists forecast temperatures to soar into the 90s or low 100s in inland valleys, including Santa Rosa and San José. The warmest spots — in rural Contra Costa County — could reach around 105 degrees. Temperatures across the Bay will range from the 80s to mid-90s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12087080\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2500px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12087080\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-RISKYWX00193_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2500\" height=\"1667\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-RISKYWX00193_TV-KQED.jpg 2500w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-RISKYWX00193_TV-KQED-2000x1334.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-RISKYWX00193_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-RISKYWX00193_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-RISKYWX00193_TV-KQED-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">People sunbathe at Ocean Beach in San Francisco on June 10, 2026. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Forecasters have also issued a heat advisory from noon to 11 p.m. Thursday for the North Bay, the Sonoma coastal range, the East Bay, the Santa Clara Valley and the San Francisco Bay shoreline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The current forecast shows a slight cooling trend on Friday, though forecasters said they’ll continue to look out for “heat headlines,” particularly inland in the East Bay. Because of the short duration, Bain said forecasters aren’t calling it a heat wave.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As of now, this week’s warmth is not going to be like the heat events that we had earlier this year, where we had multiple days of warmth; this will be maybe two days at most,” Bain said.[aside postID=science_2001267 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-10-BL-KQED.jpg']As for how long the heat will last, Bain said the marine layer could return by Sunday, pushing away the high pressure that is causing the heat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, the “combination of the hot, dry, and windy conditions” has led the weather service to issue a red flag warning for the North and East Bay interior and mountain areas from 11 p.m. Wednesday through 9 a.m. Thursday. Fire weather conditions may also be prevalent in mountain areas in Santa Clara County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Overnight, forecasters said to expect strong north-to-northeast winds of up to 45 mph in mountain areas; gusts of 60 mph or higher are possible at the highest elevations. The winds will help lower relative humidity, and “result in critical fire weather conditions where any fires that start could take hold and spread rapidly,” forecasters wrote in their daily \u003ca href=\"https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=mtr&issuedby=MTR&product=AFD\">forecast discussion\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The weather service also expects normal high astronomical tides with about a half a foot of surge. This will likely result in minor flooding in low-lying parts of the Bay Area on Wednesday evening. The hardest-hit areas could be in the North Bay, particularly \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12069118/for-marin-county-last-weekends-floods-were-a-wake-up-call\">Marin County\u003c/a>. Forecasters expect the high tides to expand across the rest of the Bay Area on Thursday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As a result, the weather service issued coastal flood advisories starting at 6 p.m. Wednesday for the North Bay, and at 7 p.m. Thursday for the rest of the San Francisco Bayshore.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Forecasters expect the San Francisco tidal gauge to read around 7 inches above normal at around 8 p.m. Wednesday, 1.2 feet above normal around 9 p.m. Thursday, and 1.5 feet above normal around 9:30 p.m. on Friday. Coastal flood advisories will likely remain in effect into the weekend as high tides persist.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12087086\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2500px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12087086\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-RISKYWX00895_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2500\" height=\"1667\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-RISKYWX00895_TV-KQED.jpg 2500w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-RISKYWX00895_TV-KQED-2000x1334.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-RISKYWX00895_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-RISKYWX00895_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-RISKYWX00895_TV-KQED-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bently Ha (left) and Michael Matey (right) practice boxing at Ocean Beach in San Francisco on June 10, 2026. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>And finally, meteorologists expect an increased risk of potentially dangerous sneaker waves and rip currents along southwest-facing beaches on the Pacific Coast this week. As a result, NWS has issued a beach hazards statement for the coast along the North Bay as well as San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties through 5 a.m. Thursday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sneaker waves can run up the beach farther than smaller waves and catch beachgoers by surprise and sweep them out into the water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People should care because, as the name implies, sneaker waves happen very suddenly,” Bain said. “Pay attention because sneaker waves aren’t always huge waves. Be smart and be aware.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">Bay Area \u003c/a>is about to experience a quadfecta of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001255/bay-area-warm-up-could-bring-100-degree-heat-and-high-wildfire-risk\">hot weather\u003c/a> and climate effects this week — high temperatures, fire danger, sneaker waves and high tides.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As a ridge of higher pressure builds over the region, Bay Area National Weather Service meteorologists forecast high heat to peak on Thursday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Thursday is going to be the hottest day and almost 15 to 25 degrees above normal for this time of year,” said Lamont Bain, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Bay Area office. “It’s going to certainly be pretty warm to downright hot for some people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, temperatures will range from the 80s to 90s in inland areas, with the warmest spots reaching the triple digits, including Concord, Napa and Sonoma. Forecasters expect the ridge to keep the marine layer at bay overnight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By Thursday, meteorologists forecast temperatures to soar into the 90s or low 100s in inland valleys, including Santa Rosa and San José. The warmest spots — in rural Contra Costa County — could reach around 105 degrees. Temperatures across the Bay will range from the 80s to mid-90s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12087080\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2500px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12087080\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-RISKYWX00193_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2500\" height=\"1667\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-RISKYWX00193_TV-KQED.jpg 2500w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-RISKYWX00193_TV-KQED-2000x1334.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-RISKYWX00193_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-RISKYWX00193_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-RISKYWX00193_TV-KQED-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">People sunbathe at Ocean Beach in San Francisco on June 10, 2026. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Forecasters have also issued a heat advisory from noon to 11 p.m. Thursday for the North Bay, the Sonoma coastal range, the East Bay, the Santa Clara Valley and the San Francisco Bay shoreline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The current forecast shows a slight cooling trend on Friday, though forecasters said they’ll continue to look out for “heat headlines,” particularly inland in the East Bay. Because of the short duration, Bain said forecasters aren’t calling it a heat wave.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As of now, this week’s warmth is not going to be like the heat events that we had earlier this year, where we had multiple days of warmth; this will be maybe two days at most,” Bain said.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>As for how long the heat will last, Bain said the marine layer could return by Sunday, pushing away the high pressure that is causing the heat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, the “combination of the hot, dry, and windy conditions” has led the weather service to issue a red flag warning for the North and East Bay interior and mountain areas from 11 p.m. Wednesday through 9 a.m. Thursday. Fire weather conditions may also be prevalent in mountain areas in Santa Clara County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Overnight, forecasters said to expect strong north-to-northeast winds of up to 45 mph in mountain areas; gusts of 60 mph or higher are possible at the highest elevations. The winds will help lower relative humidity, and “result in critical fire weather conditions where any fires that start could take hold and spread rapidly,” forecasters wrote in their daily \u003ca href=\"https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=mtr&issuedby=MTR&product=AFD\">forecast discussion\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The weather service also expects normal high astronomical tides with about a half a foot of surge. This will likely result in minor flooding in low-lying parts of the Bay Area on Wednesday evening. The hardest-hit areas could be in the North Bay, particularly \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12069118/for-marin-county-last-weekends-floods-were-a-wake-up-call\">Marin County\u003c/a>. Forecasters expect the high tides to expand across the rest of the Bay Area on Thursday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As a result, the weather service issued coastal flood advisories starting at 6 p.m. Wednesday for the North Bay, and at 7 p.m. Thursday for the rest of the San Francisco Bayshore.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Forecasters expect the San Francisco tidal gauge to read around 7 inches above normal at around 8 p.m. Wednesday, 1.2 feet above normal around 9 p.m. Thursday, and 1.5 feet above normal around 9:30 p.m. on Friday. Coastal flood advisories will likely remain in effect into the weekend as high tides persist.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12087086\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2500px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12087086\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-RISKYWX00895_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2500\" height=\"1667\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-RISKYWX00895_TV-KQED.jpg 2500w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-RISKYWX00895_TV-KQED-2000x1334.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-RISKYWX00895_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-RISKYWX00895_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-RISKYWX00895_TV-KQED-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bently Ha (left) and Michael Matey (right) practice boxing at Ocean Beach in San Francisco on June 10, 2026. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>And finally, meteorologists expect an increased risk of potentially dangerous sneaker waves and rip currents along southwest-facing beaches on the Pacific Coast this week. As a result, NWS has issued a beach hazards statement for the coast along the North Bay as well as San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties through 5 a.m. Thursday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sneaker waves can run up the beach farther than smaller waves and catch beachgoers by surprise and sweep them out into the water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People should care because, as the name implies, sneaker waves happen very suddenly,” Bain said. “Pay attention because sneaker waves aren’t always huge waves. Be smart and be aware.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "can-new-cameras-save-the-gray-whales-in-the-san-francisco-bay",
"title": "Can New Cameras Save the Gray Whales in the San Francisco Bay?",
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"content": "\u003cp>On a sunny, clear Tuesday, marine scientist Douglas McCauley surveyed the cobalt-blue waters of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco-bay\">San Francisco Bay\u003c/a> from a public ferry headed to Angel Island.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He kept watch for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12044187/another-dead-gray-whale-found-in-bay-area-marking-the-most-in-25-years\">gray whales\u003c/a> breaking the surface of the water to breathe, traveling and hungry, near the boat’s path.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“ Five or 10 years ago, it would be unfathomable,” to be concerned about whales being struck by ships in the San Francisco Bay, said McCauley, the director of the Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory at the University of California, Santa Barbara.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But recently, the ferry’s path has become a feeding “hotspot,” the scientist said — putting the 90,000 lb., migratory mammals directly in harm’s way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is a new thing, to be sharing this [busy] space with whales,“ McCauley continued.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A new AI-powered camera, however, installed on the island’s Point Blunt, seeks to shine a light on the increased whale activity in the Bay, “with so much greater resolution and accuracy” than before.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The camera, produced by Whalespotter, a Massachusetts-based company, searches for heat signatures of warm-blooded mammals — “a whale that’s breathing out in a cold bay,” McCauley said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To the thermal camera’s artificial intelligence, “that red hot heat from a warm whale is what stands out, kind of like a hot needle in a cold haystack.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12084535\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12084535\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/051926SFWHALES_GH_035-KQED-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/051926SFWHALES_GH_035-KQED-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/051926SFWHALES_GH_035-KQED-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/051926SFWHALES_GH_035-KQED-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The WhaleSpotter long-range marine mammal detection system stands at Point Blunt on Angel Island on May 19, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Gray whales make one of the longest migrations of any animal on Earth, from their feeding grounds in the Arctic to lagoons in Baja California, where they have their offspring. Typically, they don’t consume any additional food along the journey, which spans over 12,000 miles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But changes to Arctic sea ice and weather patterns have reduced the whales’ usual food supply, McCauley said. Starvation, habitat loss from climate change, and boat strikes have contributed to reducing the population of the whales to their lowest totals in decades.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While this species of gray whale is not considered endangered, their numbers dropped by half in the last ten years alone, from 26,000 to 13,000.[aside postID=science_2000810 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/P7A0782-scaled-e1754085326224.jpg']Nearly one in five gray whales entering the Bay dies there, often due to vessel collisions, according to a new \u003ca href=\"https://oceanographicmagazine.com/news/one-in-five-gray-whales-entering-san-francisco-bay-die-there/\">study\u003c/a> published by Marin County’s Marine Mammal Center and California Academy of Sciences. McCauley said 21 dead whales surfaced in the Bay last year, and that 40% of them showed signs of being struck by a boat or shipping freighter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“ The process really began last year in the heart of this crisis where everyone said, ‘Okay, we, we need a solution, and we need one fast.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Within two hours from the moment the camera switched on two weeks ago, it had already identified 180 “blows,” or instances of whales coming to the surface of the water to breathe, according to Benioff scientist Rachel Rhodes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though this was likely a small pod lingering in front of the sensor, the researchers took it as a sign they were in the right spot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think I’m a not-half-bad whale watcher,” said McCauley, but “that does a much better job than I do of actually seeing whales.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In order to bring the camera to the Bay Area and share its data with ships that need it, the Benioff lab partnered with over a dozen groups across industry, research and government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12084534\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12084534\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/051926SFWHALES_GH_040-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/051926SFWHALES_GH_040-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/051926SFWHALES_GH_040-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/051926SFWHALES_GH_040-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">From left, Kathi George, director of cetacean conservation biology at The Marine Mammal Center; Shawn Henry, CEO of WhaleSpotter; Gary Reed, director of VTS San Francisco; Rachel Rhodes, project scientist with the Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory; Tyrone Jue, director of the San Francisco Environment Department; Douglas McCauley, director of the Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory; Tom Hall, director of operations and customer experience at San Francisco Bay Ferry; and Rachel Bacal, administrative and outreach coordinator, cut a ribbon at Point Blunt on Angel Island on May 19, 2026, for the newly installed WhaleSpotter marine mammal detection system. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The Marine Mammal Center, which assists Benioff researchers analyze the condition of the whales that die in the Bay was a key partner, as was the Coast Guard, which offered a spot on one of their communications towers for the camera and reports whale sightings from Vessel Traffic Control.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This week, the San Francisco Bay Ferry also switched on its own WhaleSpotter camera, which will operate on the Vallejo line and contribute to WhaleSafe, a free public database run by Benioff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>WhaleSafe updates in real time using both reports from human spotters and WhaleSpotter sensors to give boats advance notice of whale traffic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Shawn Henry, WhaleSpotter’s CEO, said the Angel Island camera is the company’s first stationary sensor of its kind in California — the company set up similar cameras on the East Coast to monitor the endangered North Atlantic right whale.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Time is a major consideration in keeping whales safe from larger ships, Henry said. Freighter ships can’t quickly slow down or change direction, and can strike whales without operators even noticing them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“ We can provide very reliable detection of whales at long range, long enough in order for the largest vessels to take evasive action to avoid whales,” Henry said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once the AI’s sightings are confirmed, the information is immediately shared with WhaleSafe users.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12084528\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12084528\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/051926SFWHALES_GH_021-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/051926SFWHALES_GH_021-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/051926SFWHALES_GH_021-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/051926SFWHALES_GH_021-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A tanker ship approaches the Golden Gate Bridge on May 19, 2026, as a new whale detection system is launched in San Francisco Bay to help prevent ship strikes on gray whales. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Henry said the cost of these cameras is comparable to that of a traditional ship radar.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Speaking at the camera’s ribbon-cutting on Tuesday, McCauley said he hopes to see a “network of sensors” across the Bay to account for “blind spots” in their search to save the whales.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In California, he said, residents are well-versed in climate disruption and crisis, and in helping one another through it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have a whale that is adapting,” he told the crowd. “We’ve extended our definition of neighbor to include this backyard and those whales, and we’re here, in many ways, to help.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>On a sunny, clear Tuesday, marine scientist Douglas McCauley surveyed the cobalt-blue waters of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco-bay\">San Francisco Bay\u003c/a> from a public ferry headed to Angel Island.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He kept watch for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12044187/another-dead-gray-whale-found-in-bay-area-marking-the-most-in-25-years\">gray whales\u003c/a> breaking the surface of the water to breathe, traveling and hungry, near the boat’s path.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“ Five or 10 years ago, it would be unfathomable,” to be concerned about whales being struck by ships in the San Francisco Bay, said McCauley, the director of the Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory at the University of California, Santa Barbara.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But recently, the ferry’s path has become a feeding “hotspot,” the scientist said — putting the 90,000 lb., migratory mammals directly in harm’s way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is a new thing, to be sharing this [busy] space with whales,“ McCauley continued.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A new AI-powered camera, however, installed on the island’s Point Blunt, seeks to shine a light on the increased whale activity in the Bay, “with so much greater resolution and accuracy” than before.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The camera, produced by Whalespotter, a Massachusetts-based company, searches for heat signatures of warm-blooded mammals — “a whale that’s breathing out in a cold bay,” McCauley said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To the thermal camera’s artificial intelligence, “that red hot heat from a warm whale is what stands out, kind of like a hot needle in a cold haystack.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12084535\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12084535\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/051926SFWHALES_GH_035-KQED-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/051926SFWHALES_GH_035-KQED-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/051926SFWHALES_GH_035-KQED-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/051926SFWHALES_GH_035-KQED-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The WhaleSpotter long-range marine mammal detection system stands at Point Blunt on Angel Island on May 19, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Gray whales make one of the longest migrations of any animal on Earth, from their feeding grounds in the Arctic to lagoons in Baja California, where they have their offspring. Typically, they don’t consume any additional food along the journey, which spans over 12,000 miles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But changes to Arctic sea ice and weather patterns have reduced the whales’ usual food supply, McCauley said. Starvation, habitat loss from climate change, and boat strikes have contributed to reducing the population of the whales to their lowest totals in decades.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While this species of gray whale is not considered endangered, their numbers dropped by half in the last ten years alone, from 26,000 to 13,000.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Nearly one in five gray whales entering the Bay dies there, often due to vessel collisions, according to a new \u003ca href=\"https://oceanographicmagazine.com/news/one-in-five-gray-whales-entering-san-francisco-bay-die-there/\">study\u003c/a> published by Marin County’s Marine Mammal Center and California Academy of Sciences. McCauley said 21 dead whales surfaced in the Bay last year, and that 40% of them showed signs of being struck by a boat or shipping freighter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“ The process really began last year in the heart of this crisis where everyone said, ‘Okay, we, we need a solution, and we need one fast.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Within two hours from the moment the camera switched on two weeks ago, it had already identified 180 “blows,” or instances of whales coming to the surface of the water to breathe, according to Benioff scientist Rachel Rhodes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though this was likely a small pod lingering in front of the sensor, the researchers took it as a sign they were in the right spot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think I’m a not-half-bad whale watcher,” said McCauley, but “that does a much better job than I do of actually seeing whales.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In order to bring the camera to the Bay Area and share its data with ships that need it, the Benioff lab partnered with over a dozen groups across industry, research and government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12084534\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12084534\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/051926SFWHALES_GH_040-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/051926SFWHALES_GH_040-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/051926SFWHALES_GH_040-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/051926SFWHALES_GH_040-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">From left, Kathi George, director of cetacean conservation biology at The Marine Mammal Center; Shawn Henry, CEO of WhaleSpotter; Gary Reed, director of VTS San Francisco; Rachel Rhodes, project scientist with the Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory; Tyrone Jue, director of the San Francisco Environment Department; Douglas McCauley, director of the Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory; Tom Hall, director of operations and customer experience at San Francisco Bay Ferry; and Rachel Bacal, administrative and outreach coordinator, cut a ribbon at Point Blunt on Angel Island on May 19, 2026, for the newly installed WhaleSpotter marine mammal detection system. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The Marine Mammal Center, which assists Benioff researchers analyze the condition of the whales that die in the Bay was a key partner, as was the Coast Guard, which offered a spot on one of their communications towers for the camera and reports whale sightings from Vessel Traffic Control.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This week, the San Francisco Bay Ferry also switched on its own WhaleSpotter camera, which will operate on the Vallejo line and contribute to WhaleSafe, a free public database run by Benioff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>WhaleSafe updates in real time using both reports from human spotters and WhaleSpotter sensors to give boats advance notice of whale traffic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Shawn Henry, WhaleSpotter’s CEO, said the Angel Island camera is the company’s first stationary sensor of its kind in California — the company set up similar cameras on the East Coast to monitor the endangered North Atlantic right whale.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Time is a major consideration in keeping whales safe from larger ships, Henry said. Freighter ships can’t quickly slow down or change direction, and can strike whales without operators even noticing them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“ We can provide very reliable detection of whales at long range, long enough in order for the largest vessels to take evasive action to avoid whales,” Henry said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once the AI’s sightings are confirmed, the information is immediately shared with WhaleSafe users.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12084528\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12084528\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/051926SFWHALES_GH_021-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/051926SFWHALES_GH_021-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/051926SFWHALES_GH_021-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/051926SFWHALES_GH_021-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A tanker ship approaches the Golden Gate Bridge on May 19, 2026, as a new whale detection system is launched in San Francisco Bay to help prevent ship strikes on gray whales. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Henry said the cost of these cameras is comparable to that of a traditional ship radar.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Speaking at the camera’s ribbon-cutting on Tuesday, McCauley said he hopes to see a “network of sensors” across the Bay to account for “blind spots” in their search to save the whales.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In California, he said, residents are well-versed in climate disruption and crisis, and in helping one another through it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have a whale that is adapting,” he told the crowd. “We’ve extended our definition of neighbor to include this backyard and those whales, and we’re here, in many ways, to help.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cb>Here are the morning’s top stories on Friday, November 28, 2025…\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The nonprofit app Watch Duty is revolutionizing \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kpbs.org/news/public-safety/2025/09/26/watch-duty-app-is-revolutionizing-how-residents-firefighters-stay-updated-on-wildfires\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">how people get information about wildfires and evacuations.\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> And it’s not just residents in vulnerable areas downloading the app — firefighters are using it too.\u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">People who often eat fish caught in the San Francisco Bay could be consuming unhealthy levels of persistent, dangerous chemicals.\u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2 class=\"ArticlePage-headline\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kpbs.org/news/public-safety/2025/09/26/watch-duty-app-is-revolutionizing-how-residents-firefighters-stay-updated-on-wildfires\">\u003cstrong>Watch Duty App Is Revolutionizing How Residents, Firefighters Stay Updated On Wildfires\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>A notification popped up on Liam Winstead’s computer screen, alerting him to a potential grass fire. “It looks like it’s near the mall in Carlsbad along the 78,” said Winstead, a staff reporter with \u003ca class=\"Link\" href=\"https://app.watchduty.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Watch Duty\u003c/a>, a nonprofit fire information app. The clock started ticking for him to confirm if it was a real fire and whether it posed any danger.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Winstead pulled up live lookout cameras in the area to search for smoke. He then toggled over to Caltrans’ real-time traffic map, looking for highway slowdowns that could indicate the fire’s location. Emergency radio feeds streamed in his headphones, allowing him to monitor fire response chatter. “I usually have two feeds going,” Winstead said — one in either ear. He switched between tabs and windows with the keystroke fluency of a seasoned pro. But if you’re picturing Winstead working in a command center surrounded by walls of monitors and high tech equipment, think again. The recent college grad was toiling away in the bedroom of his UTC apartment, using a small MacBook, a single monitor and a radio.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But from this unassuming setup, Winstead holds tremendous responsibility. When he and a volunteer colleague confirmed the Carlsbad fire was real and posed a risk to nearby residents, Winstead sent a notification to Watch Duty’s San Diego County subscribers. The alert lit up more than half a million phones.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch Duty is quickly becoming an essential tool for both everyday residents and emergency responders who need fast, reliable information when a wildfire ignites. Launched in 2021 in Santa Rosa, the app’s coverage area has spread from just a few Northern California counties to roughly half of the United States. \u003ca class=\"Link\" href=\"https://www.watchduty.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Watch Duty\u003c/a> combines information about wildfires and evacuations from a variety of sources in one central place. Paid staff reporters and an army of volunteer contributors provide real-time updates based on changing conditions and emergency radio traffic.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2 class=\"routes-Site-routes-Post-Title-__Title__title\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996878/toxic-catch-bay-area-communities-at-risk-pfas-local-fish\">Toxic Catch: Bay Area Communities At Risk From PFAS In Local Fish\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>People have always fished in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">San Francisco Bay\u003c/a>. But they may also unknowingly consume unhealthy levels of persistent, dangerous chemicals with their catch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A study published this year from researchers at the San Francisco Estuary Institute found that 10 species of commonly consumed fish from the Bay frequently contain high levels of “forever chemicals,” which can take hundreds to thousands of years to break down and accumulate in the people and animals that eat them. The South Bay, the study found, is especially polluted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Study author Rebecca Sutton said she and colleagues have been worried about perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, in local fish for decades. The study examined the prevalence of PFAS in shiner surfperch, striped bass, white croaker and seven other sport fish from the Bay over the last ten years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Our concern is that there are a lot of fishing communities who eat a significant amount of fish from the Bay, and they could be more exposed to these highly toxic chemicals,” Sutton said. “With this study, we’re trying to assess the level of risk.” The findings were staggering: In sampling nearly 100 fish between 2009 and 2019, effectively every sample contained PFAS. More than 80% of fish from the South Bay, which has less tidal “flushing” than other communities and more runoff from highly urbanized areas, had more PFAS than some state standards consider safe to eat once a week. The southern waterways tested were Coyote Creek, Redwood Creek and Artesian Slough.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cb>Here are the morning’s top stories on Friday, November 28, 2025…\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The nonprofit app Watch Duty is revolutionizing \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kpbs.org/news/public-safety/2025/09/26/watch-duty-app-is-revolutionizing-how-residents-firefighters-stay-updated-on-wildfires\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">how people get information about wildfires and evacuations.\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> And it’s not just residents in vulnerable areas downloading the app — firefighters are using it too.\u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">People who often eat fish caught in the San Francisco Bay could be consuming unhealthy levels of persistent, dangerous chemicals.\u003c/span>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2 class=\"ArticlePage-headline\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kpbs.org/news/public-safety/2025/09/26/watch-duty-app-is-revolutionizing-how-residents-firefighters-stay-updated-on-wildfires\">\u003cstrong>Watch Duty App Is Revolutionizing How Residents, Firefighters Stay Updated On Wildfires\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>A notification popped up on Liam Winstead’s computer screen, alerting him to a potential grass fire. “It looks like it’s near the mall in Carlsbad along the 78,” said Winstead, a staff reporter with \u003ca class=\"Link\" href=\"https://app.watchduty.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Watch Duty\u003c/a>, a nonprofit fire information app. The clock started ticking for him to confirm if it was a real fire and whether it posed any danger.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Winstead pulled up live lookout cameras in the area to search for smoke. He then toggled over to Caltrans’ real-time traffic map, looking for highway slowdowns that could indicate the fire’s location. Emergency radio feeds streamed in his headphones, allowing him to monitor fire response chatter. “I usually have two feeds going,” Winstead said — one in either ear. He switched between tabs and windows with the keystroke fluency of a seasoned pro. But if you’re picturing Winstead working in a command center surrounded by walls of monitors and high tech equipment, think again. The recent college grad was toiling away in the bedroom of his UTC apartment, using a small MacBook, a single monitor and a radio.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But from this unassuming setup, Winstead holds tremendous responsibility. When he and a volunteer colleague confirmed the Carlsbad fire was real and posed a risk to nearby residents, Winstead sent a notification to Watch Duty’s San Diego County subscribers. The alert lit up more than half a million phones.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch Duty is quickly becoming an essential tool for both everyday residents and emergency responders who need fast, reliable information when a wildfire ignites. Launched in 2021 in Santa Rosa, the app’s coverage area has spread from just a few Northern California counties to roughly half of the United States. \u003ca class=\"Link\" href=\"https://www.watchduty.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Watch Duty\u003c/a> combines information about wildfires and evacuations from a variety of sources in one central place. Paid staff reporters and an army of volunteer contributors provide real-time updates based on changing conditions and emergency radio traffic.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2 class=\"routes-Site-routes-Post-Title-__Title__title\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996878/toxic-catch-bay-area-communities-at-risk-pfas-local-fish\">Toxic Catch: Bay Area Communities At Risk From PFAS In Local Fish\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>People have always fished in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">San Francisco Bay\u003c/a>. But they may also unknowingly consume unhealthy levels of persistent, dangerous chemicals with their catch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A study published this year from researchers at the San Francisco Estuary Institute found that 10 species of commonly consumed fish from the Bay frequently contain high levels of “forever chemicals,” which can take hundreds to thousands of years to break down and accumulate in the people and animals that eat them. The South Bay, the study found, is especially polluted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Study author Rebecca Sutton said she and colleagues have been worried about perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, in local fish for decades. The study examined the prevalence of PFAS in shiner surfperch, striped bass, white croaker and seven other sport fish from the Bay over the last ten years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Our concern is that there are a lot of fishing communities who eat a significant amount of fish from the Bay, and they could be more exposed to these highly toxic chemicals,” Sutton said. “With this study, we’re trying to assess the level of risk.” The findings were staggering: In sampling nearly 100 fish between 2009 and 2019, effectively every sample contained PFAS. More than 80% of fish from the South Bay, which has less tidal “flushing” than other communities and more runoff from highly urbanized areas, had more PFAS than some state standards consider safe to eat once a week. The southern waterways tested were Coyote Creek, Redwood Creek and Artesian Slough.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "eating-for-survival-with-november-snap-delays-how-will-bay-area-families-cope",
"title": "‘Eating For Survival’: With November SNAP Delays, How Will Bay Area Families Cope?",
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"content": "\u003cp>When Em-J Staples heard that her family wouldn’t receive their food benefits at the start of the month through \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12060770/snap-calfresh-food-stamps-government-shutdown-november-payments-ebt\">the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program\u003c/a>, she was shocked.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I guess I never thought it would actually come to the point that it says it’s running out,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The government shutdown, now in its second month, meant that the people using the federally funded SNAP program — sometimes still referred to as food stamps and known in California as CalFresh — would face unspecified “delays” in their November payments. Around the Bay Area, where more than 644,000 people receive SNAP benefits, households like Staples’ found themselves planning how they’d cope with not having enough money for food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Staples, who lives in San Rafael and previously “worked in Big Tech and startups,” lost her job at the same time while she was pregnant with her second child, now 6 months old. While her husband still works as a teacher and musician, Staples describes her family as feeling like part of a “broken middle” — and CalFresh has allowed them to keep accessing fresh, nutritious food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Monday, President Donald Trump’s administration said it would \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/11/03/nx-s1-5596121/snap-food-benefits-trump-government-shutdown\">use the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s contingency fund\u003c/a> to provide SNAP payments in November, after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062530/judges-order-the-trump-administration-to-use-contingency-funds-for-snap-payments-during-the-shutdown\">two federal judges ruled Friday\u003c/a> that the administration must continue to fund food benefits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the White House warned that payments would only be half of people’s regular benefits, and there could still be lengthy delays before EBT cards are reloaded, the administration said. And on Tuesday, \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/11/04/us/trump-shutdown-news#cities-nonprofits-food-stamp-snap-payments\">Trump threatened to once again withhold SNAP payments\u003c/a> entirely.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CalFresh benefits are paid to recipients over the first 10 days of the month, and Staples’ family was meant to receive theirs on the first. For Staples, the imminent impact on the holidays is something she’s already “grieving.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11953002\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/06/RS66300_230613-SFMarinFoodPantry-11-BL-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11953002\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/06/RS66300_230613-SFMarinFoodPantry-11-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A woman with white hair and a warm coat picks through a huge box of ears of corn in a paved outdoor area where lots of other people are also circulating.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/06/RS66300_230613-SFMarinFoodPantry-11-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/06/RS66300_230613-SFMarinFoodPantry-11-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/06/RS66300_230613-SFMarinFoodPantry-11-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/06/RS66300_230613-SFMarinFoodPantry-11-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/06/RS66300_230613-SFMarinFoodPantry-11-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/06/RS66300_230613-SFMarinFoodPantry-11-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Volunteers distribute food items at a San Francisco-Marin Food Bank pop-up pantry in the Richmond District of San Francisco on June 13, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I’m still working through that, I guess, if I’m being honest,” she said. “Because I was excited about having a beautiful Thanksgiving … and I just don’t know now. That uncertainty is obviously really stressful, and I’m figuring out what I’m going to do.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Staples said her family will use the services of nearby food banks, but “it’s the worst timing,” she said — not least because her 6-month-old child just began to eat solids a week ago. “I’ve been breastfeeding, but now I’m buying for another child,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Tough times are temporary, and that’s what I’m believing in,” Staples said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Using as little as I can’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Roughly 5.5 million Californians use CalFresh, according to June data from the state — including 2 million children. In the Bay Area, the highest share of SNAP recipients lives in Alameda County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To be eligible for CalFresh, households must usually have a total gross monthly income less than or equal to 200% of the federal poverty level. For a family of four,\u003ca href=\"https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/dd73d4f00d8a819d10b2fdb70d254f7b/detailed-guidelines-2025.pdf\"> that means a household income of $64,300 or less.\u003c/a> A person living alone must earn $31,300 or less to qualify for CalFresh.[aside postID=news_12062018 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/FoodPantryGetty1.jpg']Many SNAP recipients describe difficulties securing the food they need that existed even before the November delays were announced.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Retired teacher January Handl, who lives in Glen Ellen, received CalFresh benefits of $200 a month before the delays hit. “But if my Social Security goes up with cost of living, they bring my CalFresh down,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even with her regular CalFresh funds, Handl describes a constant state of vigilance over prices and stretching a household budget. Most people on SNAP “are really careful with our food budgets,” she said. “We have to be, right? So we do buy in bulk. We do buy on sale.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And with \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/09/19/nx-s1-5539547/grocery-prices-tariffs-food-inflation\">ever-rising grocery prices\u003c/a>, certain foods are rationed or off-limits for Handl. “I mean, forget eggs,” she said. “That used to be a cheap source of protein for me.” Coffee, as well, is “a luxury now” for Handl.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>UC Berkeley transfer student LisaMarie Fusco, who is disabled, described herself as “broken-hearted” by the SNAP delays. Fusco already relies on home deliveries from the Berkeley Food Network. “I’m so amazed they do deliveries,” she said in praise of the food bank’s services. “My goal is to get through this somehow, with leaning on the Berkeley Food Network.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But “the food stamp administration has been such a problem for me,” said Fusco, who described having “no access” to her online SNAP account for years due to technical issues in the system. “They don’t make it easy for you.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco resident Helen Tran has been waiting for her CalFresh benefits to resume ever since she recertified her eligibility back in August \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">—\u003c/span> and was counting on SNAP backpayments from this period finally coming through in November. Having been told “about a month ago” that funds would soon appear on her EBT card, “then they said every time they try to process it, there would be an error, and they weren’t sure what the error was,” Tran said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After her mother — who also uses SNAP — had a stroke in June, Tran quit work to care for her. With Tran in San Francisco and her mother in Oakland, “my money is going towards gas a lot more than it is anything else,” she said — and given her longstanding CalFresh payment delays, “I’m basically paying everything out of pocket.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tran is nervous that with her administrative issues, she won’t receive \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062034/san-francisco-will-cover-full-snap-benefits-for-november-amid-federal-shutdown\">the grocery cards that San Francisco mayor Daniel Lurie has promised\u003c/a> the city’s SNAP recipients this month — and the closest food pantries to her all have waitlists, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062725\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-SOLANO-FREE-FOOD-01-KQED-1_1.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062725\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-SOLANO-FREE-FOOD-01-KQED-1_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-SOLANO-FREE-FOOD-01-KQED-1_1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-SOLANO-FREE-FOOD-01-KQED-1_1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-SOLANO-FREE-FOOD-01-KQED-1_1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Natalie DeNicholas inspects food donations at the Food is Free Solano facility at the Solano County Fairgrounds on Nov. 3, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>So with three children of her own to feed, Tran said she’ll keep borrowing money from her siblings to make it through this period, “saving as much as I can by using as little as I can.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“With our culture, the older siblings are supposed to be the ones to take care of the younger siblings,” she said. “I feel bad and a little embarrassed that I have to ask my sister for help. But at this time, anything helps at this point.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘We’re eating for survival’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Shantesha Fluker’s plan to get her family through November’s SNAP delays involves “buying foods that can stretch” —“a lot of beans and rice, a lot of spaghetti without meat,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fluker, a West Oakland community advocate with two children, had to leave her job recently for medical reasons. And while she’s “pretty sure” her children are aware of this month’s lack of SNAP funds from social media, Fluker said she didn’t want it to impact them.[aside postID=news_12062743 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251031-SFMARINFOODBANK-03-BL-KQED.jpg']“I’m going to try to do my best to make sure that … it isn’t such a difference for them,” she said. “That means also utilizing local area food banks and just being creative with the way that we cook.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If we have to eat beans and rice and cornbread for three days, that’s what we’re going to have to do — or don’t eat,” she said. “We’re eating for survival, not necessarily for, you know, the taste.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>SNAP recipients are already working out the other sacrifices they’ll make this month to be able to eat. Fluker anticipates she won’t be able to pay her cellphone bill. Handl plans to keep the heating off in her home, “because PG&E here is so expensive.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We wear sweaters and pile up the blankets, because that’s one way we can save a little bit,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Berkeley student Fusco plans to take out an emergency loan to cover her food expenses this month — a situation she feels is especially unfair.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I shouldn’t have to be taking out a damn loan,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And while \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061440/calfresh-snap-ebt-shutdown-find-food-banks-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-alameda-oakland-contra-costa-newsom-national-guard\">the Bay Area’s food banks\u003c/a> have already become a lifeline for many during the shutdown, these places can’t answer every specific nutritional need — especially for those with medical conditions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fluker’s adult child is diabetic, “so obviously with that, I have to cook differently in a more healthy manner … the type of foods that I have to prepare for her are a little bit more expensive,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Handl also requires a specific diet due to her autoimmune issues — and using food banks is “not the same as getting to shop for what you eat,” she said. And while she appreciates the lack of judgment for being on SNAP, she’s felt that when using food banks in the past, “I won’t necessarily get the food that I need for my specialized diet,” Handl said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Look out for one another’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>San Rafael’s Staples said the anxiety and stigma SNAP users often feel can seem particularly acute in the Bay Area, with its high cost of living — and stark income inequality between CalFresh recipients and the highest earners in their region.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It took me a month of feeling uncomfortable shopping at the farmers market with my [EBT] tokens and feeling judged, even though probably no one saw anything of it,” she said. “This is Marin County. There’s a lot of that floating around; it’s like this unspoken level hierarchy of who can afford what.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062564\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251031-SFMARINFOODBANK-11-BL-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062564\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251031-SFMARINFOODBANK-11-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251031-SFMARINFOODBANK-11-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251031-SFMARINFOODBANK-11-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251031-SFMARINFOODBANK-11-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Filmark Bernante (left) and Megan Feria sort fresh produce into boxes at the San Francisco‑Marin Food Bank warehouse in San Francisco on Oct. 31, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Handl, who remembers weeping the first time she applied for SNAP, said she now wants to talk publicly about being a CalFresh recipient to raise awareness of just how widespread its usage is around the state. “To me, it’s trying to use my white privilege to get people to realize that the people on SNAP aren’t trying to cheat anybody out of anything,” she said. “They’re not lazy. They’re often working one to two full-time jobs, and it’s not enough.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I just want to shake people and say, ‘Any one of us can be disabled in a moment’ … ‘Any one of us can be bankrupted with medical fees,’” she said. “We more live on the edge than we realize,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fluker also hears stereotypes about people on SNAP benefits, many of them directed at Black and brown people — like assumptions that “we buy a lot of processed foods and a lot of junk foods with them,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But “I frequent the stores just as much as other members in my community,” Fluker said. “We try to cook as best as possible.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What keeps me going is knowing that there are other people doing it with me,” Fusco, the Cal student, said. “It does help having a community.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a sentiment Fluker echoed. “It’s stressful,” she said. “But we, as a people, we just have to go through the motions and look out for one another — and do the best that we can.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "As the Trump administration threatens to withhold SNAP payments despite a court order, hundreds of thousands of Bay Area residents using CalFresh are planning for uncertainty.",
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"title": "‘Eating For Survival’: With November SNAP Delays, How Will Bay Area Families Cope? | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>When Em-J Staples heard that her family wouldn’t receive their food benefits at the start of the month through \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12060770/snap-calfresh-food-stamps-government-shutdown-november-payments-ebt\">the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program\u003c/a>, she was shocked.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I guess I never thought it would actually come to the point that it says it’s running out,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The government shutdown, now in its second month, meant that the people using the federally funded SNAP program — sometimes still referred to as food stamps and known in California as CalFresh — would face unspecified “delays” in their November payments. Around the Bay Area, where more than 644,000 people receive SNAP benefits, households like Staples’ found themselves planning how they’d cope with not having enough money for food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Staples, who lives in San Rafael and previously “worked in Big Tech and startups,” lost her job at the same time while she was pregnant with her second child, now 6 months old. While her husband still works as a teacher and musician, Staples describes her family as feeling like part of a “broken middle” — and CalFresh has allowed them to keep accessing fresh, nutritious food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Monday, President Donald Trump’s administration said it would \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/11/03/nx-s1-5596121/snap-food-benefits-trump-government-shutdown\">use the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s contingency fund\u003c/a> to provide SNAP payments in November, after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062530/judges-order-the-trump-administration-to-use-contingency-funds-for-snap-payments-during-the-shutdown\">two federal judges ruled Friday\u003c/a> that the administration must continue to fund food benefits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the White House warned that payments would only be half of people’s regular benefits, and there could still be lengthy delays before EBT cards are reloaded, the administration said. And on Tuesday, \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/11/04/us/trump-shutdown-news#cities-nonprofits-food-stamp-snap-payments\">Trump threatened to once again withhold SNAP payments\u003c/a> entirely.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CalFresh benefits are paid to recipients over the first 10 days of the month, and Staples’ family was meant to receive theirs on the first. For Staples, the imminent impact on the holidays is something she’s already “grieving.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11953002\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/06/RS66300_230613-SFMarinFoodPantry-11-BL-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11953002\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/06/RS66300_230613-SFMarinFoodPantry-11-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A woman with white hair and a warm coat picks through a huge box of ears of corn in a paved outdoor area where lots of other people are also circulating.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/06/RS66300_230613-SFMarinFoodPantry-11-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/06/RS66300_230613-SFMarinFoodPantry-11-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/06/RS66300_230613-SFMarinFoodPantry-11-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/06/RS66300_230613-SFMarinFoodPantry-11-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/06/RS66300_230613-SFMarinFoodPantry-11-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/06/RS66300_230613-SFMarinFoodPantry-11-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Volunteers distribute food items at a San Francisco-Marin Food Bank pop-up pantry in the Richmond District of San Francisco on June 13, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I’m still working through that, I guess, if I’m being honest,” she said. “Because I was excited about having a beautiful Thanksgiving … and I just don’t know now. That uncertainty is obviously really stressful, and I’m figuring out what I’m going to do.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Staples said her family will use the services of nearby food banks, but “it’s the worst timing,” she said — not least because her 6-month-old child just began to eat solids a week ago. “I’ve been breastfeeding, but now I’m buying for another child,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Tough times are temporary, and that’s what I’m believing in,” Staples said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Using as little as I can’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Roughly 5.5 million Californians use CalFresh, according to June data from the state — including 2 million children. In the Bay Area, the highest share of SNAP recipients lives in Alameda County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To be eligible for CalFresh, households must usually have a total gross monthly income less than or equal to 200% of the federal poverty level. For a family of four,\u003ca href=\"https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/dd73d4f00d8a819d10b2fdb70d254f7b/detailed-guidelines-2025.pdf\"> that means a household income of $64,300 or less.\u003c/a> A person living alone must earn $31,300 or less to qualify for CalFresh.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Many SNAP recipients describe difficulties securing the food they need that existed even before the November delays were announced.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Retired teacher January Handl, who lives in Glen Ellen, received CalFresh benefits of $200 a month before the delays hit. “But if my Social Security goes up with cost of living, they bring my CalFresh down,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even with her regular CalFresh funds, Handl describes a constant state of vigilance over prices and stretching a household budget. Most people on SNAP “are really careful with our food budgets,” she said. “We have to be, right? So we do buy in bulk. We do buy on sale.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And with \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/09/19/nx-s1-5539547/grocery-prices-tariffs-food-inflation\">ever-rising grocery prices\u003c/a>, certain foods are rationed or off-limits for Handl. “I mean, forget eggs,” she said. “That used to be a cheap source of protein for me.” Coffee, as well, is “a luxury now” for Handl.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>UC Berkeley transfer student LisaMarie Fusco, who is disabled, described herself as “broken-hearted” by the SNAP delays. Fusco already relies on home deliveries from the Berkeley Food Network. “I’m so amazed they do deliveries,” she said in praise of the food bank’s services. “My goal is to get through this somehow, with leaning on the Berkeley Food Network.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But “the food stamp administration has been such a problem for me,” said Fusco, who described having “no access” to her online SNAP account for years due to technical issues in the system. “They don’t make it easy for you.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco resident Helen Tran has been waiting for her CalFresh benefits to resume ever since she recertified her eligibility back in August \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">—\u003c/span> and was counting on SNAP backpayments from this period finally coming through in November. Having been told “about a month ago” that funds would soon appear on her EBT card, “then they said every time they try to process it, there would be an error, and they weren’t sure what the error was,” Tran said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After her mother — who also uses SNAP — had a stroke in June, Tran quit work to care for her. With Tran in San Francisco and her mother in Oakland, “my money is going towards gas a lot more than it is anything else,” she said — and given her longstanding CalFresh payment delays, “I’m basically paying everything out of pocket.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tran is nervous that with her administrative issues, she won’t receive \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062034/san-francisco-will-cover-full-snap-benefits-for-november-amid-federal-shutdown\">the grocery cards that San Francisco mayor Daniel Lurie has promised\u003c/a> the city’s SNAP recipients this month — and the closest food pantries to her all have waitlists, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062725\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-SOLANO-FREE-FOOD-01-KQED-1_1.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062725\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-SOLANO-FREE-FOOD-01-KQED-1_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-SOLANO-FREE-FOOD-01-KQED-1_1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-SOLANO-FREE-FOOD-01-KQED-1_1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251103-SOLANO-FREE-FOOD-01-KQED-1_1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Natalie DeNicholas inspects food donations at the Food is Free Solano facility at the Solano County Fairgrounds on Nov. 3, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>So with three children of her own to feed, Tran said she’ll keep borrowing money from her siblings to make it through this period, “saving as much as I can by using as little as I can.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“With our culture, the older siblings are supposed to be the ones to take care of the younger siblings,” she said. “I feel bad and a little embarrassed that I have to ask my sister for help. But at this time, anything helps at this point.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘We’re eating for survival’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Shantesha Fluker’s plan to get her family through November’s SNAP delays involves “buying foods that can stretch” —“a lot of beans and rice, a lot of spaghetti without meat,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fluker, a West Oakland community advocate with two children, had to leave her job recently for medical reasons. And while she’s “pretty sure” her children are aware of this month’s lack of SNAP funds from social media, Fluker said she didn’t want it to impact them.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“I’m going to try to do my best to make sure that … it isn’t such a difference for them,” she said. “That means also utilizing local area food banks and just being creative with the way that we cook.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If we have to eat beans and rice and cornbread for three days, that’s what we’re going to have to do — or don’t eat,” she said. “We’re eating for survival, not necessarily for, you know, the taste.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>SNAP recipients are already working out the other sacrifices they’ll make this month to be able to eat. Fluker anticipates she won’t be able to pay her cellphone bill. Handl plans to keep the heating off in her home, “because PG&E here is so expensive.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We wear sweaters and pile up the blankets, because that’s one way we can save a little bit,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Berkeley student Fusco plans to take out an emergency loan to cover her food expenses this month — a situation she feels is especially unfair.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I shouldn’t have to be taking out a damn loan,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And while \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061440/calfresh-snap-ebt-shutdown-find-food-banks-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-alameda-oakland-contra-costa-newsom-national-guard\">the Bay Area’s food banks\u003c/a> have already become a lifeline for many during the shutdown, these places can’t answer every specific nutritional need — especially for those with medical conditions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fluker’s adult child is diabetic, “so obviously with that, I have to cook differently in a more healthy manner … the type of foods that I have to prepare for her are a little bit more expensive,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Handl also requires a specific diet due to her autoimmune issues — and using food banks is “not the same as getting to shop for what you eat,” she said. And while she appreciates the lack of judgment for being on SNAP, she’s felt that when using food banks in the past, “I won’t necessarily get the food that I need for my specialized diet,” Handl said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Look out for one another’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>San Rafael’s Staples said the anxiety and stigma SNAP users often feel can seem particularly acute in the Bay Area, with its high cost of living — and stark income inequality between CalFresh recipients and the highest earners in their region.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It took me a month of feeling uncomfortable shopping at the farmers market with my [EBT] tokens and feeling judged, even though probably no one saw anything of it,” she said. “This is Marin County. There’s a lot of that floating around; it’s like this unspoken level hierarchy of who can afford what.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062564\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251031-SFMARINFOODBANK-11-BL-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062564\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251031-SFMARINFOODBANK-11-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251031-SFMARINFOODBANK-11-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251031-SFMARINFOODBANK-11-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251031-SFMARINFOODBANK-11-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Filmark Bernante (left) and Megan Feria sort fresh produce into boxes at the San Francisco‑Marin Food Bank warehouse in San Francisco on Oct. 31, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Handl, who remembers weeping the first time she applied for SNAP, said she now wants to talk publicly about being a CalFresh recipient to raise awareness of just how widespread its usage is around the state. “To me, it’s trying to use my white privilege to get people to realize that the people on SNAP aren’t trying to cheat anybody out of anything,” she said. “They’re not lazy. They’re often working one to two full-time jobs, and it’s not enough.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I just want to shake people and say, ‘Any one of us can be disabled in a moment’ … ‘Any one of us can be bankrupted with medical fees,’” she said. “We more live on the edge than we realize,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fluker also hears stereotypes about people on SNAP benefits, many of them directed at Black and brown people — like assumptions that “we buy a lot of processed foods and a lot of junk foods with them,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But “I frequent the stores just as much as other members in my community,” Fluker said. “We try to cook as best as possible.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What keeps me going is knowing that there are other people doing it with me,” Fusco, the Cal student, said. “It does help having a community.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a sentiment Fluker echoed. “It’s stressful,” she said. “But we, as a people, we just have to go through the motions and look out for one another — and do the best that we can.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "as-flood-risk-grows-suisun-city-weighs-annexing-california-forever-land",
"title": "As Flood Risk Grows, Suisun City Weighs Annexing California Forever Land",
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"headTitle": "As Flood Risk Grows, Suisun City Weighs Annexing California Forever Land | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Becky Carroll’s earthy yellow ranch-style home faces a vast marshland filled with migratory birds and boaters. She lives in a quaint, waterside neighborhood on the edge of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12043295/suisun-city-proposes-annexing-most-of-california-forevers-new-city\">Suisun City\u003c/a>, where streets have names like Dolphin Court.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even though Carroll lives right on the water, she isn’t worried that her property will flood. It hasn’t in the nearly 20 years since she and her husband moved in. And, she has faith in the marsh’s natural ability to soak up the water like a sponge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We feel very safe,” Carroll said. “We have our boat right outside our back door, so it’s perfect.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But this neighborhood, and a large swath of the marshy city, is located in what climate scientists call one of the Bay Area’s top \u003ca href=\"https://www.greenbelt.org/hotspots/suisun-city/\">sea level rise hot spots\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Suisun City, a working-class community on the edge of San Francisco Bay, faces a slow-moving crisis: rising seas could swallow parts of the town within decades. It also faces an imminent budget crisis threatening insolvency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12052352\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12052352\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-38-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-38-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-38-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-38-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Becky Carroll looks out at the Suisun Slough from her deck in Suisun City, Solano County, on Aug. 4, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Among other solutions, city leaders are eyeing a controversial fix — annexing thousands of inland acres from California Forever, a tech billionaire-backed company — a move that could raise tax revenue and secure higher ground, but risks fierce fights over growth, climate adaptation and the city’s future.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For years, city officials have debated how to prepare for climate change. Suisun City Mayor Alma Hernandez, who grew up in a tan apartment blocks away from the waterfront, said that point hit home a few years back, when she hiked up a hill nearby and saw how the marsh — the \u003ca href=\"https://www.watereducation.org/aquapedia/suisun-marsh#:~:text=Suisun%20Marsh%20is%20where%20fresh,of%20plants%2C%20fish%20and%20wildlife\">largest brackish wetland\u003c/a> in California — seemed to dwarf her tiny city of about 30,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My city will be affected by flooding, and no one really knows about it,” Hernandez said.[aside postID=news_12043295 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250513-CaliforniaForeverAnnexExplainer-38-BL_qed.jpg']City Hall and restaurants like Bab’s Delta Diner are right on the water. Hernandez is worried that the area — considered the city’s playground — could be inundated in the coming decades.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She wonders whether the annexation deal with California Forever could help solve both the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12044266/suisun-city-could-grow-by-9-times-its-current-size\">budget deficit threatening the city’s stability\u003c/a> and climate-induced flooding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The company, which did not respond to KQED’s request for comment, is proposing to build a mega-development with tens of thousands of homes several miles inland. Unlike Suisun City, the land where California Forever wants to build does not face risks from rising seas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If we didn’t have the annexation opportunity, we would know that we would be a shrinking city over time,” Hernandez said. “And we would have nowhere else to go.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Annexation of California Forever’s land could present at least two sea level rise solutions: tax revenue from future residents could help pay for potentially expensive adaptation efforts, or the project could provide housing for displaced residents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12052433\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12052433\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SUISUN-SEALEVEL-RISE-KQED.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1240\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Blue indicates inundation. Models used in the state’s latest sea level rise guidance show a range of flooding scenarios. \u003ccite>(Animation by Darren Tu/KQED. Data from Our Coast, Our Future, USGS and Pacific Institute)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But climate experts argue that annexation isn’t a guaranteed fix for the city’s climate issues. Mark Lubell, a professor of environmental science and policy at UC Davis, said that while the opportunity sounds “juicy,” the development might cost too much, it may not set aside homes for displaced residents and the city might not choose to spend the tax revenue on protecting flood-prone areas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t think there’s any way in which you could ever consider California Forever as a solution to Suisun City’s climate risk, either in terms of revenue generation or as a place that could be an escape hatch for climate migration,” Lubell said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last year, California Forever released a \u003ca href=\"https://www.thereporter.com/2024/07/19/solano-releases-california-forever-report/\">report\u003c/a>, claiming its project would generate billions of dollars in revenue for the county. Days later, county staff released their \u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/SolanoCountyReport.pdf\">own study\u003c/a>, which showed the project would cost more than it would generate.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Suisun City is a sea level rise hot spot\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Suisun City has a long history of flooding dating back to \u003ca href=\"https://www.solanoarticles.com/history/index.php/weblog3/more/floods_of_1880s_washed_over_solano/#:~:text=On%20that%20note%2C%20the%20storm,quite%20a%20few%20winter%20battles\">the 1800s\u003c/a>. During winter months, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12018103/king-tides-foreshadow-far-wetter-future-sf-shoreline\">king tides\u003c/a> — caused by a stronger-than-normal gravitational pull when the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1955598/king-tides-are-here-why-they-happen-and-what-they-teach-us\">sun, moon and Earth align\u003c/a> — can cause the marsh to spill into the city, flooding sidewalks and roadways.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those stronger tides foreshadow a far wetter future as human-caused climate change drives sea level rise. Since the 1880s, oceans have risen globally by about \u003ca href=\"https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-global-sea-level\">eight inches\u003c/a> on average.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12052349\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12052349\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-21-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-21-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-21-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-21-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mayor Alma Hernandez walks along a path used for Flood Walks near the Suisun Slough in Suisun City on Aug. 4, 2025. The guided walks educate residents about local flood risks, climate resilience and the city’s natural waterways. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>State regulators have mandated that every coastal city and county develop \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1984830/california-mandates-coastal-cities-plan-for-future-sea-level-rise\">vulnerability assessments\u003c/a> of what’s at risk and lay out potential solutions, telling places like Suisun City to expect nearly a foot of sea level rise by 2050, in a “\u003ca href=\"https://opc.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/California-Sea-Level-Rise-Guidance-2024-508.pdf\">most likely\u003c/a>” scenario, and up to 6.6 feet in a worst-case scenario by the end of the century. Coastal communities also have to contend with storm surges and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1997954/lawmakers-push-to-map-groundwater-before-it-swamps-americas-infrastructure\">shallow groundwater rise\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jaclyn Perrin-Martinez, climate adaptation planning manager with the Bay Conservation and Development Commission, said the state agency’s maps show that with two feet of sea level rise, there will be “significant overtopping” and flooding in Suisun City, which could happen by 2050.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That would put much of the area south of Highway 12 under water, flooding a middle school, City Hall, downtown businesses and a rail line, impacting “some of the most vulnerable members of the community,” Hernandez said.[aside postID=science_1996746 hero='https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/03/RS48091_GettyImages-507138914-qut-1020x686.jpg']Local leaders have begun to plan for sea level rise. They’re working on a \u003ca href=\"https://www.fairfieldsuisunsewer.ca.gov/public-outreach/solano-bayshore-resiliency-roundtable/#1685576399759-dd121c72-a336\">regional adaptation plan\u003c/a> with potential solutions from Vallejo to Suisun City. The Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District leads it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Already, king tides push brackish water into a sewage treatment plant, minorly disrupting its operations. “The problems that we begin to see at king tides would be likely more frequent and likely more severe,” said Jordan Damerel, the local agency’s general manager.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Damerel said the group could complete the assessment as soon as next year, and a list of potential solutions could come in 2027. Even with Suisun City’s marshland absorbing water, rising seas could someday drown large parts of the wetland and flow into the city. Local leaders said solutions could range from sea walls to levees to pumps.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Damerel wants an “everyone wins scenario” where communities, businesses and sewer infrastructure are safe from floodwaters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But that plan is separate from discussions around annexation. Officials from the sewer district said the vulnerability assessment would only consider Suisun City’s existing boundaries.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The complicated process of moving inland\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Even in public discussions around the potential annexation, Suisun City officials rarely talk about flood risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During a \u003ca href=\"https://media.avcaptureall.cloud/meeting/b98f7eea-cb47-42be-a06b-f85281aa6d5a\">public meeting\u003c/a> in January, City Manager Bret Prebula, wearing a bright blue suit, briefly mentioned sea level rise in his plan to fix budget issues. He argued annexation could help the city become an attractive candidate for federal funding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12052353\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12052353\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-44-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-44-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-44-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-44-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An aerial view of the Suisun Slough in Suisun City, Solano County, on Aug. 4, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“If we do not create an area in both downtown and expansion that is worth saving, it is going to be a difficult conversation years down the line with the federal government,” Prebula said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He then pointed to an even bleaker possibility: adaptation efforts might not work, and the city may not be able to stop flooding, meaning some residents and businesses may have to relocate inward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lubell, the UC Davis researcher, said that in the future, there may “have to be some retreat there given the extent of the flooding.”[aside postID=science_1984643 hero='https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/10/03242023_kqed_pajaroreturning-1305-qut-1020x678.jpg']The strategy, called “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1984643/reluctant-retreat-one-familys-fight-against-climate-induced-flooding\">managed retreat\u003c/a>,” is often regarded as a last resort for cities imminently facing sea level rise. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1945874/when-it-comes-to-wildfire-solutions-relocating-communities-is-a-tough-sell\">complicated process\u003c/a> involves residents leaving their homes, often receiving government compensation for their property and moving to higher ground.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Charisma Acey, an associate professor of city and regional planning at UC Berkeley, is not opposed to the strategy, she said it is often politically charged and can be “a dirty word,” especially in a country with strong property rights.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If people don’t see the water rising right now, they’re thinking the government is just trying to take land below fair market value,” Acey said. “And take their communities away.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Acey added, when communities discuss how to adapt to climate change, often the most vulnerable residents are left out because participation requires time and effort, a scarce resource for people working multiple jobs or commuting long distances.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If managed retreat is seriously considered, Acey said city officials will have to regard solutions equitably, for homeowners and renters alike. According to data from the \u003ca href=\"https://data.census.gov/table/ACSST5Y2023.S1101?q=Suisun+City+city,+California&t=Housing\">2023 American Community Survey\u003c/a>, nearly 40% of Suisun City residents rent their homes.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘We absolutely need to look for higher ground’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Involving California Forever in talks about solutions could further complicate the debate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hernandez admitted that sea level rise had not been a central issue in discussions with the company because the city’s budget crisis is “taking priority,” and the threat of insolvency is more immediate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But she added, while she has the company’s attention, it’s time to address the risk of flooding as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12052347\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12052347\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-13-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mayor Alma Hernandez sits in her office at Suisun City Hall in Suisun City, Solano County, on Aug. 4, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Many residents and advocacy groups, however, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11996536/farmers-are-divided-over-california-forevers-plan-in-solano-county\">do not trust\u003c/a> California Forever to work in their best interests, partly because of its rocky history of \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/25/business/land-purchases-solano-county.html\">quietly acquiring land\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11970694/california-forever-lawsuit-looms-as-solano-county-farmers-fight-back\">suing farmers\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11985195/billionaire-backed-bid-for-new-solano-county-city-will-likely-be-on-the-ballot\">pushing\u003c/a> — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12001435/california-forever-pulls-ballot-measure-to-build-new-city-in-solano-county-for-now\">and then pulling\u003c/a> — a ballot initiative last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Residents, including Carroll, still have questions about how the project would affect the county’s existing infrastructure and are concerned that newcomers would further crowd Highway 12, which Carroll said is already “a disaster” to drive on.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And she questions whether it would ever be necessary to leave her dockside home — even if seas rise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Even with a tsunami coming through,” Carroll doesn’t believe her property could flood because San Francisco Bay and the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta would take the brunt of high water. It would then have to go through the marsh before reaching her backyard dock.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nate Huntington, a resilience manager with the environmental advocacy group Greenbelt Alliance, said the way Suisun City chooses to adapt to sea level rise should center on what residents want for their future. His organization is part of the local community coalition, Solano Together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12052356\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12052356\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-58-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-58-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-58-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-58-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Nate Huntington, a member of the Solano Together coalition, sits in Suisun City, Solano County, on Aug. 4, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It shouldn’t be a decision that’s dictated by a development group that doesn’t have the land zoned how they want it right now,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hernandez argued that with annexation, the city actually holds the power. Earlier this summer, she and other officials signed \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12043295/suisun-city-proposes-annexing-most-of-california-forevers-new-city\">an agreement\u003c/a> that allows them to exit negotiations, no strings attached. If the annexation deal is approved, she said Suisun City will have the ultimate say in what gets built, not the developer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She is eager to look for other solutions, but with annexation on the table, retreat could be worth exploring too — even if it’s a last resort.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s really hard to hear the same individuals tell us that our downtown will be flooded in 50 years [and] also tell us, ‘But don’t look for higher ground,’” Hernandez said. “We absolutely need to look for higher ground.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Suisun City, one of the Bay Area’s fastest-rising sea level hot spots, is weighing whether to annex a massive inland parcel from the California Forever project to boost its tax base — and potentially protect residents from climate change.",
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"title": "As Flood Risk Grows, Suisun City Weighs Annexing California Forever Land | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Becky Carroll’s earthy yellow ranch-style home faces a vast marshland filled with migratory birds and boaters. She lives in a quaint, waterside neighborhood on the edge of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12043295/suisun-city-proposes-annexing-most-of-california-forevers-new-city\">Suisun City\u003c/a>, where streets have names like Dolphin Court.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even though Carroll lives right on the water, she isn’t worried that her property will flood. It hasn’t in the nearly 20 years since she and her husband moved in. And, she has faith in the marsh’s natural ability to soak up the water like a sponge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We feel very safe,” Carroll said. “We have our boat right outside our back door, so it’s perfect.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But this neighborhood, and a large swath of the marshy city, is located in what climate scientists call one of the Bay Area’s top \u003ca href=\"https://www.greenbelt.org/hotspots/suisun-city/\">sea level rise hot spots\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Suisun City, a working-class community on the edge of San Francisco Bay, faces a slow-moving crisis: rising seas could swallow parts of the town within decades. It also faces an imminent budget crisis threatening insolvency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12052352\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12052352\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-38-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-38-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-38-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-38-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Becky Carroll looks out at the Suisun Slough from her deck in Suisun City, Solano County, on Aug. 4, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Among other solutions, city leaders are eyeing a controversial fix — annexing thousands of inland acres from California Forever, a tech billionaire-backed company — a move that could raise tax revenue and secure higher ground, but risks fierce fights over growth, climate adaptation and the city’s future.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For years, city officials have debated how to prepare for climate change. Suisun City Mayor Alma Hernandez, who grew up in a tan apartment blocks away from the waterfront, said that point hit home a few years back, when she hiked up a hill nearby and saw how the marsh — the \u003ca href=\"https://www.watereducation.org/aquapedia/suisun-marsh#:~:text=Suisun%20Marsh%20is%20where%20fresh,of%20plants%2C%20fish%20and%20wildlife\">largest brackish wetland\u003c/a> in California — seemed to dwarf her tiny city of about 30,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My city will be affected by flooding, and no one really knows about it,” Hernandez said.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>City Hall and restaurants like Bab’s Delta Diner are right on the water. Hernandez is worried that the area — considered the city’s playground — could be inundated in the coming decades.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She wonders whether the annexation deal with California Forever could help solve both the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12044266/suisun-city-could-grow-by-9-times-its-current-size\">budget deficit threatening the city’s stability\u003c/a> and climate-induced flooding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The company, which did not respond to KQED’s request for comment, is proposing to build a mega-development with tens of thousands of homes several miles inland. Unlike Suisun City, the land where California Forever wants to build does not face risks from rising seas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If we didn’t have the annexation opportunity, we would know that we would be a shrinking city over time,” Hernandez said. “And we would have nowhere else to go.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Annexation of California Forever’s land could present at least two sea level rise solutions: tax revenue from future residents could help pay for potentially expensive adaptation efforts, or the project could provide housing for displaced residents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12052433\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12052433\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/SUISUN-SEALEVEL-RISE-KQED.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1240\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Blue indicates inundation. Models used in the state’s latest sea level rise guidance show a range of flooding scenarios. \u003ccite>(Animation by Darren Tu/KQED. Data from Our Coast, Our Future, USGS and Pacific Institute)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But climate experts argue that annexation isn’t a guaranteed fix for the city’s climate issues. Mark Lubell, a professor of environmental science and policy at UC Davis, said that while the opportunity sounds “juicy,” the development might cost too much, it may not set aside homes for displaced residents and the city might not choose to spend the tax revenue on protecting flood-prone areas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t think there’s any way in which you could ever consider California Forever as a solution to Suisun City’s climate risk, either in terms of revenue generation or as a place that could be an escape hatch for climate migration,” Lubell said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last year, California Forever released a \u003ca href=\"https://www.thereporter.com/2024/07/19/solano-releases-california-forever-report/\">report\u003c/a>, claiming its project would generate billions of dollars in revenue for the county. Days later, county staff released their \u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/SolanoCountyReport.pdf\">own study\u003c/a>, which showed the project would cost more than it would generate.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Suisun City is a sea level rise hot spot\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Suisun City has a long history of flooding dating back to \u003ca href=\"https://www.solanoarticles.com/history/index.php/weblog3/more/floods_of_1880s_washed_over_solano/#:~:text=On%20that%20note%2C%20the%20storm,quite%20a%20few%20winter%20battles\">the 1800s\u003c/a>. During winter months, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12018103/king-tides-foreshadow-far-wetter-future-sf-shoreline\">king tides\u003c/a> — caused by a stronger-than-normal gravitational pull when the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1955598/king-tides-are-here-why-they-happen-and-what-they-teach-us\">sun, moon and Earth align\u003c/a> — can cause the marsh to spill into the city, flooding sidewalks and roadways.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those stronger tides foreshadow a far wetter future as human-caused climate change drives sea level rise. Since the 1880s, oceans have risen globally by about \u003ca href=\"https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-global-sea-level\">eight inches\u003c/a> on average.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12052349\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12052349\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-21-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-21-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-21-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-21-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mayor Alma Hernandez walks along a path used for Flood Walks near the Suisun Slough in Suisun City on Aug. 4, 2025. The guided walks educate residents about local flood risks, climate resilience and the city’s natural waterways. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>State regulators have mandated that every coastal city and county develop \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1984830/california-mandates-coastal-cities-plan-for-future-sea-level-rise\">vulnerability assessments\u003c/a> of what’s at risk and lay out potential solutions, telling places like Suisun City to expect nearly a foot of sea level rise by 2050, in a “\u003ca href=\"https://opc.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/California-Sea-Level-Rise-Guidance-2024-508.pdf\">most likely\u003c/a>” scenario, and up to 6.6 feet in a worst-case scenario by the end of the century. Coastal communities also have to contend with storm surges and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1997954/lawmakers-push-to-map-groundwater-before-it-swamps-americas-infrastructure\">shallow groundwater rise\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jaclyn Perrin-Martinez, climate adaptation planning manager with the Bay Conservation and Development Commission, said the state agency’s maps show that with two feet of sea level rise, there will be “significant overtopping” and flooding in Suisun City, which could happen by 2050.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That would put much of the area south of Highway 12 under water, flooding a middle school, City Hall, downtown businesses and a rail line, impacting “some of the most vulnerable members of the community,” Hernandez said.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Local leaders have begun to plan for sea level rise. They’re working on a \u003ca href=\"https://www.fairfieldsuisunsewer.ca.gov/public-outreach/solano-bayshore-resiliency-roundtable/#1685576399759-dd121c72-a336\">regional adaptation plan\u003c/a> with potential solutions from Vallejo to Suisun City. The Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District leads it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Already, king tides push brackish water into a sewage treatment plant, minorly disrupting its operations. “The problems that we begin to see at king tides would be likely more frequent and likely more severe,” said Jordan Damerel, the local agency’s general manager.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Damerel said the group could complete the assessment as soon as next year, and a list of potential solutions could come in 2027. Even with Suisun City’s marshland absorbing water, rising seas could someday drown large parts of the wetland and flow into the city. Local leaders said solutions could range from sea walls to levees to pumps.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Damerel wants an “everyone wins scenario” where communities, businesses and sewer infrastructure are safe from floodwaters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But that plan is separate from discussions around annexation. Officials from the sewer district said the vulnerability assessment would only consider Suisun City’s existing boundaries.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The complicated process of moving inland\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Even in public discussions around the potential annexation, Suisun City officials rarely talk about flood risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During a \u003ca href=\"https://media.avcaptureall.cloud/meeting/b98f7eea-cb47-42be-a06b-f85281aa6d5a\">public meeting\u003c/a> in January, City Manager Bret Prebula, wearing a bright blue suit, briefly mentioned sea level rise in his plan to fix budget issues. He argued annexation could help the city become an attractive candidate for federal funding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12052353\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12052353\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-44-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-44-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-44-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-44-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An aerial view of the Suisun Slough in Suisun City, Solano County, on Aug. 4, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“If we do not create an area in both downtown and expansion that is worth saving, it is going to be a difficult conversation years down the line with the federal government,” Prebula said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He then pointed to an even bleaker possibility: adaptation efforts might not work, and the city may not be able to stop flooding, meaning some residents and businesses may have to relocate inward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lubell, the UC Davis researcher, said that in the future, there may “have to be some retreat there given the extent of the flooding.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The strategy, called “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1984643/reluctant-retreat-one-familys-fight-against-climate-induced-flooding\">managed retreat\u003c/a>,” is often regarded as a last resort for cities imminently facing sea level rise. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1945874/when-it-comes-to-wildfire-solutions-relocating-communities-is-a-tough-sell\">complicated process\u003c/a> involves residents leaving their homes, often receiving government compensation for their property and moving to higher ground.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Charisma Acey, an associate professor of city and regional planning at UC Berkeley, is not opposed to the strategy, she said it is often politically charged and can be “a dirty word,” especially in a country with strong property rights.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If people don’t see the water rising right now, they’re thinking the government is just trying to take land below fair market value,” Acey said. “And take their communities away.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Acey added, when communities discuss how to adapt to climate change, often the most vulnerable residents are left out because participation requires time and effort, a scarce resource for people working multiple jobs or commuting long distances.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If managed retreat is seriously considered, Acey said city officials will have to regard solutions equitably, for homeowners and renters alike. According to data from the \u003ca href=\"https://data.census.gov/table/ACSST5Y2023.S1101?q=Suisun+City+city,+California&t=Housing\">2023 American Community Survey\u003c/a>, nearly 40% of Suisun City residents rent their homes.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘We absolutely need to look for higher ground’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Involving California Forever in talks about solutions could further complicate the debate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hernandez admitted that sea level rise had not been a central issue in discussions with the company because the city’s budget crisis is “taking priority,” and the threat of insolvency is more immediate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But she added, while she has the company’s attention, it’s time to address the risk of flooding as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12052347\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12052347\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-13-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mayor Alma Hernandez sits in her office at Suisun City Hall in Suisun City, Solano County, on Aug. 4, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Many residents and advocacy groups, however, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11996536/farmers-are-divided-over-california-forevers-plan-in-solano-county\">do not trust\u003c/a> California Forever to work in their best interests, partly because of its rocky history of \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/25/business/land-purchases-solano-county.html\">quietly acquiring land\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11970694/california-forever-lawsuit-looms-as-solano-county-farmers-fight-back\">suing farmers\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11985195/billionaire-backed-bid-for-new-solano-county-city-will-likely-be-on-the-ballot\">pushing\u003c/a> — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12001435/california-forever-pulls-ballot-measure-to-build-new-city-in-solano-county-for-now\">and then pulling\u003c/a> — a ballot initiative last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Residents, including Carroll, still have questions about how the project would affect the county’s existing infrastructure and are concerned that newcomers would further crowd Highway 12, which Carroll said is already “a disaster” to drive on.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And she questions whether it would ever be necessary to leave her dockside home — even if seas rise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Even with a tsunami coming through,” Carroll doesn’t believe her property could flood because San Francisco Bay and the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta would take the brunt of high water. It would then have to go through the marsh before reaching her backyard dock.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nate Huntington, a resilience manager with the environmental advocacy group Greenbelt Alliance, said the way Suisun City chooses to adapt to sea level rise should center on what residents want for their future. His organization is part of the local community coalition, Solano Together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12052356\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12052356\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-58-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-58-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-58-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/250804-CALIFORNIAFOREVERSUISUNCITY-58-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Nate Huntington, a member of the Solano Together coalition, sits in Suisun City, Solano County, on Aug. 4, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It shouldn’t be a decision that’s dictated by a development group that doesn’t have the land zoned how they want it right now,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hernandez argued that with annexation, the city actually holds the power. Earlier this summer, she and other officials signed \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12043295/suisun-city-proposes-annexing-most-of-california-forevers-new-city\">an agreement\u003c/a> that allows them to exit negotiations, no strings attached. If the annexation deal is approved, she said Suisun City will have the ultimate say in what gets built, not the developer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She is eager to look for other solutions, but with annexation on the table, retreat could be worth exploring too — even if it’s a last resort.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s really hard to hear the same individuals tell us that our downtown will be flooded in 50 years [and] also tell us, ‘But don’t look for higher ground,’” Hernandez said. “We absolutely need to look for higher ground.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
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"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
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"marketplace": {
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"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
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"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
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"order": 12
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"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
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"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
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"planet-money": {
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"politicalbreakdown": {
"id": "politicalbreakdown",
"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
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"possible": {
"id": "possible",
"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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},
"pri-the-world": {
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"title": "PRI's The World: Latest Edition",
"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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},
"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
"title": "Radiolab",
"info": "A two-time Peabody Award-winner, Radiolab is an investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea. In the Radiolab world, information sounds like music and science and culture collide. Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the show is designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder. WNYC Studios is the producer of other leading podcasts including Freakonomics Radio, Death, Sex & Money, On the Media and many more.",
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},
"reveal": {
"id": "reveal",
"title": "Reveal",
"info": "Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX, Reveal is public radios first one-hour weekly radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting. Credible, fact based and without a partisan agenda, Reveal combines the power and artistry of driveway moment storytelling with data-rich reporting on critically important issues. The result is stories that inform and inspire, arming our listeners with information to right injustices, hold the powerful accountable and improve lives.Reveal is hosted by Al Letson and showcases the award-winning work of CIR and newsrooms large and small across the nation. In a radio and podcast market crowded with choices, Reveal focuses on important and often surprising stories that illuminate the world for our listeners.",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/",
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"rss": "http://feeds.revealradio.org/revealpodcast"
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},
"rightnowish": {
"id": "rightnowish",
"title": "Rightnowish",
"tagline": "Art is where you find it",
"info": "Rightnowish digs into life in the Bay Area right now… ish. Journalist Pendarvis Harshaw takes us to galleries painted on the sides of liquor stores in West Oakland. We'll dance in warehouses in the Bayview, make smoothies with kids in South Berkeley, and listen to classical music in a 1984 Cutlass Supreme in Richmond. Every week, Pen talks to movers and shakers about how the Bay Area shapes what they create, and how they shape the place we call home.",
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"order": 16
},
"link": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
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},
"science-friday": {
"id": "science-friday",
"title": "Science Friday",
"info": "Science Friday is a weekly science talk show, broadcast live over public radio stations nationwide. Each week, the show focuses on science topics that are in the news and tries to bring an educated, balanced discussion to bear on the scientific issues at hand. Panels of expert guests join host Ira Flatow, a veteran science journalist, to discuss science and to take questions from listeners during the call-in portion of the program.",
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},
"snap-judgment": {
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