Though the city now suffers from a willful amnesia regarding this honorable chapter of its history, the simple fact remains: San Francisco used to be a Navy town.
Well into the 1990s, the Bay Area was ringed by a handful of large Navy bases and naval shipyards that together served to shelter and repair a significant chunk of the Pacific Fleet. Remember Star Trek IV? The one where Chekov sneaks onto a nuclear aircraft carrier tied up at the Alameda Naval Air Station? To help save the whales? Of course you do. Aircraft carriers were once a common sight along the waterways beneath Golden Gate Bridge, but no more. And by the time Telstar Logistics began surveying the US Navy's properties here, all the local bases had already faded to ruin.
Naturally, then, it was with some glee that we accepted an invitation from a U.S. Navy public affairs liaison to visit the USS Nimitz during Fleet Week 2006 -- the first Bay Area Fleet Week visit by an aircraft carrier in quite a long time. Indeed, though a simple tour of the ship would have sufficed, the opportunity turned out to be more fantastic than we could have ever imagined.
The day began at San Francisco Airport, where we boarded a Navy C-2 transport plane at sunrise for a flight out to the Nimitz, which was cruising 50 miles off the California Coast.
After landing on the flight deck in the morning haze -- wheeeeeeeeee! -- we disembarked for breakfast and a tour while the ship sailed toward San Francisco. We strolled the hangar deck. We wandered the halls. We took in the ocean air from Vulture's Row. We visited a squadron ready room. We feasted on fine Navy cuisine. We pinched ourself at our good fortune.
Just offshore, the Nimitz joined up with a Navy cruiser, several destroyers, and an amphibious assault ship, and formed a line for the Parade of Ships into San Francisco Bay.
By 11 am we'd reached the city, and after passing under the Golden Gate Bridge the Nimitz launched three F-18s from the flight deck as we cruised past Fisherman's Wharf. From there we continued onward, under the Bay Bridge to an anchorage in the middle of the San Francisco Bay, just off South Beach.
And then, reluctantly, it was time to go home.
It was a remarkable day, and many photos were taken to document the adventure. Feel free to explore.
Telstar Logistics photoset: "A Day Aboard the USS Nimitz"
Bonus Photoset Soundtrack: Kenny Loggins, "Danger Zone/Top Gun Theme Song" (1986): MP3 LINK
Telstar Logistics would like to extend our tremendous thanks to the US Navy for the invitation, our patient guides Ensign Victoria Tobin and Lieutenant Katie Kelly, and all the sailors on the Nimitz who graciously welcomed us aboard their ship!
being on the Nimitz as it passes under the Golden Gate Bridge .. that's just incredibly cool.
two marvels of engineering getting perpendicular? beautiful.
Posted by: striatic | 12 October 2006 at 11:20 AM
So...what do you do in your SPARE time?
Posted by: K. Wellen | 12 October 2006 at 01:16 PM
I've been looking for some pictures of the ship from fleet week, and so far this site has the best ones.
I'm a crewmember of the ship, and I've been looking for some pictures to send to the folks back home. Thanks guys.
Posted by: R.Long | 05 November 2006 at 02:13 PM
I REALLY LIKED THE SF ARTICAL ON THE
LIBERAL WHINING.
I REALLY LIKE THE END PART ABOUT
USCG :) :) :) :)
Posted by: poondog | 02 April 2008 at 10:30 PM