Sunday, April 24 is Opening Day on the Bay. While this is mostly a grand nautical celebration, there is a part of it that can be enjoyed from the shoreline as well.
Opening Day on the Bay will be celebrated on Sunday, April 24. The Opening Day Decorated Boat Parade can be easily viewed from the shore, from Marina Green to Pier 39. Photo by Mia Bernt S/C PICYA
BY CAPTAIN RAY
Published: April, 2016
Sunday, April 24 is Opening Day on the Bay. While this is mostly a grand nautical celebration, there is a part of it that can be enjoyed from the shoreline as well. There are two events happening that day, one of which has roots that go back several hundred years and the other of which is celebrating its 99th anniversary this year.
The first of these is the Blessing of the Fleet. This celebration began in the Mediterranean many hundreds of years ago. It was originally a Roman Catholic tradition; and in many areas of the world, it still is. The villagers would call upon their local priest to seek God’s blessing for a productive season and to petition God to ensure the safety of their fishermen.
The Bay Area tends to be a bit more inclusive and this party is open to all. Fishing boats will be there, of course; however, there will also be workboats of all types, as well as sailboats and powerboats. This idea of inclusiveness extends further than just boat types; there is often more than just a Roman Catholic priest available to dispense the blessings. In the more recent past, various Protestant denominations have been represented as well as Wiccans and Druids. The Corinthian Yacht Club in Tiburon orchestrates the event. It will take place in Raccoon Strait (the body of water between Angel Island and Tiburon) starting at 10:30 a.m. on Opening Day on the Bay. This part of the day’s celebrations would be difficult to view from the shoreline.
The part of the day’s activities visible from the shore comes next. This second event is the Opening Day Decorated Boat Parade, and it is intended to be a display for those who do not have a boat as well as a celebration for those who do. The theme this year is “Heroes on the Bay”—a theme that is certainly open to interpretation. A few ideas that quickly came to mind for me were: firefighters (public safety officers of all sorts, actually), members of our armed services, teachers and mentors. And what about superheroes, and historical or mythical characters? Who has been an inspiration to you? Whom would you choose? The possibilities are endless. It undoubtedly will be very entertaining to see the great variety of interpretations on this theme on boats participating in the parade.
The route for the Opening Day Decorated Boat Parade was selected specifically to allow for very good viewing from all along San Francisco’s northern shoreline. Between noon and 3 p.m., boats will parade from a point near the Palace of Fine Arts and the St. Francis Yacht Club, along the waterfront passing close to the Marina Green, Gashouse Cove, Fort Mason and Aquatic Park, all the way to Pier 39. The parade will be led by the San Francisco fireboat Phoenix. This year’s grand marshal is U.S. Coast Guard Captain Gregory Stump, captain of the Port of San Francisco, an excellent example of a “Hero on the Bay.”
The Pacific Inter Club Yacht Association (PICYA) sponsors this parade. Organized on May 12, 1896, its purpose (as stated in the bylaws) is:
…to constitute an association of yacht clubs and boating organizations, to promote inter-club communications, yachting activities and the social interaction relating thereto, and to organize and conduct programs which enhance the general welfare of the member organizations.
The organization was founded by five yacht clubs and has now grown to represent more than 100 member clubs in northern California. It has sponsored this parade since 1917—next year will be the 100th anniversary! You can visit its website, www.picya.org, for more information about the organization.
So, on April 24, pack a picnic lunch and come on down to the Marina Green. You don’t need to own a boat to enjoy the boat parade: The viewing is free!
Ray Wichmann, is a US SAILING-certified Ocean Passagemaking Instructor, a US SAILING Master Instructor Trainer, and a member of US SAILING’s National Faculty. He holds a 100-Ton Master’s License, was a charter skipper in Hawai’i for 15 years, and has sailed on both coasts of the United States, in Mexico, the Caribbean and Greece. He is presently employed as the Master Instructor at OCSC Sailing in the Berkeley Marina.
Last year’s theme was Youth in Boating as demonstrated by this tribute to the Peanuts characters. Photo by Mia Bernt S/C PICYA
The Blessing of the Fleet takes place in Raccoon Strait between Tiburon and Angel Island starting at 10:30 a.m. on Opening Day on the Bay. Photo by Mia Bernt S/C PICYA
