This President’s Day Weekend, the Westbound, upper deck of the Bay Bridge will be closed beginning at 8:00pm on Friday, February 17 through 5:00am on Tuesday, February 21. The Eastbound, lower deck will remain open. But don’t let these closures hinder your holiday weekend plans! You can still come into the city for a fun-filled day of shopping or a night out on the town onboard one of our high-speed ferries. From February 18 – February 20 (Saturday – Monday), additional ferry runs will be available on our Vallejo, Alameda, Oakland and Harbor Bay services.

Click here for Alameda/Oakland extended President’s Day weekend schedule PDF.

Click here for Alameda Harbor Bay extended President’s Day weekend schedule PDF. 

Click here for Vallejo extended President’s Day weekend schedule PDF.

SEE MORE AT THE BLUE & GOLD FLEET BLOG

Valentine’s Day is coming up this Tuesday! Have you planned a romantic rendezvous for your special someone yet? If not, Blue & Gold Fleet is here to play cupid! Because really, what is more romantic than a cruise on the Bay at sunset? Snack on chocolate-covered strawberries and sip on bottomless champagne as you sail past the beautiful city skyline amidst a golden sky. The cruise is just 1 hour long, making it a perfect preface to your dinner plans. Oh wait, you haven’t made those yet either?  Take advantage of our Sunset Cruise + dinner package, where you will wine and dine at one of PIER 39’s most established restaurants, Neptune’s Waterfront Grill and Café. Enjoy sweeping views of the Bay as you feast on a delectable 3-course meal. To view the full menu click here.

Tickets can be purchased online at our Blue & Gold Fleet Web Store , or at our Box Offices at PIER 39 and Pier 41.

Now that I’ve planned your entire holiday for you, I truly hope you enjoy it! Happy Valentine’s Day everyone – I hope all your days are filled with love!

And Happy Birthday to my lovely friend & colleague Courtney!!
Blue & Gold Fleet wishes you a magical and happy day!

SEE MORE AT THE BLUE & GOLD FLEET BLOG

The Heritage & Arts Commission will be hosting an artist’s reception for Tiburon photographer Jim Wood on February 8 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Community Room at Town Hall.  Wood has a fascination for city skylines, so his show entitled “Marin and The City” is composed of photos taken from the same location in the Tiburon hills of the peninsula tip and the San Francisco skyline.  The show will be on display until March 30.

SEE MORE AT TIBURON HERITAGE AND ARTS

This weekend PIER 39 is celebrating the 22^nd anniversary of their most famous residents – the California Sea Lions! To celebrate, Aquarium of the Bay and the Marine Mammal Center will be hosting free 30-minute educational walking tours from 11am – 4pm, beginning today, Jan. 19 through Sunday, Jan. 22. On the tour you will learn all sorts of fun facts about these playful mammals as you view them up close!

Everyone on the tour will receive special discounts, such as 50% off Aquarium of the Bay Admission where you can experience life under the sea, 10% off in the Marine Mammal Store where you can buy your very own sea lion pal, and 50% off a Blue & Gold Fleet Bay Cruise where you can sail right past the sea lions and out on the Bay!

If this just isn’t enough sea lion fun for you, or if you can’t make it out to the PIER this weekend, visit PIER 39’s brand new Sea Lion Central online! Watch the sea lions play on the brand new webcam and learn all about their history at PIER 39. And be sure to show your commitment to protecting and preserving the habitat of the sea lions by taking PIER 39’s Sea Lion Pledge http://www.pier39.com/SeaLion/sea_lions_pledge.htm. Once you take the pledge, download your free printable certificate and display it proudly!

SEE MORE AT THE BLUE & GOLD FLEET BLOG

Each year the crew from PIER 39 travel all around the City spreading Holiday cheer! Blue & Gold Fleet, Blazing Saddles, PIER Restaurants, Aquarium of the Bay and Neptunes join PIER 39 in wishing everyone HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

It’s the Most Wonderful Time on the PIER

It’s the most wonderful time on the PIER
With a big lot for parking,
And sea lions barking,
Blue & Gold sails near!
It’s the most wonderful time on the PIER.

It’s the hap-happiest PIER on the Bay
Ride a bus on Grayline
To tour the city taste wine,
on a motorized sleigh!
It’s the hap-happiest PIER on the Bay.

Blazing Saddles rents bikes,
Neptune’s food you will like,
Aquarium has a new show.
Many stores for shopping,
Wipeout will be hopping,
Fog Harbor your taste buds will grow!

It’s the most wonderful time on the PIER
Clam chowder at Boudin,
Biscoff for Caffeine,
You will find it all here!
It’s the most wonderful time
It’s the most wonderful time
It’s the most wonderful time, on the PIER! 

SEE MORE AT THE BLUE & GOLD FLEET BLOG

Even though it’s not yet Thanksgiving, it’s hard to ignore the twinkling lights, shimmering garland and red Starbucks cups popping up all over town. So instead of trying to ignore the décor to prep for the day dedicated to being thankful for all we are given before we eat ourselves into a coma, why not take advantage of some of the special holiday offers early! For instance, PIER 39’s Holiday Local Advantage program is in full swing! Local can sign up to receive 50% off their favorite restaurants, shops and attractions at PIER 39 – including our Bay Cruise or Escape from the Rock Cruise http://www.pier39.com/LocalAdvantage/

Or “like” Blue & Gold Fleet on Facebook and enter for a chance to win a 1-night hotel stay at the Holiday Inn Express on Fisherman’s Wharf (including breakfast and FREE parking), and two (2) Premier Passes to enjoy the best attractions at PIER 39. https://www.facebook.com/blueandgoldfleet?sk=app_163032157099207

Now, apart from all the wonderful deals there are so many magical events coming up in the City! It’s impossible for me to go into all of them in depth, but here is a list of all the San Francisco “Tree” Lightings to really get you in the Holiday spirit!

Nov. 17 (TONIGHT!) – Snowflakes on Market
(Annual lighting of the snowflakes on top of the Market Street lamps. It will almost seem like it’s snowing?)
http://www.marketstreetassociation.org/index.php?p=news&newsId=122

Nov. 20 – PIER 39’s Annual Tree Lighting Celebration
(Mickey Mouse & his Disney pals and Santa will be there. Enough said.) http://www.pier39.com/Events/treelighting11.htm

Nov. 25 – Ghirardelli Square’s Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony (Best Chocolate ever. Have you tried their new Pumpkin Spice Caramel Squares? To DIE for.)
http://www.ghirardellisq.com/events/tree-lighting-ceremony/tree-lighting-ceremony

Nov. 25 – Macy’s Great Tree Lighting at Union Square
(Just visiting the website gave me Goosebumps. And the BEST part? You will be surrounded by the finest shopping in San Francisco)
http://social.macys.com/believe/?cm_mmc=VanityUrl-_-believe-_-n-_-n#/events/greattreelightingsf

SEE MORE AT THE BLUE & GOLD FLEET BLOG

It’s November 3. RocketBoat has now been offline for a grand total of 3 days. Already you miss gazing out of your office window and seeing it zoom past in a bright red blur. You miss having at least the OPTION of going onboard for a ride if the day gets too hot. You miss laughing at the passengers that get truly soaked when you just got lightly misted.  And you realize it’s just one less thing to show off to your visiting family and friends. Ok maybe that’s all just me, but seriously RocketBoat is becoming a staple San Francisco attraction and will be missed these next few months!

But instead of seeing this in a negative light, let’s think of it this way – it’s a good opportunity to take advantage of all the fun holiday happenings that will be going on at PIER 39 and around the Bay! It can get a bit cold to ride RocketBoat in the middle of winter anyway.

So stayed tuned for all the holiday updates coming your way and join me in wishing RocketBoat a happy hibernation!

SEE MORE AT THE BLUE & GOLD FLEET BLOG

Wishing everyone a spooky and safe Halloween!

SEE MORE AT THE BLUE & GOLD FLEET BLOG

Some exciting changes are taking place at Blue & Gold Fleet!

Recently, Blue & Gold Fleet was awarded a five-year contract by the Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) to operate WETA’s San Francisco Bay Ferry services. Besides taking over operations of the Alameda/Oakland, Harbor Bay, and Vallejo Ferries, a new ferry service between South San Francisco and the East Bay will be launched in 2012.

This is a great honor and we are proud to be trusted with this contract. Stay tuned for details regarding the launch of our new services!

SEE MORE AT THE BLUE & GOLD FLEET BLOG

Early last week, the Captain and crew running the Vallejo Ferry were confronted with a crises – 3 kayakers were lost and in trouble, needing help quickly. Without thinking twice, they took on the search and rescue mission. Here is their story.

On Tuesday, September 13 at 1650 the MV VALLEJO was down-bound off Angel Island when Captain Chuck Elles received a call from VTS to be on the lookout for 3 Kayakers in distress. Captain Burke Beardsley who was up-bound on the SOLANO advised that he had seen some kayakers with a sailboat nearby in the vicinity of North Channel #4. Captain Elles on the VALLEJO called all hands to the wheelhouse to perform a visual search for the kayakers while he proceeded to North Channel #4. The Crew on the Vallejo consisted of Lead Deckhand Rusty Westgate, Deckhand Pete Barnhart, and Deckhand James Mosing.

The kayakers were spotted and, once on-scene, Captain Elles found that two of the three were swamped and in the water. Conditions at the time were West winds at 20 kts with moderate wind waves. Bartender Ross Clark was assigned to radio watch in the wheelhouse while Captain Elles maneuvered the boat from the bridge wing. The crew prepared to bring the kayakers onboard using the Jasons Cradle (a flexible ladder-like device for bringing a man overboard safely up from the water to the main deck of the ferry). The crew deployed the Cradle and had both of the two swamped kayakers out of the water within a few minutes. Police and Sheriffs boats arrived soon after and picked up the remaining kayaker and swamped kayaks.

Captain Elles called VTS to arrange shore side medical response, and proceeded at full speed to the SF Ferry Building. The crew provided first aid for hypothermia for the kayakers, who had been in the water for approximately 15 minutes prior to the VALLEJOs arrival. At the SF Ferry Building, the kayakers were transferred to the care of EMS and the VALLEJO continued afternoon commuter service.

At the same time that day, Captain Chris San Miguel on the MV MARE ISLAND, and his crew (Purcy Ferrell, George Shelhorn, Anthony Cote) were attending to a passenger who was having difficulty breathing. The crew administered First Aid/Oxygen and returned to dock in Vallejo where the passenger was turned over to EMS.

A busy afternoon for the Vallejo Ferry…

The quick response by the Vallejo crew helped save the kayakers’ lives. To all those involved in the rescue, you are true heroes!

Thanks also to Peter Belden, the Vallejo Baylink Ferry Operations Manager, for reporting on this inspiring story!

SEE MORE AT THE BLUE & GOLD FLEET BLOG