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An angel in the bay
I’ve been told numerous times that I don’t post enough.
The angel in this case is Angel Island; it is a small island in the middle of the San Francisco bay. It has been a military fort, been used to quarantine individuals, was known as the Chinese Ellis Island + internment camp, and now, it’s mostly a state park. Although Angel Island welcomes millions of visitors a year, most of those visitors do not realize that you can camp at the island. If you time it correctly, it’s a photographer’s paradise since the island has expansive views of the San Francisco skyline, Marin County headlands, Golden Gate Bridge, Mount Tamalpais and Oakland and has tons of places to explore like old military forts and the immigration station. However, it's a crap shoot since the weather ( wind and fog) are so unpredictable, especially in the summer.
There are plenty of folks that know about the nine camp sites; they fill up within seconds of the spots opening even thought you have to backpack to the sites and climb about 400 feet in elevation. There are three sites total with distinctly different views and each has three area has three camp sites. It took a year of research and planning with a bunch of us stalking the computer waiting for the reservations to open. The sites booked up within 10 seconds once the reservations opened, but we got one! !!!!!!!!! Go us!
It was my first time backpacking camping and my first time carrying a 40lb pack while climbing switchbacks. Was the effort worth the effort?
Indeed!
1. The view from our campsite when we woke up.
2. For a few prescious mintues, the fog lifted and the sky was gloriously blue.
3. God beams over Oakland
4. The only way to visit the island. You take a ferry from either San Francisco, Oakland or Tiburon.
5. Trees in the fog
6. Can you guess which is my pack?
7. Our camp site. Even though this was in August, San Francisco weather dictates down jackets, gloves and beanies. The actually low was actually in the 50s F, but it’s the wind and the fog that chills you to the bone. We picked the camp site not based up on the view, but based upon the amount of wind shelter.
8. Raccoon-proofing. In our research, we read about that campers woke up with their food supply gone and discovered that the raccoons on the island have learned how to open up the food lockers. This was our solution!
Would I do this again? Yes, but if someone else planned it! If I do go again, I would try and do it in September or October when San Francisco is warmer and has less fog.
9. No matter what, San Francisco is just beautiful. IR.
Comments and critiques are welcomed.
The angel in this case is Angel Island; it is a small island in the middle of the San Francisco bay. It has been a military fort, been used to quarantine individuals, was known as the Chinese Ellis Island + internment camp, and now, it’s mostly a state park. Although Angel Island welcomes millions of visitors a year, most of those visitors do not realize that you can camp at the island. If you time it correctly, it’s a photographer’s paradise since the island has expansive views of the San Francisco skyline, Marin County headlands, Golden Gate Bridge, Mount Tamalpais and Oakland and has tons of places to explore like old military forts and the immigration station. However, it's a crap shoot since the weather ( wind and fog) are so unpredictable, especially in the summer.
There are plenty of folks that know about the nine camp sites; they fill up within seconds of the spots opening even thought you have to backpack to the sites and climb about 400 feet in elevation. There are three sites total with distinctly different views and each has three area has three camp sites. It took a year of research and planning with a bunch of us stalking the computer waiting for the reservations to open. The sites booked up within 10 seconds once the reservations opened, but we got one! !!!!!!!!! Go us!
It was my first time backpacking camping and my first time carrying a 40lb pack while climbing switchbacks. Was the effort worth the effort?
Indeed!
1. The view from our campsite when we woke up.
2. For a few prescious mintues, the fog lifted and the sky was gloriously blue.
3. God beams over Oakland
4. The only way to visit the island. You take a ferry from either San Francisco, Oakland or Tiburon.
5. Trees in the fog
6. Can you guess which is my pack?
7. Our camp site. Even though this was in August, San Francisco weather dictates down jackets, gloves and beanies. The actually low was actually in the 50s F, but it’s the wind and the fog that chills you to the bone. We picked the camp site not based up on the view, but based upon the amount of wind shelter.
8. Raccoon-proofing. In our research, we read about that campers woke up with their food supply gone and discovered that the raccoons on the island have learned how to open up the food lockers. This was our solution!
Would I do this again? Yes, but if someone else planned it! If I do go again, I would try and do it in September or October when San Francisco is warmer and has less fog.
9. No matter what, San Francisco is just beautiful. IR.
Comments and critiques are welcomed.
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Cuong
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The "Ellis Island of the West" just had a 100th anniversary commemoration (not a celebration as it was a sad place...). They have some incredible displays, including the Chinese poetry carved into the walls of the barracks. The first Japanese prisoner of WWII was held there (sunk pocket sub around Pearl Harbor) -- he (if my facts are not confused) became a future president of Toyota Motors.
Glad you had a great time. Your photos give an idea of the vistas in SF Bay (and the fog/clouds).
i've show some of these images to a few people and for some reason, people are really drawn to that one. The lack of color was primarily due to fog and burnt trees. Angel Island doesn't allow open fires any more since the island burned down a few years ago due to a camp fire + wind. It was the one of the reason why we were so cold during the night...
A lightweight tripod is a must when you're hiking and attempting land scape shots. However, sunset was a bust due to the fog + wind. We ended up cooking dinner in the food locker because the stove fire wouldn't stay lit.
it was heartbreaking for me to read about the treatment of the Asian immigrants.
10. Tributes: "She died of loneliness, poverty and war." I believe this must have been a part of the 100th anniversary commemoration. We stood here just reading the tributes for about an hour; they endured because they wanted better future for their off springs and made me want to know more about my family's history. I actually recognize the family names of individuals and provenances in which they came from childhood conversations with my grandparents. I hate to admit it, but I don't know if my grandparents came through Angel Island, but I wouldn't be surprised if they did. In additions to the tributes of incredible sadness, I will always remember the ones of hope - "...legacy of 10 children, 16 grandchildren, 17-great-grandchilden...".
11. Identities
Angel Island was a prison for so many people...
We really wanted to explore more, but we were all pretty tired and it's difficult spending quality time by packing gear.
12. Heading home...
All of us promised to visit again on a day trip without the packs.
I personality want to spend more time at the immigration station.
14-24 24-70 70-200mm (vr2)
85 and 50 1.4
45 PC and sb910 x2
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Now that you've tried back packing ready for a 70lb pack up Mt. Whitney next?
It took us about a year's worth of planning for this trip between picking a month/dates and trying to figure out when the reservations window actually opened. For a while, i assumed that the window opened six months in advance of the exact date at midnight, but that wasn't the case.
For our attempt this year, the reservation windowed opened at 10am on the 1st of the month, six months in advance of the month of when wanted the site. The reservations were all booked in about 10 seconds once it opened, but I read that August/September are very popular months since they're suppose to be "warmer" and dry. I got the camp site since I had three browser windows going and another friend was doing the same thing. The less popular months had openings.
I was the only one who obtained one. My friend couldn't even get into the system. That being said, when we camped, the site next to use was empty; the people didn't show up.