Cruisers notebook - San Francisco

San Francisco is an excellent stop for cruisers on the West coast of the Unites States.

The Marina Green municipal marina (Stone tower, 37 48.482N 122 26.395W 415-292-2013 showers) at Scott street and Marina boulevard has transient slips (up to 30 days) for fifty cents a foot per night, reservations recommended for August - October. This marina is cash or check only. There is a $50 key deposit, and a $150 deposit for a power adapter if needed.

There is also a larger yacht harbor to the Southeast (37 46.791N 122 23.162W 415-495-4911 showers, laundry) where berths can be had for $1 a foot - reservations recommended.

Overnight moorage can be had when available in front of the Maritime museum, (aquatic park 37 48.51N 122 25.46W) in the bowl shaped harbor just to the west of Pier 45 Check in at the small boat shop there in the park or Hyde Street Pier.

Don't bother to rent a car unless you plan to leave the city - it is simply unnecessary. If you have them, bicycles with baskets are most convenient, and the busses have bikeracks for the longer hauls.

The municipal bus system ($1.50 includes transfer) is excellent. Get a route map ASAP. Busses on most routes come by at 5 - 15 minute intervals, and there is a grocery store at Beach and Buchanan that is very accessible from the Marina Green municipal marina by a short bus ride or walk. The busses run both directions, so to go back just cross the street and find a bus shelter or the yellow band painted around a streetlight. The route numbers will be marked, so be sure to check.

For a budget tour, get on the 30 (Divisadero and Beach, near Marina Green, or 3rd st and Townsend if you are at South Beach harbor) and take it south through Chinatown. Hop off in Chinatown (you will know when you are there) and buy a foldable rolling grocery basket at one of the many "Trading Co" or hardware stores - $15 or so, you will not regret it! Still hungry? See the lamposts painted with red green and white bands? Hop off in little Italy for a delightful meal at one of the many restaurants and cafes. On the way back check out the Maritime Museum (2 blocks north from north point and Hyde) and while there pick up a transit map if you don't already have one. From there, a short jaunt east takes you to the fisherman's wharf, home to a bounty of restauraunts and touristy shops, as well as a fisherman's marketplace.

For variety and general shopping, restaurants, clubs, coffee houses, etc the northern part of Fillmore Street is perfect. Bus 22 is your ride up and down filmore, and you can catch the 30 at Filmore and Chestnut.The neighborhood is clean and welcoming, even at night. At Pixley and Fillmore (NE corner) there is a coffee shop with free WIFI and good coffee. A few blocks north on the east side of the street there is a coin-op laundry with free WIFI as well.

For further exploration, the river delta to the northeast has over 1000 miles of canals and waterways, right in the middle of Californias wine country. Countless small towns and marinas dot the map, and Sacramento can be reached upriver as well.