Despite the chilly temperatures in the bay, there are plenty of San Francisco water activities enjoy. The following list offers you some of the best forms of recreations as well as the best places for water sports in San Francisco.
1) Triathlons – The Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon is one of the most prestigious triathlons in the country and draws elite athletes from all over the world. Part of the challenge in this world-class event begins when all of the participants jump off ferryboats perched near the island of Alcatraz shoreline and then swim the 1.5 mile length back to shore under extremely challenging conditions in the bay. There are some other notable triathlons such as Escape from the Rock and the San Francisco Triathlon.
2) Swimming – If triathlons aren’t your cup of tea, open water swimming in the bay is also one of the best water sports in San Francisco and there are quite a few events that are held during the warmer months. One of the most challenging events is the Bridge to Bridge Swim which is a 10 km swim from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Bay Bridge! Another very popular event for open water swimmers is the Alcratz Classic Swim, which is 1.25 miles to shore
3) Windsurfing – Windsurfing is definitely one of the best water sports in San Francisco. The windy conditions in the San Francisco Bay make windsurfing very popular and there are plenty of clubs, classes and world-class events in the area. In fact the Windsurfing World Championships were in the bay earlier this summer. It should also be noted that kite surfing also large group of enthusiasts and ranks among the top San Francisco water activities that among the best in Northern California. What about surfing? There’s definitely surfing in San Francisco, particularly at Ocean Beach but the level of activity isn’t as prominent as windsurfing in the city.
4) Fishing – Ever heard of Fishermen’s Wharf in San Francisco? Then you know that among the best water sports in San Francisco, there is no question fishing makes the list. There are several charter boats operating in the San Francisco Bay and can find the best of them at Fishermen’s Wharf! If you own your boat then that’s even better because you can make the arrangements without having to share a boat with strangers. Either way, you are bound to have an incredible outing on the bay and you can expect to catch King Salmon, White Sea Bass, halibut, lingcod and even sharks.
5) Yachting – While yachting doesn’t make the top of the list, primarily because it isn’t the biggest San Francisco water sports in terms of participation, the city will host the most prestigious yachting event in the world, the America’s Cup in 2013, which is expected to draw record crowds to the City of San Francisco. The city has the distinction of hosting the event due to the current champion of the event, Team Oracle racing led by CEO and co-founder of the software giant, Oracle is based with the San Francisco Yacht Club.
You can see that there are plenty of San Francisco water sports in the “City by the Bay”. Whether you’re an elite swimmer or beginning fisherman, you find hours of entertainment in one of the top tourist destinations in the world.