The Fleet Week SF schedule got back on track Saturday when the U.S. Navy Blue Angels flew over San Francisco Bay after fog canceled Friday’s demonstration. Thousands of spectators packed Marina Green and the shoreline for the delayed show.
Marina Green and San Francisco Bay
The aircraft cut tight formations, made high-speed passes, and rolled through aerial maneuvers above the Bay with the Golden Gate Bridge in view. A United Airlines Boeing 777 also passed overhead during the day, adding to the traffic in the air as Fleet Week continued along the waterfront.
Pat Smith, who watched from San Francisco, said, “I love the planes. It's a good show. I like the noise,” as the Blue Angels swept past. Another spectator said, “They fly over you. Can't believe they are so close together, and they can do what they're doing. It's amazing,” capturing the draw of the show from the shoreline.
Karl and Friday Fleet Week
Friday’s cancellation came after low clouds and fog known locally as Karl moved into the area. Mary Breen of the Air Show Network said, “First of all, Karl gets a one-way ticket out of town. He can come back Monday,” after the demonstration was called off.
That delay gave Saturday’s return extra weight for families who came back for another look. Jennifer Flores of Oakland said, “We were here yesterday. We saw a very quick glimpse of them, so we decided to come today and get a good look at them,” after returning with her father.
Marina Boulevard After the Show
When the Blue Angels finished, thousands of spectators flooded Marina Boulevard and nearby streets. Melissa Viarengo said her family from Santa Rosa had brought its kids to their first air show and added, “It's something we've done forever. We did it as kids, now we're bringing our kids to their first air show,” after the crowd began to move away from the waterfront.
The Saturday performance restored the main draw of Fleet Week after weather interrupted Friday’s schedule, and the waterfront crowd showed how quickly the attention returned once the aircraft were back in the air. The remaining question for readers watching the Fleet Week SF schedule is whether the Blue Angels will have any further performances in San Francisco after Saturday.
