#fleetweeksf (Year 2)

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Anna, Donan, and I watched Fleet Week from Fort Baker last year. Since we enjoyed our experience, we organised a trip to see it again from the same point this year. After Mass and lunch, we drove to Sausalito, intending to take the exit that would have taken us to Fort Baker. However, the queue for that exit was close to two miles long; we missed the exit because I had thought that the queue wasn't for that exit just yet. And so, as we passed by our supposed exit, I quickly decided that we were going to watch the Blue Angels from an even better area: Crissy Field!

The Blue Angels whizzed past us as we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge. Anna and Donan had a great time watching them fly by as I tried to concentrate on watching the road. Some pedestrians on the bridge stopped to take videos of the aerial presentation. As I entered Crissy Field, I realised there was an even worse traffic jam because cars were parked on the road (the drivers and passengers just hopped out to watch). A parking lot was nearby, filled with stopped vehicles whose drivers looked up at the sky to watch the Blue Angel magic. It was challenging to keep my eyes on the road because the roar of the FA-18 engines was so loud, and the planes were so low that they seemed to touch the treetops. In between buildings and cars, I glimpsed Blue Angel #5, surrounded by a vapour cloud, performing a low fly-by just a few feet above the watercraft on the bay. It was thrilling to see!

Anna and Donan enjoyed the show from the street while I waited in the parking queue. Because the other drivers were looking overhead, I snuck past about five vehicles and parked in a vacant spot. When I finally got out of the car, the show was over. Nevertheless, we had fun exploring Crissy Field and buying a few souvenirs. 

We'll try again next year.

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