Coast Guard participates in San Francisco Fleet Week, enforces regulated safety and security areas

Coast Guard participates in San Francisco Fleet Week, enforces regulated safety and security areas

SAN FRANCISCO — Coast Guard personnel and assets are scheduled to participate in and conduct maritime safety and security operations for the San Francisco Fleet Week, which is scheduled to kick off Monday with a series of public events, including the arrival of military vessels to the Port of San Francisco.

Fleet Week includes a variety of ship tours and static displays from several branches of the Armed Services. The Coast Guard and other governmental agencies are scheduled to participate in Fleet Week events along the San Francisco waterfront.

The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast, a 210-foot medium-endurance cutter, visiting from Astoria, Oregon, plans to participate in the Parade of Ships and is scheduled to arrive at the Port of San Francisco Friday.   

The Terrell Horne, a 154-foot fast response cutter, from Los Angeles, is also scheduled to participate in this year's Fleet Week and is slated to arrive in the city Wednesday.

Additional Coast Guard assets participating in this year's Fleet Week events include Coast Guard Cutters George Cobb, Pike, Tern, Sockeye, Hawksbill and Dorado; Maritime Safety and Security Team San Francisco; and Stations San Francisco, Rio Vista, Vallejo, Golden Gate and Monterey.

The public can expect an increased presence of Coast Guard vessels in the San Francisco Bay to ensure safety and security for mariners and participants.

"We are looking forward to another exciting Fleet Week and want to remind everyone to be safe while participating in the many events throughout the week," said Capt. Marie Byrd, the Coast Guard Sector San Francisco commander. "Safety and security remain our top priorities and Coast Guard members are standing by ready to respond."

As Captain of the Port of San Francisco, Capt. Byrd has enacted a special local regulation for this year's on-water Fleet Week activities held Oct.10 through Oct. 13 to ensure the safety of participants and spectators throughout the San Francisco Bay. Traffic will be restricted throughout most of the central bay from the Golden Gate Bridge, south of Alcatraz, to just south of the Bay Bridge. This is to accommodate the Parade of Ships as vessels pass under the Golden Gate Bridge to their assigned piers. A 500-yard protective zone will also be enforced around each military vessel the entire time they are in port.

The regulated area for safety will also be in effect during air show practice from 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday and from noon to 4 p.m Friday to Sunday for the air show featuring the Navy Blue Angels.

For the awareness of mariners and the public, the above graphics show regulated areas for the Parade of Ships and the Blue Angels respectively. Mariners should monitor VHF-FM channel 16 for up-to-date information regarding these regulated areas for safety and security.

For more information on this year's events, contact the San Francisco Fleet Week Association at (415) 306-0911, or visit fleetweeksf.org for a complete list of events.

Tips for mariners to stay safe on the water during Fleet Week can be found at fleetweeksf.org/safety/.

Additional information about the protective zones and areas to watch from the water at posted at homeport.uscg.mil/port-directory/san-francisco.

-USCG-