Marina Park, Emeryville, CA

Marina Park in Emeryville offers wonderful views of the San Francisco Bay and Bridge to the west as well as the Berkeley and Oakland hills to the east. There's a parking lot where you can park for free for up to four hours, picnic areas, restrooms, and a marina full of boats. It can be a bit windy and chilly because of its location right on the bay waters, but the views make up for that. I suppose the sunsets from this spot would be spectacular  - unless the fog rolls in first! I took a walk along the foot path and found these scenes to photograph...

Next time you want to get out of the house and enjoy some fresh air at one of the Bay Area's many fine urban parks, head on over to this one, but don't forget a sweater.

Deception Pass State Park, WA

A visit to Fidalgo Island isn't complete without a visit to Deceptions Pass State Park, one of Washington's favorite spots to hike, kayak, camp, and view wildlife. Bowman Bay is on the Fidalgo side of the park. Here are some shots from this stunning spot...

Deception Pass Bridge connects Fidalgo Island with Whidbey Island. You can walk across the bridge and get panoramic views of Deception Pass and the Olympic Peninsula beyond. Just don't look down toward the water if you're afraid of heights!

Click HERE to see further vistas of this lovely park on New Year's Day.

Boating on SF Bay

Last weekend was unusually warm and calm, so on the spur of the moment, we decided to take the Whaler out for a long overdue boating adventure on the San Francisco Bay. It was glorious. The water was incredibly calm, there was no wind, and the temperatures hovered around 70 degrees - not your typical late January weather!

We had a blast as we toured various hot spots around the bay and beyond the Golden Gate Bridge, but I felt sorry for the numerous sailboats as they tried to make their way across the calm waters; it was very slow-going for them. (But I guess that's why they're sailors!)

We also coincidentally timed it perfectly to watch the Costa Deliziosa depart from the dock along the San Francisco waterfront. She's the sister ship of the infamous Costa Concordia, and she was headed to Honolulu on her around-the-world trek.

Ready for a ride? Put on your life vest, climb aboard, and hang on...

The Launching Facility in Alameda, right next to the Coast Guard Station...

That's the city of Oakland beyond the sailboat masts...

Here's Old Faithful - Bad Boy the Boston Whaler...

Approaching San Francisco and the Bay Bridge...

The Ferry Building and Nob Hill...

Costa Deliziosa...

Point Bonita Lighthouse...

The Golden Gate Bridge...

Lovely Sausalito...

Mt. Tamalpais...

Angel Island...

The NEW Bay Bridge span...

The busy Port of Oakland...

You survived our little boating adventure!