click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney
Some day soon I'm actually going to take a ride on the Golden Gate Ferry.
I've heard it's a great way to get into San Francisco.
These tubes are part of the elaborate roof over the terminal building.
click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney
Just across the channel from the Ferry Terminal proudly stands Dennis Patton's fifty foot tall metal sculpture of "Sir Francis Drake".
click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney
In this area it's "Sir Francis Drake" this and "Sir Francis Drake" that -- his exploration party is credited with setting foot on land at Drakes Bay in Point Reyes in 1579.
Curiously, San Francisco Bay eluded discovery for 190 years -- until 1769 when Portola crossed over hills from the coast. It wasn't until six years later in 1775 that the first ship actually sailed into San Francisco Bay.
The reason San Francisco Bay eluded discovery by Drake and others for so many years is because the entrance is more hidden than one might expect. The entrance, or "gate" is not easy to see -- being situated a few miles east from the outer coast.
click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney
Drake was quite the warrior for the British government but Spain regarded him as a bloody and ruthless pirate. Long swords made very nasty gashes.
Oh, I suppose it was a different world back then -- it was probably perfectly acceptable in those days to forcibly round-up Africans for your slave trading business.
Sir Francis Drake also had the blessings of the Church, which also may have had a few ulterior motives beyond saving souls in conquering the new land.
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4 comments:
Quite interesting metal sculptures. I have never been on the Ferry either. Sometimes it takes having visitors to see the sights of San Francisco and Bay Area.
Not only do you present us with great photos each day, but most always there is a sprinkling of history thrown in also. I like history. Thank you. Just happy there is no quiz the following day.
the photo of the metal is great, it looks like some futuristic sculpture. I didn't realize there were so many tributes to Drake in San Francisco.
Thanx for the bit of Drake history. Something that's been hidden away in my mind since grade school! Will have to look for the statue - cool pix...
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