In early June I had the opportunity to join a crew for a day out on the San Francisco Bay through the world-renowned OCSC Sailing School. The school, located across the bridge in Berkeley, has been in operation for over 30 years and is notoriously located in a straight wind line from the Pacific Ocean by way of the Golden Gate Bridge, but far enough that it is typically spared from Karl the Fog.

We left the marina in Berkeley, headed to the north side of Alcatraz, then cruised past Tiburon to the north side of Angel Island where we stopped for a tasty picnic. After a bite and a few brews from the Oyster Bar and Cantina we hopped back on the boat and headed toward the Golden Gate Bridge. We dipped under the bridge to the ocean for a few minutes and then returned to the bay, along the SF waterfront, past Treasure Island and finished up at the marina where it all started.

It was an unforgettable adventure – perfect activity to clear my head, do some physical work and experience the bay in a natural, adrenaline-fueled state. An opportunity like this doesn’t come along every day and I strongly advise that given the chance to sail in the San Francisco Bay, you clear your schedule and prepare for an wild ride.

These are my top 5 tips to make the most of the experience.

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