Fog rolling in on the Sutro Baths

Weather at the coast is always changeable. As the fog rolled in, the cool breeze was a welcome change to the uncharacteristic hot weather that had settled over San Francisco.

I stood above the baths on the trail leading down just below Louie's Seafood, I reminisced back to my college days when my friends and I would come down to Sutro Baths late in the night with the weight of the world on our shoulders. Something about the ruins, the vastness of the ocean and the crash of the waves would remind us how insignificant we were, and our troubles would be put into perspective.

The building on the right in the center of the photograph is where the history of the Baths had been painted before it was painted over with gray cement paint.

Sutro Baths

Follow Geary west until it branches off into Pt. Lobos Ave. towards the Cliff House. Below Louie's Seafood is the ruins of the Sutro Baths. It is hard to image the baths that once stood here. I used to stare at the posters taped into the window at Louie's and in the Cliff House gift store and marvel at how the pools and bunkers used to be the buildings in the posters.

I having been hanging out at the Sutro Baths on and off since 1979. I must say the city is doing a great job of ruining the ruins in the name of safety. New paths, rails, and cement filled holes seem to sanitize the hillside and stairs.

This was my first time back in at least ten years. Much has changed. The biggest disappointment was the bunker that had the whole history of the baths painted in 1.5 inch green letters around the walls, covering every square inch of space. It is now painted over with gray cement paint.

Steve and I sat on the wall. The day was beautiful, uncharacteristically hot for the San Francisco coast. Lone hikers, couples, and families explored the area, some like us just came for the serenity of the ocean.

If you go, "leave only footprints and take nothing but photographs."

Looking Down Market St., San Francisco

Looking east down Market Street towards the Embarcadero.
The Muni's F line transports me back in time with a feeling of nostalgia.

Photo taken with an EOS 40D. Exposure 1/200 s at f/7.1. ISO 200. Focal length 32 mm. Desaturated in PhotoShop.