Braving Wind and Waves

Braving Wind and Waves (HM173B)

Location: San Francisco, CA 94129 San Francisco County
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Country: United States of America
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N 37° 48.366', W 122° 27.978'

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Inscription

Fort Point Life-Saving Station

Activated in 1890, this U.S. Life-Saving Station was built to aid endangered seafarers in the days when San Francisco was one of the world's busiest ports. "Surfmen" braved wind and waves to rescue victims from distressed sailing ships and steamships off the central California coast and in the bay's treacherous waters. Nearly a dozen shipwrecks still lie buried along the Presidio shore.

Finding a Safer Haven
In 1990, the U.S. Coast Guard (the successor of the U.S. Life Saving Service) moved the operations across the Golden Gate to the calmer Horseshoe Bay at Fort Baker, where its tradition of lifesaving continues. Nonprofit organizations now use the former boathouse (to your right) and the former commandant's quarters (to your left).
The steamship S.S. Ohioan ran aground near the Cliff House in 1936. Note the rescue gear at far left, rigged to bring the crew and cargo ashore.
Details
HM NumberHM173B
Tags
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Placed ByNational Park Service
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Tuesday, September 23rd, 2014 at 8:18am PDT -07:00
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Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)10S E 546980 N 4184435
Decimal Degrees37.80610000, -122.46630000
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 37° 48.366', W 122° 27.978'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds37° 48' 21.96" N, 122° 27' 58.68" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)415
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 64-66 Marine Dr, San Francisco CA 94129, US
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