The U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels are ready to put on a show for Fleet Week in the Bay Area. Along with the excitement and pageantry, however, comes the often ear-splitting roar as the jets fly by. Some parts of the region will rattle louder than others; here’s a guide if you are looking to avoid the noise.
What
The air show is scheduled from Friday, Oct. 9 to Sunday, Oct. 11, but practice flights will begin Wednesday, Oct. 7. Along with the Blue Angels, there will also be other military aircraft showcased and a commercial airline performance by a United Airlines Boeing 777.
Where
The majority of the noise will be heard in Marin County (near the Golden Gate Bridge), San Francisco and the East Bay.
San Francisco/Marin County: The air show primarily takes place between the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. Noise hotspots include the Marina, Fisherman’s Wharf, Fort Mason, North Beach and Pacific Heights. The hub of the show is at the Marina Green and Crissy Field, where jets will fly at low altitudes and noise levels can exceed 100 decibels. Earplugs or noise-canceling earmuffs are recommended, especially for children. If you are on the water near Alcatraz and Angel Island, remember that there will be no physical sound barriers to block the roar.
East Bay: While most of the action takes place over San Francisco, the air show performers and the Blue Angels take off from Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK). Because of this, there will be a significant amount of noise along the flight path from OAK to the city. This noise will occur during both official show hours and practice times. The loudest zones include East Oakland, Alameda and Bay Farm Island. Berkeley, Richmond, Oakland, and El Cerrito also will experience some rumbling as the jets make sweeping turns and wind up their runs into the city.
South Bay: The South Bay will remain pretty quiet since it is away from the Fleet Week zone. If you are in San Jose, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara or Palo Alto, you can expect weekend afternoons free from the jets’ roar.
When
The Fleet Week air show takes place Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m., with the main event Blue Angels taking to the skies from 3 to 4 p.m.
Here is the schedule provided by OAK detailing both the practice and main event times and when to anticipate the loudest roars:
Wednesday, 10/7: 10 a.m.-5 p.m., media flights
Thursday, 10/8: 1-6 p.m., airshow practice
Friday, 10/9: 10 a.m.-4 p.m., airshow flights
Saturday, 10/10: 10 a.m.-4 p.m., airshow flights
Sunday, 10/11: 10 a.m.-4 p.m., airshow flights
Monday, 10/12: 9-10 a.m., Blue Angels departure