Captain Jeremiah Brazil grew up in San Francisco, so he’s a bit of an authority when it comes to the city’s iconic views.
“Everyone knows the best view of [the city] is from Treasure Island,” said the long-time boat captain, who was visibly excited about the new ferry service running between the man-made island and the Ferry Building.
“It’s just neat. The last time there was any vessel that took people to and from Treasure Island was the World Fair” in the 1930s, Brazil said.
While waiting for the few passengers to board, he turned out to look at the Bay. “This is my office,” Brazil said, gesturing to the waves under the Bay Bridge. “I just love this job.”
San Francisco launched the ferry Tuesday in what will now be daily service, running 16 hours a day. The ferry service is part of a larger redevelopment effort taking place on the island and the neighboring Yerba Buena Island. The cost for a one-way ferry ride is $5, but monthly passes are available for $150. Children 4 and younger can ride for free.
That is, if the ferry arrives.
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Due to a misprint on the printed and digital schedule, the boat slated to arrive at the Ferry Building’s Gate B at 12:15 p.m. never appeared. The lack of communication between PROP SF, which owns the vessels and manages the Treasure Island Ferry Terminal, and Golden Gate Ferry, which manages the San Francisco Ferry Building, left prospective customers like Jason Hancock, “a little disappointed.”
But he understood that it was everyone's first day.
“I guess they have kinks to work out,” Hancock said, as he departed the docks in search of the 25 bus. “But I have to say: This is the least complicated route. I can see the whole path from here, so … I hope it didn’t sink!”
Until Tuesday, the 25 bus was the only way to ride public transit between Treasure Island and the city. Operated by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, the bus drops riders off at the Salesforce Transit Center in SoMa.
Scheduling wasn’t the only first-day hiccup. Spotty cell service complicated the phone-based ticketing system, and missing signage in the ferry building led to some customers getting lost. Ultimately, only three people made it onto the ferry before 1:30 p.m.
Despite the choppy execution, the ride itself was smooth sailing. Danielle Butler, a development manager at Treasure Island Development Company, called the scenic six-minute voyage “a game changer” for people whose work and homes are split between the two destinations.
