Description

Beautiful San Francisco Bay is among the world's finest natural harbors and a tourist mecca, but more attention is paid to the cities on its perimeter than to the scenic and historic islands that it contains. Traveling to these islands--most reachable only by boat--recalls the diverse history, maritime roots, and rapid changes of a region often associated with high tech and snarled freeways. This book explores the Bay's six most significant true islands, each with a fascinating history and spectacular views, in vivid color photographs. Join photographer Virginia Hines to visit notorious Alcatraz Island, the former maximum-security penitentiary turned National Park; Angel Island, once the "Ellis Island of the West" for Asian immigrants; man-made Treasure Island, created to host a World's Fair; tiny East Brother Island, with its quaint, still-functioning Victorian lighthouse; Yerba Buena Island, one-time home of the U.S. Navy's last active fleet admiral, Chester Nimitz; and Brooks Island, a hunting camp repurposed to protect wildlife. Hidden in plain sight, these often under-appreciated gems blend into the landscape yet stand apart from the mainland, isolated and unique.