The adventure began as I stepped off the bus with the rest of my classmates and saw the c white vessel with wheels that would be carrying us on the tour. An exciting portrait of a cartoon duck and enthusiastic letters that read “Ride the Ducks” was displayed across the side of the motor vessel. It was hard for me to believe that this thing would be able to drive us all over the city as well as steer us into the icy waters of the San Francisco Bay.

Duck Boat

While waiting to load the duck boat, I began to take in all that the famous Fisherman’s Wharf had to offer. The salty, moisture in the air filled my nose and I noticed all the brightly painted signs that advertised the dozens of Italian and seafood restaurants that filled the block. Just around the corner was the standard souvenir shop that sold everything from Alcatraz t-shirts to personalized San Francisco key chains. My anticipation to get on the boat grew as they handed us our tickets and a bright yellow “quacker” that was shaped like the bill of a duck. A broken harmony began as we tested our “quackers” and made a ruckus down the street.

After I boarded the duck boat and took my seats, the Captain, who was called “Jess Kidn” raised the clear, vinyl windows, gave a humorous safety briefing, and began the tour with an upbeat tune and a couple of bad duck jokes. We first past the famous Del Monte Square and as we looked to our right the Captain pointed out the eerie island of Alcatraz. The hazy fog made it difficult to see the notorious place that housed so many infamous prisoners.

The duck boat entered Little Italy as Dean Martin’s “That’s Amore” began to play and a hint of garlic filled the air. Capt. Jess told stories and spouted out facts about the area, such as how North Beach used to have water but then became a landfill and now has No Beach. We passed Washington Square, and stepped into what seemed like another country.

Oriental music could be heard and the smell of delicious Asian food engulfed us as we made our way through Chinatown that has 300 restaurants in 10 blocks. The ornately decorated buildings were a sight, and they stuck out like roses among the other buildings.

Chinatown

The motor vessel continued on and entered Union Square; here we passed the great shopping area of the city. Went by several notable and historical buildings as the Captain kept me entertained with timely music that made me dance a little in my seat.

As it made its way to the water and as the Captain steered on the boat ramp, I began to feel a little nervous. Captain said, “I get a lot of questions, the most one I get the most is ‘does that thing really go in the water?’ and I answer, ‘no, the water goes in here.’” I giggled, hoping that his joke didn’t become reality. The duck transformed from car to boat as it plunged into the crisp bay waters. It was a different feeling being out on the water, highlighted by three sea lions that had found refuge on the bottom of a cargo ship. There were two of these giant vessels that towered over the little boat, made me feel like a mouse among men. We ventured to McCovey Cove and images of America’s favorite pastime filled our heads. This showed AT&T Park from a whole new perspective.

The boat (slowly) made its way back to the ramp, and I breathed a sigh of relief once the duck had finished its swim.  It was “smooth riding” as we traveled through a few more neighborhoods, and Abba’s “Dancing Queen” was playing. I was thinking what a unique adventure I had just experienced, looking back I thought it was silly that I’d ever doubted this half car half boat. I left feeling satisfied and knowledgeable about my first travel adventure.

Interested in touring on your own Duck Boat? Here’s How:

“Ride the Ducks” San Francisco. Ticket Booth at the corner of Jefferson and Taylor Streets across from the famous Fisherman’s Wharf sign. 800-452-4386. Sanfranciscoducks.com.