It'd been my 5th or 6th time in SF but I was yet to see that famous fog. I only had a few days there and this isn't the best time for the Bay fog (summer is peak season) but I was determined to be there in case some floating water decided to show up. But for 3 mornings in a row, it didn't.
It was Friday, Black Friday, and I was still feeling full from the feast of the previous night. I woke up an hour before sunrise and quickly checked the Golden Gate webcam... this time, I wanted to make sure before making the trip. Clear. Damn, what a bummer. Laid down again. But I think it was that heavy feeling in my stomach that didn't let me fall asleep again. I checked the webcam some 20-30 minutes later again, and there was fog! I quickly packed my camera and hit the road.
It was a pretty thin fog, but it was still rolling in and it got thicker and thicker as the Sun was rising above the city in the background. I took a few shots and I was already packing to leave when the fog cleared up and a boat showed up from nowhere and passed under the Golden Gate. I was alone (everyone at that vantage point had left by then), the only noise you could hear was the loud ship horns coming from somewhere (I believe now they came from the bridge) and I couldn't even tell what kind of boat that was. It was a ghost.
I didn't have time to set up my film camera for this, but I'm glad I got a couple digital shots. Another example of why you should keep revisiting the same spots over and over!