Wet weather Saturday fails to dampen spirits in the Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO -- Considering the severity of the drought these past few years, no one should complain when it starts to rain. Still, it does take some coping skills to make the best of a wet situation.
By midmorning Saturday, rain was coming down in buckets as the storm moved through the Bay Area as predicted.
But a city like San Francisco is meant to be experienced outdoors and, at Fisherman's Wharf, tourist Raul Zacaraas, in town for Sunday's Dolphins-49ers game, seemed surprised by the wet weather.
"I know the fog, I know that's a thing but I did not anticipate fog and rain and mist like this," the bundled-up Zacaraas said. "This is not an outfit I thought I'd be wearing today, not in San Francisco, right? I brought the scarf so that was nice but not the waterproof shell jacket. I didn't think I needed that."
The streets along the Wharf were pretty quiet for a Saturday and the outdoor crab vendors at the Sabella & La Torre restaurant didn't have quite as many customers as usual. That didn't mean the tourists were gone.
"When the rains starts, everybody comes in," said co-owner Gina LaRocca as she moved toward the restaurant entrance. Inside, the place was hopping, tables full of sightseers filling up on bread bowls of steaming clam chowder. LaRocca said that, on rainy days, they turn up the heat to make the dining area extra cozy.
"We've had a full house all day because it's raining and cold. It's been fun -- a lot of good people," she said with a smile.
WET ... AND LOVING IT
On the Berkeley shoreline, Kate Scheiderich's dog Nia was in ecstasy as she played fetch on the damp beach. Scheiderich said she believes there's a scientific reason why dogs love the rain so much.
"I think there's an actual chemical difference in rain. Water transfers certain scent molecules better," she said as Nia bounded after a toy.
Farther up the road, there was a different kind of excitement.
"Good job, good job!" yelled Adrain Fragoso. The Concord father was watching his son play a match at the Berkeley soccer complex. The U.S. may be out of the World Cup tournament but kids play in any kind of weather and their parents didn't seem to worry about the final score.
"I don't really focus on the weather. It's just, like, on the game," said Frogoso. "I mean, they scored three goals today. They played really nice. I cannot complain."
"We're so passionate about this sport," said soccer mom, Erica Guerra. "And we enjoy seeing our kids really passionate about it, too. So, a little rain doesn't bother us. No, not at all."
On Saturday, the Diablo Valley Wolves scored three goals to beat a team that, in a previous game, had scored 11 times on them. The weather may have been cold but the warmth between teammates was obvious.
"It's not about winning or losing. It's about having fun and playing with each other," said one of the kids, as they gathered after the game. "Even in the rain!"
