"Within one bay of the coastline there's between five and five-and-a-half tonnes of this oily substance, " said Holyhead Coastguard David North .

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If ATC is busy and clearance cannot be obtained to fly through the Class Bravo airspace, it is still possible to fly the Bay Tour: execute a left Dumbarton departure heading toward Half Moon Bay, follow the coastline all the way to the Golden Gate Bridge, then east to the Bay Bridge and retrace your path back to PAO staying under Class Bravo airspace throughout.

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The route is simple: a straight out departure, staying left of the 101 freeway, past San Carlos Airport, past SFO airport, through South San Francisco, and into downtown San Francisco, over the Oakland Bay Bridge, past Alcatraz Island, over the Golden Gate Bridge, then south following the coastline to Half Moon Bay and back east to PAO.

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On a fine day, take breakfast on the secluded terrace then make the short drive to Cardigan Bay, with its miles of unspoilt coastline and Blue Flag beaches.

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Plettenberg Bay is one of South Africa's most stunning chunks of coastline, and the town was bracing itself for the arrival of thousands of students who come each December for the "Plett Rage" - a riot of post-exams music and excess.

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