Walking along San Francisco’s waterfront, something about this row of fishing boats struck me as familiar.

Of course, I realized, this is the aquatic complement to the iconic Victorian “painted ladies” across from Alamo Square Park. Every spindle of tourist postcards in San Francisco has one of the “painted ladies.” They are as well-known as the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Coit Tower, and the homeless sleeping in Tenderloin doorways.

There are colorfully painted Victorians all over San Francisco but this row is by far the most iconic.