After a few years in Oakland, Carl Onkka a prominent lawyer, moved the family to San Francisco, the city that made a lasting impression on Bruce for the rest of his life. In 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge opened to the public, and Bruce was there with his siblings and parents to stroll accross. The family would visit nearby Golden Gate park or the amusement park across Ocean Beach. On one of the Ocean Beach occasions, the kids were wading in the surf. A strong wave knocked Bruce over in the water and fortunately, someone grabbed him before he washed out to sea. Another time he came close to drowning was when he fell in the Civic Center fountain in San Francisco.