The Bay Was Hidden Under The Fog
Before the 18th century, the Golden Gate area was quite hidden because of its thick layer of fog. Going there would be reckless since you won’t be able to see anything, while the waters were terrifying as well. Many ships sunk after rocks smashed them.
The tech in ships today is entirely modernized, so they get to brave the strong currents nowadays. The NOAA knew that exploring the area would be risky, but they were willing to go for it. It takes a lot of courage to enter a place that’s known to cause many deaths.