The Readers of Bay Crossings typically see vistas of San Francisco Bay from the shore, a ferry deck or from one of our beautiful bridges. We are truly blessed to be surrounded by the beauty of the hills and the water.
By Ed & Pam McGrath
Published: November, 2005
The Readers of Bay Crossings typically see vistas of San Francisco Bay from the shore, a ferry deck or from one of our beautiful bridges. We are truly blessed to be surrounded by the beauty of the hills and the water.
Have you ever looked at the boats cruising and sailing on the Bay and wondered who is at the helm? What would it take for me to be there? What kind of lives do these people lead? How did they get their "call of the sea"?
Boating on the San Francisco Bay extends back to the time when those native to the area were enjoying an Eden-like existence and taking advantage of the abundance of sea life to sustain them.
Then came the seafaring Spaniards, the Industrial Revolution, the annexation of California and the Gold Rush. The San Francisco Bay was becoming an indispensable international highway for ships from around the world. Much of San Francisco’s needs were being provided directly, or indirectly, from the Bay.
The growing economy gave the wealthy the opportunity to enjoy much of their free time playing on the Bay. People built floating vacation homes, called arks, and anchored them in the protective inlets. A fortunate few founded yacht clubs, and soon, the hobby of pleasure boating grew, exponentially.
Many descendents of these pioneer yachtsmen are still enjoying life on the Bay; however, most yachtsmen, today, are your neighbors. They may be sitting next to you on the ferry. They work hard for a living and indulge their passion for the sea, whenever they can find the time.
Along with pleasure yachts, the working boats also made a living in our waters. The Whitehall rowboat was a standard fixture here, acting as a water taxi and transporting goods from ship to shore. The Monterey fishing boat is a direct descendent of the fishing boats of Italy. (My family has worked the San Francisco Bay since the 1850’s. No yachtsman amongst us.)
You don’t have to be wealthy to be standing at the helm of a yacht. Yachtsmen are the most egalitarian group that you will ever meet. At any gathering of boaters you will see the owner of a million dollar boat enjoying the company of the owner of a trailerable fishing boat. They enjoy sharing their common passion — boating.
There are many opportunities to get into boating. Classes are available in every county. Sailing lessons are held at colleges and private sailing schools. The Power Squadrons and the Coast Guard are great resources.
If you have a desire to be at the helm of a boat on the Bay, that passion can be attainable for the same money that one would spend on other hobbies and passions. We invite you to explore the possibility with us and experience the view from the helm yourself.
