A steady stream of ships has carried on commerce in the Bay Area for over 150 years. It used to be that privately owned schooners, brigantines and ships were the vessels of trade.
By Ed & Pam McGrath
Published: May, 2006
A steady stream of ships has carried on commerce in the Bay Area for over 150 years. It used to be that privately owned schooners, brigantines and ships were the vessels of trade. Today, they have been mostly replaced by cookie-cutter container ships whose owners and operators are disinterested in preserving the romance and color of life on the waterfront.
This color and romance is still evident, though, in the sites, sounds and activities of our vibrant working waterfront. Have you noticed? Some make it their mission to ensure the preservation of traditions. Others preserve it unknowingly while pursuing various maritime careers. Such pursuits are more than jobs, they are callings.
There are many ways to respond to the call of the sea, and there are countless ways to make a living on the waterfront. Think ferryboats. Think charters. Think boat-handling schools. Think boatyards, boat builders, boat maintenance, boat sales… and always think in color! Look at the renaissance of the San Francisco waterfront and the Ferry Building, a revitalized masterpiece, with its wonderful market stalls and farmer’s market.
Now, think container ports, where the ships deliver their cargo. Did you know that there are still 1,400 longshoremen working the local waterfront? They exhibit the same indefinable spirit and camaraderie that indwelt their earliest predecessors. They have changed only in that they must possess skills pertaining to the new technologies in port management. The members of the ILWU (International Longshoremen and Warehousemen Union) still live and work heartily. These men and women play a huge role in keeping our waterfront vivacious.
As ferry riders, we are most familiar with the captains and crew of these vital vehicles of transit. The men and women who operate the ferries are keepers of many proud maritime traditions. As members of the Inland Boatmans and The International Organization of Masters, Mates and Pilots Unions, they are highly trained and know how to keep you safe and comfortable while aboard.
Organizations and individuals alike are responsible for and dedicated to ensuring that the traditions of the working waterfront in the Bay Area stay vibrant and profitable. The Richardson Bay Maritime Association, for example, has a mission to promote and publicize maritime history and traditions. Others don’t focus on waterfront preservation as a mission. But their efforts contribute to that end.
The young men at North Bay Boat Works in Sausalito hand pick timbers and use wind fallen trees to construct gorgeous wooden boats using time honored traditional techniques. We are proud to say that we are expectant owners of a 12-foot lap strake rowing and sailing vessel built by NBBW (She’s a beauty!). Their endeavors contribute hugely to the romance and color and vitality of our working waterfronts.
How can you contribute? By noticing the sites and sounds and activities of our vibrant waterfront, support and enjoy them by whatever means.
