ArchivesOctober 2006 Around the baySoon you’ll begin to hear the roar, look outside and catch a glimpse of the Blue Angels racing in the sky during Fleet Week. More... Brew ReviewMagnolia Pub & Brewery in San Francisco has a Grateful Dead theme and, since I consider myself a Deadhead, I put on a tie-dye, slipped on my Birkenstocks and headed down to the Haight to meet with Owner/Head Brewer Dave McLean and sample his brews. More... ![]() Every time you turn around these days, someone seems to be ranting about corks in wine bottles. And when you open a wine bottle, it’s a toss up on what kind of cork will be there. Then you have to deal with it. More... Remember the ENIACThe future of technology is so predominant that we seldom reflect on the history of computing, and what sparked its development in the first place. More... ![]() Richmond’s Marina Bay is rich with culture, history and endless opportunities to explore and have fun. One of the Bay Area’s most desirable places to live, play and work, this is also the site where Rosie the Riveter built WWII liberty ships in the Kaiser Shipyards. Today, the public marina at picturesque Marina Bay provides 750 boat slips along with a boat ramp and a shoreline esplanade perfect for early evening strolls. More... ![]() Shipbuilding was the prime reason Matthew Turner came to Benicia over 125 years ago, turning out sailing vessels from Shipyard Cove in the 1880’s. More... ![]() A few weeks ago I helped an 89 year old gentleman bring his beloved 28’ Tollycraft down from Loch Lomand to the dock at McGrath Yachts in Sausalito. The day was blustery and we had a bit of difficulty getting out of the slip. However, he was an experienced skipper and we had no further problems on the trip down bay. He and his wife have owned the boat since 1977. Boating had been a large part of their life, spending summers in the Delta and winters cruising the Bay in the company their friends and fellow members of the United States Power Squadron. More... ![]() Sunset sail with desserts and hot beverages onboard the Lynx. The Lynx is a relatively new ship to our area. Built as a representation of an 1812 privateer, the crew dresses in costume and provides a lovely show on a beautiful ship. This event is a fundraiser for the Ward Cleaveland Memorial Scholarship fund. Location to board is Pier 40 south of Bay Bridge, Northnof Ball Park. More... ![]() Come join the Golden Gate Tall Ships Society Blues Cruise to see the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels. We will be enjoying the precision aerial show from the decks of the reproduction turn-of-the century Scow Schooner the Gas Light. Cruise includes full lunch and beverages as well as a magnificent view of this spectacular event. Location to board is Schoonmaker Marina, Sausalito. More... October Boating EventsThe 26th Annual Women Skipper’s Regatta is an event benefiting the Tall Ship Semester for Girls (TSSG). Open to all yachts with valid PHRF certificate. More... View from the Helm: Boating spiritFrom now through the end of the year (yikes, is 2006 really on its way out?) the spirits are coming to life: haunting spirits, the spirit of thanks and giving and the holiday spirit. In October, the spookiest of spirits arrive and then segue into sweeter ones based on gratefulness and appreciation. More... ![]() In the late 70’s and early 80’s, windsurfing became popular in Maui, the Columbia River Gorge and also on the Bay around Berkeley and San Francisco. These areas became focal points for the sport. Berkeley was the perfect place to learn windsurfing skills and to test and develop equipment. More... October Waterfront ActivitiesJoin Sea Trek’s Michael Morgan and gain an intimate glimpse into the world of the Tule Elk. More... ![]() Ok, folks, now pay attention, says Kim Hooper, addressing the twenty-or-so swimmers gathered in front of a large hand-painted map of the San Francisco Bay. A few people in the group look distinctly nervous. More... Halloween EventsCrissy Field Center’s first annual haunted house. Adults and youth (9 years and up) are invited to come and encounter sludgy, smoggy ghosts and goblins in a crazy, cool maze of enviro-horror. More... ![]() San Francisco, CA — Characters usually associated with the wee hours, including a fairy tale princess, are walking around at night in the San Francisco Bay Area. More specifically, they are riding the buses in an advertising campaign that promotes the region’s new All Nighter bus service. More... ![]() Bay Area residents can expect the region’s normally excellent air quality to become even better in the years ahead, as the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and the area’s transit systems near completion of an unprecedented diesel cleanup program. More... ![]() The Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) is making it easier than ever for motorists to take advantage of the region’s FasTrak electronic toll collection program. Beginning Oct. 1, the opening prepaid toll balance required for new customers will drop to $25 from the current $40. More... ![]() I’ve always enjoyed the street performers at Fisherman’s Wharf. More... Internationally Renowned Underwater Photographer to Speak at The Northern California Underwater Photographic SocietyThe California Underwater Photographic Society proudly presents a special speaking engagement by professional photographer, Jason Bradley, Fri., Oct. 13 at 8PM. More... ![]() In the 136 years since Verne wrote his story of underwater adventure and exploration, humans have still barely explored the depths of the oceans that cover nearly two-thirds of Earth’s surface. If local submersible engineer, Graham Hawkes, fulfills his own visions, he, too, will be able to join Captain Nemo and Professor Arronax in the knowledge of what lurks deep beneath the sea. More... Join the Carsharing Movement, Get a Flexcar in the SquareDo you know that for every carshare vehicle, approximately 15 private automobiles are taken off the road? Not to mention reducing miles driven, emissions and parking congestion. More... Enjoy Columbus’ Day Riverboat Style on a Bay Celebration Dinner CruiseBoard Bay Celebration for a Columbus Day Bay cruise / dinner that includes wine tasting, Italian food, Italian music, all inclusive in price, with a cash bar for all other beverages. More... Dear Editor:I wish to respond to an editorial in the September 2006 issue of Bay Crossings concerning the Oak to 9th project. Mr. Winston, the author, lauds the effort as a means primarily of providing affordable high-density housing for the economically disadvantaged. At first glance, a noble undertaking. The editorial calls the opposition spurious, and includes a reference to racism (politely referred to in the article as ...the queasy issue of equality) that is sure to get everyone’s attention. More... Hercules Poised to be Next Major Transportation HubWith plans currently underway for a new ferry terminal and its own designated stop on the Capitol Corridor train line, which provides service between San Jose and the Sacramento area, the sleepy town of Hercules finds itself poised to be the region’s next major transit hub. More... ![]() Like a dense morning fog burned away by the afternoon sun, a last minute effort to scuttle the new Alcatraz ferry service evaporated without even making it to court. More... ![]() Her start was plying the Oakland-San Francisco route in the 1920’s. She wound up linking San Rafael and Richmond and, during the 1940s, in her twilight, served Seattle. From there, she was auctioned off to the colorful Bay Area figure Arnold Gridley, creator of the motorized cable cars. More... ![]() Beauty, Amanda Abreau, screams as her seacreature beast, Bryan Johnson, gets a little too close. Shot on location on the docks of the Hanjin Terminal in Oakland. More... |