This is a followup guest post by Balz (part 1 can be found here: President’s Day on the Bay.)
When I checked my messages on Saturday morning, the last thing I expected to hear was an invitation from my friend Unit to go boating in the Bay.
“Isn’t this February?!” I thought to myself. “Is The Unit crazy?”
Yes, yes he is. Crazy like a fox.
Sunday morning found me scouring the Berkeley Marina looking for signs of life. While I was initially disappointed to learn that there is no deli there, the lack of a bait and tackle shop was downright shocking. (According to the folks who work at the information desk, however, both will be coming soon.)
Undaunted in my quest, I picked up a couple of sandwiches at Safeway before venturing to the Berkeley Bait & Tackle Shop at 2221 San Pablo Ave. This store couldn’t be any more authentic if it had been locked in a time capsule 50 years ago. Don’t go there if you’re looking for the latest in equipment and gear. Do go there if you’re looking for some friendly advice and live grass shrimp. ¼ lb of grass shrimp, complete with a block of ice to keep them fresh, cost me only $3.50.
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By 10:30, I was parked near the pier in the Berkeley Marina wondering where The Unit intended to pick me up. As I saw him approach in his 22’ boat, my mission become uncomfortably clear: I was going to have to navigate from the parking lot to the shore, making my way down moss-covered boulders, catch the boat before it clipped any rocks, and then jump aboard while I pushed it clear, all without dropping any of the food or bait.No problem.Upon further investigation from the bay, we would later discover a public boat launch (not marked by any signs from the road approaching the Marina ) located not more than 200 yards nautically from where I jumped on the boat. (Editor's Note: I tried to explain the boat ramp location over the phone prior to disembarking from the jetty rocks.) Due to the Marina ’s design, however, walking to the same dock from where I had parked would have meant approximately 1.5 miles, and I had already done my cardio for the weekend. This laziness would come back to haunt me when I returned ashore via the same route in the afternoon and took an unscheduled swim with my ill-fated PDA/Phone.Sturgeon were the morning’s objective, and we ventured out to San Pablo Bay in anticipation of favorable tides and optimal depth. We found both of those things along with a collection of other fishing vessels just off the shore of China Camp . By now, the thin fog and 50-degree starting temperature had given way to sunshine and 70’s. Knowing that our grass shrimp wouldn’t last long under those conditions, we conspired to impale them on sturgeon hooks that seemed much too big for their tiny bodies.
Whether it was the fault of the rigs, the bait, the conditions, or the fishermen, I cannot say, but no sturgeon were inconvenienced in any way due to our actions on Sunday. After approximately 3 hours of sincere but vain attempts, The Unit and I agreed to cease all sturgeon-catching efforts and focus our attention on getting as much enjoyment out of the afternoon as the beautiful weather would permit.
We picked up some friends at Sam’s in Tiburon before venturing to Angel Island , where we discovered a beautiful secluded beach. The views of both Marin County and the Golden Gate were simply outstanding from this vantage point. Were it not for the litter (which was observable, though not overwhelming), this beach and its inherently exclusive access would make an excellent spot for a romantic picnic.
But I digress. We returned to Tiburon for a brief bite before heading home.
The notoriety of Sam’s, with its fantastic menu and extensive bar, worked against us in this instance. Faced with a 2-hour wait, Unit and I opted to wander down the boardwalk for sustenance. We happened upon a gem in Alioto’s, which served up bruschetta and old-world-style pizza that was delicious and timely as well as reasonably-priced.
Our bellies filled, we headed back to the Berkeley Marina with choppy water in front of us and a gorgeous pink and orange sky at our backs. As indicated earlier, my return to shore could be called many things: humorous, uninspired, tragic… anything but heroic.
But my clothes will dry, my bruises will heal, and my insurance will cover my phone.
And we’ll all be back on the bay sooner than you think.
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