Point San Pablo down to Castro Point and back again

[Thorne]

The weather only cleared today, so I hauled the Cosine Wherry over the extremely potholed and muddy road up to Point San Pablo Yacht Harbor. They have no real launching, but you have access (of a sort) to a beach owned by Chevron. Here is the thread from a year ago when I scouted the road and launching area - http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthread.php?109966-Point-San-Pablo-Yacht-Harbor-visit
http://www.luckhardt.com/PSPYH-map.jpg

Rather than risk getting stuck I just dragged the wherry down to the water, then rowed past the ruined whaling station at the point.
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/180424_10150169161743646_519763645_8033375_3897156 _n.jpg

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/183018_10150169176268646_519763645_8033524_2190409 _n.jpg

Then I rowed around several ruined piers and south towards scenic Winehaven and Point Molate.

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/184039_10150169183803646_519763645_8033595_5605774 _n.jpg
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/180949_10150169160303646_519763645_8033363_4617832 _n.jpg

[Thorne]

Before Point Molante is the scenic shuttered town of Winehaven, the largest winery on the West Coast just over 100 years ago.

http://www.luckhardt.com/WinehavenPoster.jpg

http://www.luckhardt.com/winehaven.jpg

Off across the Bay I could see a lovely gaff-rigged schooner towing a dinghy. No telephoto on my little camera, but I thought the juxtaposition between the schooner and the military jets overhead was neat.
http://www.luckhardt.com/scooner+jets.jpg

I turned around at Castro Point and rowed back north towards the Brothers Lighthouse, now an expensive and trendy B&B.
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/183359_10150169175183646_519763645_8033518_5039015 _n.jpg

[Thorne]

I rowed between the lighthouse and the two Brothers islands, zooming through on some interesting tidal rips as the tide was just turning.
http://www.luckhardt.com/brotherslighthouse1.jpg

Here it is from the NE -
http://www.luckhardt.com/IMG_2396.JPG

http://www.luckhardt.com/IMG_2403.jpg

Then I rowed past the ruined whaling station again, past the yacht harbor and over by the refinery, then let the increasing ebb tide take me back to the beach.

[David G]

Twin,

Looks like a lovely day on the water. That boat is looking sharp, too.

[Thorne]

I've added a few photos, plus they can be viewed much larger on my website - http://www.luckhardt.com/pointsanpablorow2-11.html

[Ian McColgin]

Finastkind.

[Canoez]

Owned by Chevron? Couldn't just slide the wherry to the water? |;)

Looks like a good day! I'm jealous - the water around here is still a bit hard.

Then again, I could slide the boat down to the water...

[Iceboy]

Nice stuff Thorne. Thanks.

[Thorne]

I'm apparently nothing if not predictable, as I scouted this site exactly a year ago. Nicked some of the photos from that thread for the webpage I just put up.

http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthread.php?109966-Point-San-Pablo-Yacht-Harbor-visit

[Thorne]

Here is the online NOAA chart showing the area. Note the restricted area - it seems to run straight out (west) from the fence around Winehaven on the north, past the pier, then angles SE to Castro Pt.
http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/18653.shtml

[davebrown]

Little or no wind? I went out yesterday here in Sacramento--wind died at about 4 pm.

[Thorne]

Mostly no wind - which was fine with me as my sailing dory is still getting varnished, and the thwarts aren't installed.