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      "body": "Greetings from California. Anybody who says we have this under control is either lying, just plain wrong, or is behind it.  Almost all governments downplay things like this because they don't want to do what it's going to take to beat this virus. The name of that documentary on YouTube is \"1918 Spanish Flu historical documentary.\" At that time, 80 percent of Americans lived on farms. Oddly enough, the one city that was prepared and didn't suffer much was San Francisco, who had a health officer who took it very seriously. When this new virus hits the US, God help us. Best wishes to you.",
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      "body": "Thanks for your feedback Tom👊🏼Yes I think you do the tight thing to take these precautions. Even though your current president is playing that all down and claims the USA is save and has everything under control. Thanks for this great insight regarding the Spanish flue, didn't know this fact about where the name comes from. Have a great day and stay save. Greetings from Barcelona\n\nPosted using [Partiko Android](https://partiko.app/referral/hauptmann)",
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      "body": "I live in California, and while many here don't seem to be taking much action, people will talk about it if I mention it. They are concerned but not doing much, apparently, at this time. But I am. I've ordered canned foods, water, flour, and stuff so that I won't have to go out grocery shopping. The way to avoid this virus is to \"self-isolate.\" Avoid crowds, mainly. But also take precautions like wearing a mask if you do. This could be very serious.\nBTW, I happened to watch a documentary on the so-called \"Spanish Flu\" virus that killed over 100 miiiion people worldwide about 100 years ago. It's called the Spanaish Flu because Spain was the only country to honestly report the number of cases and deaths. All the other countries, perhaps because they were trying to have a war, while Spain wasn't, did not report how serious it was. So, people thought it was really bad in Spain and called it the Spanish Flu, when in reality it was no worse in Spain than anywhere else. Anyway, I think it's better to be safe than sorry about this thing. If it was designed as a weapon, and there's some indication it was, it won't be easy to stop. Good luck to us all.",
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      "body": "No, no, no. You're all wet.  They're laughing at you because you're saying you're glad they're, or Dr. Godley's, not embarrassed. But they've done nothing to be embarrassed about. You're the one who normally should be embarrassed. You're getting close to the \"M\" word, which is even more of a third rail than Israel's control of US foreign policy. You're the one who's not embarrassed, but who possibly should be.",
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      "body": "I had the same problem. It looks like you get to upload something three times. Updating after that doesn't seem to help. So, I copied my blog, videos included, then did a new post, and pasted the blog into the new post, re-titled it and posted it. That worked. I don't seem to be able to delete the three older incorrect posts, but I guess that shows it can't be censored.",
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      "permlink": "a-nice-voyage",
      "title": "A NIce Voyage",
      "body": "A Nice Voyage \n\nOn October 21, 2017, at approximately 11:30 a.m., the Estrella de Oro, \na Californian 34 coasting yacht built in Anaheim, California, almost \nforty years ago, cast off from her moorings at K-dock, slip-41 in the \nSacramento Marina. The Estrella de Oro had stayed the last two years \nand four months in the Sacramento Marina. I had lived aboard her. \neven as a \"sneak-aboard,\" for most of that time. \n\nThen I met and hired a not-so-young, but free-spirited man named \nMichael Curtis. Michael knew far more about boats than I did, and \nthe first time I met him, I liked him because when I mentioned I didn't \nhave a car, and proudly added, \"and I've never had a car,\" Michael \nsaid I was \"car-free.\" I had never heard that phrase, but thought \nit describes the situation precisely. He didn't own or drive a car either, \nthough it sounded as if he's not above riding in them. So, I got to know \nMichael. \n\n     I offered him twenty bucks an hour, my rate for fixing computers, \nif he would work on fixing up the boat. Eventually, I let him move onto \nthe Estrella de Oro at no charge because he was doing such a good job \nfixing up the boat. He fixed and maintained the water system, the \nelectrical system, and, above all, the engines. He was a nautical man \nwho seemed to prefer a sailboat to a powerboat, such as the Estrella \nde Oro, which has twin diesel engines. And he clearly had an \naffinity for the sea. He even knows the nautical terms, that I just \ncouldn't bring myself to learn. He'd say \"transom,\" and I'd ask, \n\"'Transom?' Why don't they just call it the back of the boat?\" \n\"Because that's its name,\" he calmly replied.\n\n\tBut I couldn't do all that he could. I would have had to have \nhired a bunch of mechanics to accomplish what he did. So, in exchange \nfor his nautical knowledge and skill, he was living rent free, as he \nseemed to have done in the past. That's my idea of a free spirit.\n\n\tI was tired of living on the boat, anyway. I had an apartment \nin Sacramento that had a wonderful shower. It's nice when you're on\n a boat that you can take hot showers. I enjoyed a hot shower \npractically every night I stayed on the Estrella de Oro. I especially \nenjoyed the shower because the boat had supplied the hot water. \nI could have been out on the ocean, and I still would have been\n able to take a hot shower. That's independence. It's a good feeling. \nBut on shore, thanks to the power company and water company, \nyou get about ten times as much water as you do with a shower \non a boat. On a boat the feeling of independence makes up, \nsomewhat, for the smaller quantity of hot water. An ex-Navy man \ntold me that showers in the Navy were, and probably still are, \nrather paltry affairs, too. Fresh water is precious at sea, especially \nif you have to make or carry it.\n\n     At any rate, the new coat of paint on the hull was dry, the boat \nlooked shipshape, maybe even, as Michael called it, \"Shipshape \nand Bristol fashion.\" The engines were purring, and Skipper \nMichael was at the helm. As the owner and captain, I had \nprovisioned the voyage, I'd paid all the taxes, paid for supplies, \npaid the \"slip\" fees. Now it was my turn to take videos. They are \nincluded in this narrative.\n\n\tWe left around noon, Saturday, Oct. 21. \nVIDEO 1 Entering Sacramento River\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3id1SLs9No\n\n       We went smoothly down the Sacramento River at around \neight or nine knots, Michael's dinghy trailing twenty-five feet \nbehind. I'm not sure what knots are. I think one knot an hour \nis a little more than one mile an hour.\nVIDEO 2 On our way \n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=058hg4pjaV0\n\n       We stopped at the Sherwood Harbor marina for fuel and to \npick up some final food and snacks and then were on the river \nagain. The day was beautiful—sunny, but not too hot. There was \nhardly a cloud in the sky. We had no idea how far we would go \nthat first day. We figured to reach Berkeley by the next day, but \nwe didn't know when. I just wanted to stop for a short visit in \nWalnut Grove, but I figured we'd go well beyond there before \nstopping for the night. \nVIDEO 3 An hour into the voyage\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LphKL-dc1z8\n\n       We reached Walnut Grove by mid-afternoon. We tied up to \nthe guest dock, the same guest dock at which the Estrella de \nOro had stopped for the night, when I brought it up from San \nMateo, having paid the seller to skipper the boat upriver to \nSacramento. Michael and I walked around the town, seeing the \nantique houses. We passed a pizza parlor, where the former \nowner, a friend of his, and I had eaten supper on the evening \nwe reached Walnut Grove on the trip up from San Mateo. \n\n       This time I especially looked for and found a Traditional \nJapanese Bathhouse.  On the way up, the bathhouse had been \nclosed, though I found a brochure describing the prices. This \ntime, the place was open for business, and I talked with the \nproprietor. It was now an Airbnb host, and one could rent a \nroom. Among the artifacts in the bathhouse, we saw an old \nrickshaw, probably brought from Japan, where rickshaws \nwere invented in the mid-1800's.\n\n       In some old Walnut Grove streets, we saw little three or \nfour inch iron rings embedded in and sticking up out of the \nsidewalk. A passerby told us they were for tying horses to. \nIt was an old town that hadn't changed much physically. \nMichael and I stopped to eat a late lunch of a tasty ice cream \ncone each, and soon we were on our way again, going down \nthe river.\nVIDEO 4 Walnut Grove\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWnnfZ1849E\n\n       We passed under a few bridges. One bridge was so low, we \nweren't sure we could go under it. In fact, when we did go under, \nMichael reached up and touched it with his hand. We passed \ndocks that had gates, and we wondered if those were private \ndocks. We passed several small towns.\n\n       The river gradually widened, and the sun began going down. \nWe had maybe an hour and half of sunlight left, and we started \nto seriously wonder where to stay for the night. Rio Vista seemed \nto be the next \"big\" town with a marina and a probable guest \ndock, but Michael wanted to go farther. I didn't care too much one\n way or the other, but I didn't want to be on the river after the sun \nset. Rio Vista seemed fine to me. We'd probably find a decent \nrestaurant there. I felt we didn't need to rush or push it. Enjoy \nthe trip. If it takes an extra day or two, that's life.\n\n       Any potential dispute was settled, however, when the port \nengine suddenly stopped working. Michael had no desire to \ndrive the boat on one engine; he especially didn't want to try \nmaneuvering into a marina on only one working engine. Two \nengines are much better than one for steering—if both engines \nare working. If one engine isn't working, the good engine is not \nin line with the center-line of the boat. If you can only have one \nengine working, then it should be at the middle of the transom. \nWith two engines, but only one working, the problem of steering \nis much more difficult than with just one engine. \n\n       We saw what we thought should be Rio Vista and looked for \nthe marina the chart said was there. We found it, but Michael \nwas reluctant to attempt to maneuver into its narrow opening on \none engine. Fortunately we saw a boat that Michael said was the \npolice. He called to them and told them about our plight. They \npointed to a guest dock attached to a restaurant overlooking the \nriver and said we could tie up there.\n\n       Since the police said we could, we stopped and secured the \nboat to the restaurant's dock. That was much easier than trying \nto enter the narrow marina. We were grateful to the restaurant \nand went in. We met a young woman who was either the head \nwaitress or some kind of manager. We asked if we could stay the \nnight tied to the restaurant's dock. She went to ask the owner \nand in a minute or so returned saying we could. But, she \ncautioned us, \"When the restaurant closes, the gate will be \nlocked, You won't be able to get off the boat and reach land by \ngoing through the restaurant.\" We had no intention of leaving\n the boat other than to have a meal, and we gladly accepted \nthe restaurant's hospitality.\n\n       Michael and I then proceeded to have one of the tastiest \nmeals I've had, and Michael said he'd had, in a long time. \nHunger and breathing fresh air, no doubt, helped the flavor. \nDuring the meal, Michael began trying to figure out why the \nport engine had gone out and how to start it again. He said it \nhad to be the fuel system and felt the culprit was either the fuel \nfilter or the fuel pump. By the time we'd finished, the sun had \nalready set, and darkness was overcoming the sky. A thin \ncrescent moon was hovering lovingly above the western horizon, \nand the sky was turning dark.\n\n       Michael went below to the engine room, and I made my bed \non the flybridge so I could see the stars. I was planning to use a \ncouple ensolite pads that I'd often used when camping in my \nyounger days, but Michael had the good idea of using the foam \nmattress from the port V-berth. We brought the mattress up to the \nflybridge, and I had a most comfortable bed below me and a clear \nnight sky above. \n\n       The only problem was the restaurant left a light on all night. \nHowever, that was the only light pollution, and I could block \nout that light by a careful arrangement of my backpacks and \ndeck chairs. The sky grew darker; the stars, like long-lost friends, \ncame back to greet me, and I recognized several constellations. \nI could easily see the Milky Way Galaxy, which is all I ask. \n\n       We were tired, and before long, we each hit the sack, Michael \nin the master cabin, and I on the flybridge. I don't know how \nmuch I slept. I woke often throughout the night, enjoying gazing \nat the stars. I hadn't camped under the stars in too long to \nremember how long it's been. It felt great. I passed into and out \nof sleep most of the night.\n\n       A few times the boat rocked quite violently. Some ship must \nhave been passing in the dark, or an earthquake was occurring \nnearby. Usually, a boat that can raise big waves is one that's \ngoing fast. But a heavy-enough boat can make big waves even \nthough it's going slow. There was no sound when the violent \nrocking began. So, it wasn't a speeding boat. I assume it was a \nheavily laden barge ship going smoothly and silently by. I saw \none such barge pushed by a tugboat during the day. It made \nno noise, but that barge displaced a lot of water.\nVIDEO 5 Rio Vista morning\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1oUajTOvTI\n\n\tI woke the next morning, a little tired, but refreshed and \nhappy. I saw Venus, the Morning Star, in the eastern sky a little \nbefore the sun made its appearance and considered it a good \nomen. I took a walk on the dock before Michael was up or the \nrestaurant was open. I met a couple men in a small single-engine \nputt-putt boat. Their boat was less than ten feet long, a boat \nyou don't have to register with the state or the Coast Guard. \nThey looked like fishermen. As they coasted in close to the dock, \nI called to them, softly so as not to break the general silence of \nthe morning, \"I trust you fellows have been to early church?\"\n       One, who was standing upright in the boat with a fishing \npole in his hands, replied, \"This is my church and my religion. \nThat's my story, and I'm sticking to it.\"\n\t\"If you can't worship here,\" I laughed, \"you can't worship \nanywhere,\"\n\n       We exchanged pleasantries, and I told them of our problem. \nOne of them suggested I might find a fuel pump at the marine \ncenter about a block from the restaurant. But since this was \nSunday morning, it might not be open. I wished them luck in \ntheir fishing, and they drifted off silently in their little putt-putt \nrowboat.\n\n       Since the previous evening's meal had been so delicious, \nMichael and I had breakfast at The Point, which we learned was \nthe name of the restaurant. It was another treat, this time \nfeaturing delicious hash browns. Michael ordered the same \nas I, but he additionally asked for some hot sauce. He had awoken \nwith a dry throat, and the medicine he used for it was hot sauce.\n\n       Over eggs, bacon, sausage and hash browns, Michael said he \nwas pretty sure he could start the engine. He was going to use \nsome trick, involving a gasoline soaked rag, he had learned while \nworking in an oilfield in Texas. After breakfast, we walked over to \na store featuring lots of marine items. I bought a white hose, which \nMichael said was the best hose for filling the water tank, and some \nfuel stabilizer. We came back to the Estrella de Oro, and Michael \nprepared to start the engines. To our great satisfaction they both \nstarted, and we steered over to the marina and filled up both \ndiesel fuel tanks. We were back on the river, heading southwest \nby ten a.m. As the river widened, we began to see windmills off \nour \"starboard,\" or right, side.\nVIDEO 6 Last view of Sacramento River\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8QYqlF3MKU\n\n       By the afternoon we had passed hundreds of large \nwindmills.\nVIDEO 7 Windmills.\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xb1iuLbZkJU\n\n       We were going through the complicated part of the trip. \nThere were military installations on our port side along in this \narea. I knew we had to stay far to the starboard. I remembered \na man in the San Mateo Yacht Club saying, \"Coast Guard \nvessels will come out and stop your boat if enter a restricted \narea.\" So, I definitely wanted to stay away from the installations \nand cities, such as Pittsburg and Antioch.\nVIDEO 8 Pittsburg\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a_QEcwQoUs\n\n       Fortunately, Michael got us through with no problems. We \nsaw several seals resting on the red and green marker buoys \nthat dot the river. Two years ago, on the trip up, I learned to \nsteer between the red and green marker buoys. If you do that, \nyou're probably going to be all right. Going down-river, the red \nmaker buoys should be on your left side, and the green buoys \nshould be on your right. The buoys are numbered and show \nyou where you are on the charts. Two pairs of seals, a pair on \nthe green buoy and a pair on the red one called to us. We \nclapped and tried to answer back. But I seriously doubt if seals \nand humans have anything of importance to say to one another.\nVIDEO 9 Seals\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-JV3uPSdes\n\n       As we approached Martinez, we went under the Benicia-\nMartinez Bridges, the new bridge, the railroad bridge, and the \nold bridge.\nVIDEO 10 Three bridges Benicia-Martinez\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uxh8auXv7MY\n\n       The afternoon was getting on, and I was for putting in at \nMartinez. I like Martinez, especially the climate. But, once again, \nMichael wanted to go further. There was still an hour or two of \nsunlight, and he thought we could probably find a marina closer \nto the bay, possibly Vallejo. I knew the lights and sounds in the \nVallejo area would preclude good gazing at the stars, and I put \nmy foot down against staying in Vallejo. Michael agreed that he \ndidn't particularly like Vallejo either. But there didn't seem to be \nmany places between Martinez and Berkeley except Richmond. \nHowever, once again, the port engine stepped in and decided \nfor us.\n\n       Just past the bridges and past a big tanker at Martinez, few \nhundred yards upriver from the Martinez Marina, the port engine \nwent out again! Michael didn't want to try entering the marina \non one engine. So, he gave me the helm and went hurriedly \nbelow to try and start the engine. I steered towards the marina, \nthen back out to deeper water, and then back in, staying in front \nof the Martinez Marina until Michael got the port engine running. \nI guess he used the gas-dipped rag trick again.\n\n       On two engines, we pulled up to the guest dock. I went \nashore to the marina office and paid for a guest slip and gate key.\nVIDEO 11 Harbormaster Martinez\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzI4sJWUV10\n\n       The slip was close to the land and close to the office.\nVIDEO 12 Dock at Martinez\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Og_nCgsc6NU\n\n       Michael and I then rode our scooters around the park that \nstretches along Martinez's shore. We were getting closer to the \nwide open waters that Michael loved. He marveled at the \nshoreline park. People seemed friendly in Martinez. Two young \nOriental women were walking their dog. They commented that \nscooters are a neat way to travel.\n\n       When we returned to the boat, Michael wanted to do his \nlaundry. So, I made my bed and ate rye bread, pork and beans, \nand real apple juice for dinner. In a way, it was a comedown from \nthe previous evening's meal, but it tasted good, hunger and \nbreathing fresh air being major ingredients of flavor. Soon after \nthe sun went down I could see that Martinez had much more \nlight pollution than Rio Vista. I couldn't see the Milky Way Galaxy, \nbut I slept well. The marina, protected by a sea wall, was very \ncalm compared to actually being on river, as we had been the \nnight before.\n\n       I awoke refreshed and ready to leave as soon as Michael \nroused himself.\nVIDEO 13 Sunrise at Martinez\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLBT9FDPkq0\n\n       I wanted to reach Berkeley, hopefully by noon. I had \ncalculated that we had over forty miles to go. I really didn't see \nhow we could make Berkeley by the afternoon, much less by \nnoon. I had a dental appointment the following day, and I was \nbeginning to doubt I could meet the schedule I had set. I \nconsidered calling and canceling the appointment. That would \ncause a cascade of cancellations of other meetings that I had \nplanned. I'd have to make four or five other calls and \ncancellations as well. But I was beginning to think that would \nbe the best.\n\n       I ate a quick breakfast and then went over to the marina \nrestroom. I wanted to take a shower. But at first, I couldn't see \nany shower. I saw a possible door to a shower. My key turned \nthe lock, but the door only opened an inch or so. I walked over \nto the nearby bait and grocery store, where I thought I'd find \nsomeone who worked for the marina who could explain where \nthe shower was.\n\nOn the porch of the bait store, I met a man I took to be a real \nnautical man, like Michael, but older, an \"Old Salt.\" I asked him \nwhere I could find a diesel fuel pump. He said, \"Not around here.\" \nI asked, \"How about the Eagle Marine store just up the road?\" He \nreplied, \"You can try it, but I doubt if they'll have one.\" Actually, \nMichael had found a spare fuel pump, which might or might not \nwork. I figured we should have a good one, just in case.\n\n\tI went into the bait store and found a young woman \norganizing store items. I asked her where the showers were. \nShe said she was new at the job and wasn't sure. She walked \nwith me back out to the porch and asked the old salt. He said \nthere was a room, just inside the door, which my key would \nopen. I said I had tried that door and it wouldn't open. He said \nhe didn't know, but that was the door to the shower.\n\n\tI headed back toward the restroom, knowing where the \nshower should be. I called back to the old salt standing on the \nporch. \"Maybe someone was taking a shower when I tried the \ndoor before.\" He replied, \"That's it. I think I saw someone \nwalking away from there who looked like he'd just taken a shower.\" \nI went back to the restroom, and this time my key opened the \ndoor. I took a refreshing shower.\n\n\tI had risen with the sun, but Michael wouldn't be up for a \nwhile. I looked over the charts hoping to see how many miles \nwe still had to go to reach Berkeley. I didn't see how we could \nmake Berkeley by noon unless we left immediately.\n\n\tBut Michael, when he finally came out of his bedroom \naround nine o'clock, was in a troubled mood and hadn't slept \nwell. He said, \"We're resting on the bottom. That's not good \nfor the boat!\"\n\n\tI hadn't noticed, but apparently, the Estrella de Oro was \nactually no longer floating. It was resting on the underlying \nground consisting mainly of silt. The Garmin navigator and \nsonar depth finder on the flybridge was not indicating any \nwater depth at all! It's not good for a boat to be resting on \nsolid ground, even if that ground is soft accumulated silt. A \nboat is built to float, to be in water so its sides have support.\n\n\tMichael was worried and angry at the harbor master's \nagent who had put us in our slip. There were plenty of other \nslips he could have put us in. I went to see the agent and told \nhim our situation and asked him why he didn't give us a slip \nfarther from land. He insisted that all the slips were silted; in \nfact, dredging was going on as we spoke. He concluded, \n\"That's the Martinez Marina. It's not deep anywhere because \nof the silt.\"\n\n\tWhile Michael continued to fume and eat something for \nbreakfast, I decided to walk down to a marine supply store to \nsee if they had a new fuel pump. They didn't have anything in \nthe way of diesel products. On my way back to the boat, I again \npassed the old salt and asked him if we could get out of the \nmarina with all the silt. He said confidently, \"Sure. It's just silt.\n You'll go right though it\" I stopped in at the office and turned \nin the dock key. I also picked up a tide chart. One of the dredge \nworkers, a man in an outboard powered boat, gave me a short \nlift to the Estrella de Oro. I was ready to take off, since by this \ntime it was after ten o'clock.\n\n\tMichael was still worried about being able to move the boat. \nI checked the tide chart, and saw that low tide was at ten-thirty. \nThe tide was still going out! If we waited for the tide to rise, \nwe'd be there until the afternoon. I told Michael, \"Let's just go. \nLet's try it.\" Michael wasn't happy, but he fired up the engines. \nThey both worked. We backed out, and we could see we were \nstirring up mud. On the flybridge I watched the depth finder \ncarefully. The Estrella de Oro has a draft of three point two feet. \nThe depth finder registered three point five feet and sometimes \nless than three point two. But we made it out to the main \nchannel, leaving a roiled trail of silty water. I let out the dinghy \nto the full length of its rope.\n\n\tOnce back on course, we headed west and soon went \nunder the Carquinez Bridges, linking Crockett and Vallejo.\nVIDEO 14 Carquinez Bridge\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD9BjlgtMi0\n\n       I figured we still had thirty-five miles or more to go and \nwould probably make Berkeley later in the day. While \nMichael charged ahead with the boat, I made a bunch of \nphone calls and canceled all appointments for the week. \nI felt much better. If I had to, I could stay on the boat all week, \nand my spirits lifted.\n\n       By noon the sky was blue, and the sun became hot. \nMichael chose to pilot the boat from the flybridge, since you \nget a better view of what's around you. I stayed on the flybridge \npart of the time, but I didn't stay in the sun long. It was intense, \nespecially with the reflection off the water. I stayed in the salon\n below and pored over the charts.\n\n\tI kept drinking bottles of water and bringing the same to \nMichael. But he was getting burned. For one thing he was \nwearing a long-sleeved black shirt. Eventually, he became so \nhot that he asked me to get him a lighter colored shirt from \nthe foot locker. I searched but could find only a short-sleeved \nlight-colored shirt. I felt sorry for him up there with the sun's \nrays, both from above and from the water below, on his arms. \nI figure a cabana-style square tent would help on sunny days \non the flybridge. \n\n\tI watched the shore. I'd enjoyed the scenic view of the water \nfrom the Amtrak Capital Corridor train many times before. But \nthe shoreline was equally as beautiful from the water. Michael \nsaid the lone marina along in here, besides Richmond, where \nhe didn't care to dock, was the San Pablo Marina. But according \nto Michael from YouTube videos he'd seen and from the charts \nas well, the San Pablo Marina has water to a depth of only one \nfoot. That would probably vary with the tide. He said they make \nyou sign a release before you can even dock there. After our \nMartinez escapade, neither of us much cared for that.\n\n\tBesides, we were making pretty good time. We figured we \nwould reach Berkeley sometime before the sunset. We could \nsee the water had a brownish tint. The closer we got to the brown, \nthe less the depth meter read. We headed back out to deeper \nwater. It might be longer, but we figured we should stay in the \nmain channel.\n\n\tSooner than I expected we rounded a point of land and \npassed from San Pablo Bay into San Francisco Bay. We came \nto an island with a lighthouse on it. It's called the East Brother \nLight Station and is a bed and breakfast.\nVIDEO 15 East Brother Light Station bed and breakfast\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTB_lByTMI4\n\n       Then ahead we saw the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge.\nVIDEO 16 Richmond-San Rafael Bridge\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DV3LrjaxgKY\n \n       At first, Michael seemed to be veering to the left, staying \nclose to the land. But from the charts, I saw that an entire \nrectangular area was a regulated navigation area. I can't \nremember the wording, but it sounded to me like somebody \ndidn't want us there. So, we went way around to the right. \nWe passed underneath the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, and \nI pointed out Red Rock Island off to our left\nVIDEO 17 Underneath RSR Bridge, Red Rock Island\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5-vFDotv-U\n\n       I had ridden in a bus over that bridge many times when I \nwas teaching in Novato. I remembered the island and wanting \nto explore it. The island has a red sandy beach that can be \nreached by boat. I've seen a boat anchored just off the island \nand a dinghy on the beach. I wondered what it'd be like to eat \nlunch on that red sandy beach. We continued past Red Rock \nIsland, and I could see San Francisco in the distance.\nVIDEO 18 San Francisco in the distance.\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKQAWNVF0uY\n\n       A little later the Golden Gate Bridge hove into view. Though \nI couldn't make out any details, I figured Berkeley would soon \nbe visible.\nVIDEO 19 San Francisco Bay past Richmond San Rafael Bridge\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytthRoo023g\n\n       Suddenly, the air became clearer, cooler, and fresher. \nThe Golden Gate Bridge was off to our starboard. Through the \nGolden Gate was flowing fresh air, after twelve thousand miles \nof unpolluted Pacific Ocean. San Francisco was on one side and \nMarin County was on the other. The air was noticeably fresher \nand more invigorating than even five minutes before, and, I \nwas soon to discover, five minutes later.\nVIDEO 20 Fresh air\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3SXDOF1OTE\n\n       As Michael cleaned up the boat, moving as hurriedly as I'd \never seen him move before, I took the wheel. I was a little \nsurprised when we passed Richmond; it seemed longer than \nI'd pictured it. But I was beginning to think that Berkeley was \nactually in view. Then, through my little telescope, I saw the \nclock tower at UC Berkeley. I looked for sails and masts but \ncouldn't make out the harbor.\n\nThe air wasn't as fresh as it had been just a few minutes back. \nI guess there's a current of clean fresh air that enters the bay \nand usually ends up near the UC Berkeley campus or North \nBerkeley. But it moves around with the prevailing winds. In a \nboat you could move with it. Could that be a big reason people \nlike sailing on San Francisco Bay? Just to breathe fresh sea air?\n\nIt took another half hour after Berkeley came into view before \nwe could clearly see the outlines of the marina harbor. Michael \nwas done cleaning up, and I let him take the wheel. The charts \nshowed depths of around ten feet. Finally we saw a sailboat \nheading into what looked like a breakwater. We followed it in. \nRunning on two engines, Michael has great confidence. Shortly \nafter we came into the harbor, he steered to the guest docks in \nfront of the marina office. They wanted to look us over, measure \nthe boat, and see the documentation. So we followed the sailboat, \nunder small outboard power, into slips K-0 and K-1, respectively.\n\nI went in and talked with a young woman named Sophia. I had \nmet her a few days before when I came down to Berkeley to take \ncare of all the paperwork. At the time, I hadn't brought the \nrequired documentation, and I still needed to pay her for the slip \nrental. She came out and measured the length of the Estrella de \nOro. She announced the yacht was thirty-six feet long. We went \nback into the office, and I paid her $393 for a slip, of which \nMichael agreed to pay $325 per month. I also had to pay another \nmonth's rent as a security deposit. She gave me two keys and \nasked which slip I preferred. I remembered Michael had said \nthat one near the marina entrance looked good, so I asked for \nthat. Sophia wished us luck, and I went back onto the boat. \nMichael asked about the marina's wi-fi password and if we had \na map of the marina. When I came back to ask for the map and \nwhat the wi-fi network key was, Sophia was waiting for me. \n\"'Berkeley,' with a capital 'B,'\" she said, handing me a marina map.\n\nWe found the slip, and it looked fine. It was near a gate and has \na beautiful view of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge \nfrom the flybridge. \nVIDEO 21 Berkeley Marina\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br8o_gJbzaA\n\n       Later that evening Michael and I headed over to Skate's on \nthe Bay for a \"last supper.\" In a big, relatively dark eating room, \nMichael and I sat at an elevated booth where we had a great view \nout the window of San Francisco Bay. As we ate the delicious \nfood, once again helped by hunger, our, no doubt, sunburned \neyes feasted on the view of the city of San Francisco, the setting \nsun, darkening sky and bay, the Golden Gate, Mount Tamalpais \nand very natural Marin County stretching away to the north. As \nthe orange ball went down behind the Golden Gate Bridge, \nMichael said I should take a picture. Alas, I didn't heed his advice. \nBut it was beautiful. \n\n\n                                    A Fitting End",
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      "parent_permlink": "boatcruise",
      "author": "tomhatcher",
      "permlink": "4vjfoz-voyage-of-the-estrella-de-oro-from-sacramento-to-berkeley",
      "title": "Voyage of the Estrella de Oro from Sacramento to Berkeley",
      "body": "On October 21, 2017, at approximately 11:30 a.m., the Estrella de Oro, \na Californian 34 coasting yacht built in Anaheim, California, almost \nforty years ago, cast off from her moorings at K-dock, slip-41 in the \nSacramento Marina. The Estrella de Oro had stayed the last two years \nand four months in the Sacramento Marina. I had lived aboard her. \neven as a \"sneak-aboard,\" for most of that time. \n\nThen I met and hired a not-so-young, but free-spirited man named \nMichael Curtis. Michael knew far more about boats than I did, and \nthe first time I met him, I liked him because when I mentioned I didn't \nhave a car, and proudly added, \"and I've never had a car,\" Michael \nsaid I was \"car-free.\" I had never heard that phrase, but thought \nit describes the situation precisely. He didn't own or drive a car either, \nthough it sounded as if he's not above riding in them. So, I got to know \nMichael. \n\n     I offered him twenty bucks an hour, my rate for fixing computers, \nif he would work on fixing up the boat. Eventually, I let him move onto \nthe Estrella de Oro at no charge because he was doing such a good job \nfixing up the boat. He fixed and maintained the water system, the \nelectrical system, and, above all, the engines. He was a nautical man \nwho seemed to prefer a sailboat to a powerboat, such as the Estrella \nde Oro, which has twin diesel engines. And he clearly had an \naffinity for the sea. He even knows the nautical terms, that I just \ncouldn't bring myself to learn. He'd say \"transom,\" and I'd ask, \n\"'Transom?' Why don't they just call it the back of the boat?\" \n\"Because that's its name,\" he calmly replied.\n\n\tBut I couldn't do all that he could. I would have had to have \nhired a bunch of mechanics to accomplish what he did. So, in exchange \nfor his nautical knowledge and skill, he was living rent free, as he \nseemed to have done in the past. That's my idea of a free spirit.\n\n\tI was tired of living on the boat, anyway. I had an apartment \nin Sacramento that had a wonderful shower. It's nice when you're on\n a boat that you can take hot showers. I enjoyed a hot shower \npractically every night I stayed on the Estrella de Oro. I especially \nenjoyed the shower because the boat had supplied the hot water. \nI could have been out on the ocean, and I still would have been\n able to take a hot shower. That's independence. It's a good feeling. \nBut on shore, thanks to the power company and water company, \nyou get about ten times as much water as you do with a shower \non a boat. On a boat the feeling of independence makes up, \nsomewhat, for the smaller quantity of hot water. An ex-Navy man \ntold me that showers in the Navy were, and probably still are, \nrather paltry affairs, too. Fresh water is precious at sea, especially \nif you have to make or carry it.\n\n     At any rate, the new coat of paint on the hull was dry, the boat \nlooked shipshape, maybe even, as Michael called it, \"Shipshape \nand Bristol fashion.\" The engines were purring, and Skipper \nMichael was at the helm. As the owner and captain, I had \nprovisioned the voyage, I'd paid all the taxes, paid for supplies, \npaid the \"slip\" fees. Now it was my turn to take videos. They are \nincluded in this narrative.\n\n\tWe left around noon, Saturday, Oct. 21. \nVIDEO 1 Entering Sacramento River\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3id1SLs9No\n\n       We went smoothly down the Sacramento River at around \neight or nine knots, Michael's dinghy trailing twenty-five feet \nbehind. I'm not sure what knots are. I think one knot an hour \nis a little more than one mile an hour.\nVIDEO 2 On our way \n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=058hg4pjaV0\n\n       We stopped at the Sherwood Harbor marina for fuel and to \npick up some final food and snacks and then were on the river \nagain. The day was beautiful—sunny, but not too hot. There was \nhardly a cloud in the sky. We had no idea how far we would go \nthat first day. We figured to reach Berkeley by the next day, but \nwe didn't know when. I just wanted to stop for a short visit in \nWalnut Grove, but I figured we'd go well beyond there before \nstopping for the night. \nVIDEO 3 An hour into the voyage\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LphKL-dc1z8\n\n       We reached Walnut Grove by mid-afternoon. We tied up to \nthe guest dock, the same guest dock at which the Estrella de \nOro had stopped for the night, when I brought it up from San \nMateo, having paid the seller to skipper the boat upriver to \nSacramento. Michael and I walked around the town, seeing the \nantique houses. We passed a pizza parlor, where the former \nowner, a friend of his, and I had eaten supper on the evening \nwe reached Walnut Grove on the trip up from San Mateo. \n\n       This time I especially looked for and found a Traditional \nJapanese Bathhouse.  On the way up, the bathhouse had been \nclosed, though I found a brochure describing the prices. This \ntime, the place was open for business, and I talked with the \nproprietor. It was now an Airbnb host, and one could rent a \nroom. Among the artifacts in the bathhouse, we saw an old \nrickshaw, probably brought from Japan, where rickshaws \nwere invented in the mid-1800's.\n\n       In some old Walnut Grove streets, we saw little three or \nfour inch iron rings embedded in and sticking up out of the \nsidewalk. A passerby told us they were for tying horses to. \nIt was an old town that hadn't changed much physically. \nMichael and I stopped to eat a late lunch of a tasty ice cream \ncone each, and soon we were on our way again, going down \nthe river.\nVIDEO 4 Walnut Grove\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWnnfZ1849E\n\n       We passed under a few bridges. One bridge was so low, we \nweren't sure we could go under it. In fact, when we did go under, \nMichael reached up and touched it with his hand. We passed \ndocks that had gates, and we wondered if those were private \ndocks. We passed several small towns.\n\n       The river gradually widened, and the sun began going down. \nWe had maybe an hour and half of sunlight left, and we started \nto seriously wonder where to stay for the night. Rio Vista seemed \nto be the next \"big\" town with a marina and a probable guest \ndock, but Michael wanted to go farther. I didn't care too much one\n way or the other, but I didn't want to be on the river after the sun \nset. Rio Vista seemed fine to me. We'd probably find a decent \nrestaurant there. I felt we didn't need to rush or push it. Enjoy \nthe trip. If it takes an extra day or two, that's life.\n\n       Any potential dispute was settled, however, when the port \nengine suddenly stopped working. Michael had no desire to \ndrive the boat on one engine; he especially didn't want to try \nmaneuvering into a marina on only one working engine. Two \nengines are much better than one for steering—if both engines \nare working. If one engine isn't working, the good engine is not \nin line with the center-line of the boat. If you can only have one \nengine working, then it should be at the middle of the transom. \nWith two engines, but only one working, the problem of steering \nis much more difficult than with just one engine. \n\n       We saw what we thought should be Rio Vista and looked for \nthe marina the chart said was there. We found it, but Michael \nwas reluctant to attempt to maneuver into its narrow opening on \none engine. Fortunately we saw a boat that Michael said was the \npolice. He called to them and told them about our plight. They \npointed to a guest dock attached to a restaurant overlooking the \nriver and said we could tie up there.\n\n       Since the police said we could, we stopped and secured the \nboat to the restaurant's dock. That was much easier than trying \nto enter the narrow marina. We were grateful to the restaurant \nand went in. We met a young woman who was either the head \nwaitress or some kind of manager. We asked if we could stay the \nnight tied to the restaurant's dock. She went to ask the owner \nand in a minute or so returned saying we could. But, she \ncautioned us, \"When the restaurant closes, the gate will be \nlocked, You won't be able to get off the boat and reach land by \ngoing through the restaurant.\" We had no intention of leaving\n the boat other than to have a meal, and we gladly accepted \nthe restaurant's hospitality.\n\n       Michael and I then proceeded to have one of the tastiest \nmeals I've had, and Michael said he'd had, in a long time. \nHunger and breathing fresh air, no doubt, helped the flavor. \nDuring the meal, Michael began trying to figure out why the \nport engine had gone out and how to start it again. He said it \nhad to be the fuel system and felt the culprit was either the fuel \nfilter or the fuel pump. By the time we'd finished, the sun had \nalready set, and darkness was overcoming the sky. A thin \ncrescent moon was hovering lovingly above the western horizon, \nand the sky was turning dark.\n\n       Michael went below to the engine room, and I made my bed \non the flybridge so I could see the stars. I was planning to use a \ncouple ensolite pads that I'd often used when camping in my \nyounger days, but Michael had the good idea of using the foam \nmattress from the port V-berth. We brought the mattress up to the \nflybridge, and I had a most comfortable bed below me and a clear \nnight sky above. \n\n       The only problem was the restaurant left a light on all night. \nHowever, that was the only light pollution, and I could block \nout that light by a careful arrangement of my backpacks and \ndeck chairs. The sky grew darker; the stars, like long-lost friends, \ncame back to greet me, and I recognized several constellations. \nI could easily see the Milky Way Galaxy, which is all I ask. \n\n       We were tired, and before long, we each hit the sack, Michael \nin the master cabin, and I on the flybridge. I don't know how \nmuch I slept. I woke often throughout the night, enjoying gazing \nat the stars. I hadn't camped under the stars in too long to \nremember how long it's been. It felt great. I passed into and out \nof sleep most of the night.\n\n       A few times the boat rocked quite violently. Some ship must \nhave been passing in the dark, or an earthquake was occurring \nnearby. Usually, a boat that can raise big waves is one that's \ngoing fast. But a heavy-enough boat can make big waves even \nthough it's going slow. There was no sound when the violent \nrocking began. So, it wasn't a speeding boat. I assume it was a \nheavily laden barge ship going smoothly and silently by. I saw \none such barge pushed by a tugboat during the day. It made \nno noise, but that barge displaced a lot of water.\nVIDEO 5 Rio Vista morning\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1oUajTOvTI\n\n\tI woke the next morning, a little tired, but refreshed and \nhappy. I saw Venus, the Morning Star, in the eastern sky a little \nbefore the sun made its appearance and considered it a good \nomen. I took a walk on the dock before Michael was up or the \nrestaurant was open. I met a couple men in a small single-engine \nputt-putt boat. Their boat was less than ten feet long, a boat \nyou don't have to register with the state or the Coast Guard. \nThey looked like fishermen. As they coasted in close to the dock, \nI called to them, softly so as not to break the general silence of \nthe morning, \"I trust you fellows have been to early church?\"\n       One, who was standing upright in the boat with a fishing \npole in his hands, replied, \"This is my church and my religion. \nThat's my story, and I'm sticking to it.\"\n\t\"If you can't worship here,\" I laughed, \"you can't worship \nanywhere,\"\n\n       We exchanged pleasantries, and I told them of our problem. \nOne of them suggested I might find a fuel pump at the marine \ncenter about a block from the restaurant. But since this was \nSunday morning, it might not be open. I wished them luck in \ntheir fishing, and they drifted off silently in their little putt-putt \nrowboat.\n\n       Since the previous evening's meal had been so delicious, \nMichael and I had breakfast at The Point, which we learned was \nthe name of the restaurant. It was another treat, this time \nfeaturing delicious hash browns. Michael ordered the same \nas I, but he additionally asked for some hot sauce. He had awoken \nwith a dry throat, and the medicine he used for it was hot sauce.\n\n       Over eggs, bacon, sausage and hash browns, Michael said he \nwas pretty sure he could start the engine. He was going to use \nsome trick, involving a gasoline soaked rag, he had learned while \nworking in an oilfield in Texas. After breakfast, we walked over to \na store featuring lots of marine items. I bought a white hose, which \nMichael said was the best hose for filling the water tank, and some \nfuel stabilizer. We came back to the Estrella de Oro, and Michael \nprepared to start the engines. To our great satisfaction they both \nstarted, and we steered over to the marina and filled up both \ndiesel fuel tanks. We were back on the river, heading southwest \nby ten a.m. As the river widened, we began to see windmills off \nour \"starboard,\" or right, side.\nVIDEO 6 Last view of Sacramento River\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8QYqlF3MKU\n\n       By the afternoon we had passed hundreds of large \nwindmills.\nVIDEO 7 Windmills.\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xb1iuLbZkJU\n\n       We were going through the complicated part of the trip. \nThere were military installations on our port side along in this \narea. I knew we had to stay far to the starboard. I remembered \na man in the San Mateo Yacht Club saying, \"Coast Guard \nvessels will come out and stop your boat if enter a restricted \narea.\" So, I definitely wanted to stay away from the installations \nand cities, such as Pittsburg and Antioch.\nVIDEO 8 Pittsburg\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a_QEcwQoUs\n\n       Fortunately, Michael got us through with no problems. We \nsaw several seals resting on the red and green marker buoys \nthat dot the river. Two years ago, on the trip up, I learned to \nsteer between the red and green marker buoys. If you do that, \nyou're probably going to be all right. Going down-river, the red \nmaker buoys should be on your left side, and the green buoys \nshould be on your right. The buoys are numbered and show \nyou where you are on the charts. Two pairs of seals, a pair on \nthe green buoy and a pair on the red one called to us. We \nclapped and tried to answer back. But I seriously doubt if seals \nand humans have anything of importance to say to one another.\nVIDEO 9 Seals\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-JV3uPSdes\n\n       As we approached Martinez, we went under the Benicia-\nMartinez Bridges, the new bridge, the railroad bridge, and the \nold bridge.\nVIDEO 10 Three bridges Benicia-Martinez\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uxh8auXv7MY\n\n       The afternoon was getting on, and I was for putting in at \nMartinez. I like Martinez, especially the climate. But, once again, \nMichael wanted to go further. There was still an hour or two of \nsunlight, and he thought we could probably find a marina closer \nto the bay, possibly Vallejo. I knew the lights and sounds in the \nVallejo area would preclude good gazing at the stars, and I put \nmy foot down against staying in Vallejo. Michael agreed that he \ndidn't particularly like Vallejo either. But there didn't seem to be \nmany places between Martinez and Berkeley except Richmond. \nHowever, once again, the port engine stepped in and decided \nfor us.\n\n       Just past the bridges and past a big tanker at Martinez, few \nhundred yards upriver from the Martinez Marina, the port engine \nwent out again! Michael didn't want to try entering the marina \non one engine. So, he gave me the helm and went hurriedly \nbelow to try and start the engine. I steered towards the marina, \nthen back out to deeper water, and then back in, staying in front \nof the Martinez Marina until Michael got the port engine running. \nI guess he used the gas-dipped rag trick again.\n\n       On two engines, we pulled up to the guest dock. I went \nashore to the marina office and paid for a guest slip and gate key.\nVIDEO 11 Harbormaster Martinez\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzI4sJWUV10\n\n       The slip was close to the land and close to the office.\nVIDEO 12 Dock at Martinez\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Og_nCgsc6NU\n\n       Michael and I then rode our scooters around the park that \nstretches along Martinez's shore. We were getting closer to the \nwide open waters that Michael loved. He marveled at the \nshoreline park. People seemed friendly in Martinez. Two young \nOriental women were walking their dog. They commented that \nscooters are a neat way to travel.\n\n       When we returned to the boat, Michael wanted to do his \nlaundry. So, I made my bed and ate rye bread, pork and beans, \nand real apple juice for dinner. In a way, it was a comedown from \nthe previous evening's meal, but it tasted good, hunger and \nbreathing fresh air being major ingredients of flavor. Soon after \nthe sun went down I could see that Martinez had much more \nlight pollution than Rio Vista. I couldn't see the Milky Way Galaxy, \nbut I slept well. The marina, protected by a sea wall, was very \ncalm compared to actually being on river, as we had been the \nnight before.\n\n       I awoke refreshed and ready to leave as soon as Michael \nroused himself.\nVIDEO 13 Sunrise at Martinez\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLBT9FDPkq0\n\n       I wanted to reach Berkeley, hopefully by noon. I had \ncalculated that we had over forty miles to go. I really didn't see \nhow we could make Berkeley by the afternoon, much less by \nnoon. I had a dental appointment the following day, and I was \nbeginning to doubt I could meet the schedule I had set. I \nconsidered calling and canceling the appointment. That would \ncause a cascade of cancellations of other meetings that I had \nplanned. I'd have to make four or five other calls and \ncancellations as well. But I was beginning to think that would \nbe the best.\n\n       I ate a quick breakfast and then went over to the marina \nrestroom. I wanted to take a shower. But at first, I couldn't see \nany shower. I saw a possible door to a shower. My key turned \nthe lock, but the door only opened an inch or so. I walked over \nto the nearby bait and grocery store, where I thought I'd find \nsomeone who worked for the marina who could explain where \nthe shower was.\n\nOn the porch of the bait store, I met a man I took to be a real \nnautical man, like Michael, but older, an \"Old Salt.\" I asked him \nwhere I could find a diesel fuel pump. He said, \"Not around here.\" \nI asked, \"How about the Eagle Marine store just up the road?\" He \nreplied, \"You can try it, but I doubt if they'll have one.\" Actually, \nMichael had found a spare fuel pump, which might or might not \nwork. I figured we should have a good one, just in case.\n\n\tI went into the bait store and found a young woman \norganizing store items. I asked her where the showers were. \nShe said she was new at the job and wasn't sure. She walked \nwith me back out to the porch and asked the old salt. He said \nthere was a room, just inside the door, which my key would \nopen. I said I had tried that door and it wouldn't open. He said \nhe didn't know, but that was the door to the shower.\n\n\tI headed back toward the restroom, knowing where the \nshower should be. I called back to the old salt standing on the \nporch. \"Maybe someone was taking a shower when I tried the \ndoor before.\" He replied, \"That's it. I think I saw someone \nwalking away from there who looked like he'd just taken a shower.\" \nI went back to the restroom, and this time my key opened the \ndoor. I took a refreshing shower.\n\n\tI had risen with the sun, but Michael wouldn't be up for a \nwhile. I looked over the charts hoping to see how many miles \nwe still had to go to reach Berkeley. I didn't see how we could \nmake Berkeley by noon unless we left immediately.\n\n\tBut Michael, when he finally came out of his bedroom \naround nine o'clock, was in a troubled mood and hadn't slept \nwell. He said, \"We're resting on the bottom. That's not good \nfor the boat!\"\n\n\tI hadn't noticed, but apparently, the Estrella de Oro was \nactually no longer floating. It was resting on the underlying \nground consisting mainly of silt. The Garmin navigator and \nsonar depth finder on the flybridge was not indicating any \nwater depth at all! It's not good for a boat to be resting on \nsolid ground, even if that ground is soft accumulated silt. A \nboat is built to float, to be in water so its sides have support.\n\n\tMichael was worried and angry at the harbor master's \nagent who had put us in our slip. There were plenty of other \nslips he could have put us in. I went to see the agent and told \nhim our situation and asked him why he didn't give us a slip \nfarther from land. He insisted that all the slips were silted; in \nfact, dredging was going on as we spoke. He concluded, \n\"That's the Martinez Marina. It's not deep anywhere because \nof the silt.\"\n\n\tWhile Michael continued to fume and eat something for \nbreakfast, I decided to walk down to a marine supply store to \nsee if they had a new fuel pump. They didn't have anything in \nthe way of diesel products. On my way back to the boat, I again \npassed the old salt and asked him if we could get out of the \nmarina with all the silt. He said confidently, \"Sure. It's just silt.\n You'll go right though it\" I stopped in at the office and turned \nin the dock key. I also picked up a tide chart. One of the dredge \nworkers, a man in an outboard powered boat, gave me a short \nlift to the Estrella de Oro. I was ready to take off, since by this \ntime it was after ten o'clock.\n\n\tMichael was still worried about being able to move the boat. \nI checked the tide chart, and saw that low tide was at ten-thirty. \nThe tide was still going out! If we waited for the tide to rise, \nwe'd be there until the afternoon. I told Michael, \"Let's just go. \nLet's try it.\" Michael wasn't happy, but he fired up the engines. \nThey both worked. We backed out, and we could see we were \nstirring up mud. On the flybridge I watched the depth finder \ncarefully. The Estrella de Oro has a draft of three point two feet. \nThe depth finder registered three point five feet and sometimes \nless than three point two. But we made it out to the main \nchannel, leaving a roiled trail of silty water. I let out the dinghy \nto the full length of its rope.\n\n\tOnce back on course, we headed west and soon went \nunder the Carquinez Bridges, linking Crockett and Vallejo.\nVIDEO 14 Carquinez Bridge\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD9BjlgtMi0\n\n       I figured we still had thirty-five miles or more to go and \nwould probably make Berkeley later in the day. While \nMichael charged ahead with the boat, I made a bunch of \nphone calls and canceled all appointments for the week. \nI felt much better. If I had to, I could stay on the boat all week, \nand my spirits lifted.\n\n       By noon the sky was blue, and the sun became hot. \nMichael chose to pilot the boat from the flybridge, since you \nget a better view of what's around you. I stayed on the flybridge \npart of the time, but I didn't stay in the sun long. It was intense, \nespecially with the reflection off the water. I stayed in the salon\n below and pored over the charts.\n\n\tI kept drinking bottles of water and bringing the same to \nMichael. But he was getting burned. For one thing he was \nwearing a long-sleeved black shirt. Eventually, he became so \nhot that he asked me to get him a lighter colored shirt from \nthe foot locker. I searched but could find only a short-sleeved \nlight-colored shirt. I felt sorry for him up there with the sun's \nrays, both from above and from the water below, on his arms. \nI figure a cabana-style square tent would help on sunny days \non the flybridge. \n\n\tI watched the shore. I'd enjoyed the scenic view of the water \nfrom the Amtrak Capital Corridor train many times before. But \nthe shoreline was equally as beautiful from the water. Michael \nsaid the lone marina along in here, besides Richmond, where \nhe didn't care to dock, was the San Pablo Marina. But according \nto Michael from YouTube videos he'd seen and from the charts \nas well, the San Pablo Marina has water to a depth of only one \nfoot. That would probably vary with the tide. He said they make \nyou sign a release before you can even dock there. After our \nMartinez escapade, neither of us much cared for that.\n\n\tBesides, we were making pretty good time. We figured we \nwould reach Berkeley sometime before the sunset. We could \nsee the water had a brownish tint. The closer we got to the brown, \nthe less the depth meter read. We headed back out to deeper \nwater. It might be longer, but we figured we should stay in the \nmain channel.\n\n\tSooner than I expected we rounded a point of land and \npassed from San Pablo Bay into San Francisco Bay. We came \nto an island with a lighthouse on it. It's called the East Brother \nLight Station and is a bed and breakfast.\nVIDEO 15 East Brother Light Station bed and breakfast\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTB_lByTMI4\n\n       Then ahead we saw the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge.\nVIDEO 16 Richmond-San Rafael Bridge\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DV3LrjaxgKY\n \n       At first, Michael seemed to be veering to the left, staying \nclose to the land. But from the charts, I saw that an entire \nrectangular area was a regulated navigation area. I can't \nremember the wording, but it sounded to me like somebody \ndidn't want us there. So, we went way around to the right. \nWe passed underneath the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, and \nI pointed out Red Rock Island off to our left\nVIDEO 17 Underneath RSR Bridge, Red Rock Island\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5-vFDotv-U\n\n       I had ridden in a bus over that bridge many times when I \nwas teaching in Novato. I remembered the island and wanting \nto explore it. The island has a red sandy beach that can be \nreached by boat. I've seen a boat anchored just off the island \nand a dinghy on the beach. I wondered what it'd be like to eat \nlunch on that red sandy beach. We continued past Red Rock \nIsland, and I could see San Francisco in the distance.\nVIDEO 18 San Francisco in the distance.\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKQAWNVF0uY\n\n       A little later the Golden Gate Bridge hove into view. Though \nI couldn't make out any details, I figured Berkeley would soon \nbe visible.\nVIDEO 19 San Francisco Bay past Richmond San Rafael Bridge\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytthRoo023g\n\n       Suddenly, the air became clearer, cooler, and fresher. \nThe Golden Gate Bridge was off to our starboard. Through the \nGolden Gate was flowing fresh air, after twelve thousand miles \nof unpolluted Pacific Ocean. San Francisco was on one side and \nMarin County was on the other. The air was noticeably fresher \nand more invigorating than even five minutes before, and, I \nwas soon to discover, five minutes later.\nVIDEO 20 Fresh air\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3SXDOF1OTE\n\n       As Michael cleaned up the boat, moving as hurriedly as I'd \never seen him move before, I took the wheel. I was a little \nsurprised when we passed Richmond; it seemed longer than \nI'd pictured it. But I was beginning to think that Berkeley was \nactually in view. Then, through my little telescope, I saw the \nclock tower at UC Berkeley. I looked for sails and masts but \ncouldn't make out the harbor.\n\nThe air wasn't as fresh as it had been just a few minutes back. \nI guess there's a current of clean fresh air that enters the bay \nand usually ends up near the UC Berkeley campus or North \nBerkeley. But it moves around with the prevailing winds. In a \nboat you could move with it. Could that be a big reason people \nlike sailing on San Francisco Bay? Just to breathe fresh sea air?\n\nIt took another half hour after Berkeley came into view before \nwe could clearly see the outlines of the marina harbor. Michael \nwas done cleaning up, and I let him take the wheel. The charts \nshowed depths of around ten feet. Finally we saw a sailboat \nheading into what looked like a breakwater. We followed it in. \nRunning on two engines, Michael has great confidence. Shortly \nafter we came into the harbor, he steered to the guest docks in \nfront of the marina office. They wanted to look us over, measure \nthe boat, and see the documentation. So we followed the sailboat, \nunder small outboard power, into slips K-0 and K-1, respectively.\n\nI went in and talked with a young woman named Sophia. I had \nmet her a few days before when I came down to Berkeley to take \ncare of all the paperwork. At the time, I hadn't brought the \nrequired documentation, and I still needed to pay her for the slip \nrental. She came out and measured the length of the Estrella de \nOro. She announced the yacht was thirty-six feet long. We went \nback into the office, and I paid her $393 for a slip, of which \nMichael agreed to pay $325 per month. I also had to pay another \nmonth's rent as a security deposit. She gave me two keys and \nasked which slip I preferred. I remembered Michael had said \nthat one near the marina entrance looked good, so I asked for \nthat. Sophia wished us luck, and I went back onto the boat. \nMichael asked about the marina's wi-fi password and if we had \na map of the marina. When I came back to ask for the map and \nwhat the wi-fi network key was, Sophia was waiting for me. \n\"'Berkeley,' with a capital 'B,'\" she said, handing me a marina map.\n\nWe found the slip, and it looked fine. It was near a gate and has \na beautiful view of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge \nfrom the flybridge. \nVIDEO 21 Berkeley Marina\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br8o_gJbzaA\n\n       Later that evening Michael and I headed over to Skate's on \nthe Bay for a \"last supper.\" In a big, relatively dark eating room, \nMichael and I sat at an elevated booth where we had a great view \nout the window of San Francisco Bay. As we ate the delicious \nfood, once again helped by hunger, our, no doubt, sunburned \neyes feasted on the view of the city of San Francisco, the setting \nsun, darkening sky and bay, the Golden Gate, Mount Tamalpais \nand very natural Marin County stretching away to the north. As \nthe orange ball went down behind the Golden Gate Bridge, \nMichael said I should take a picture. Alas, I didn't heed his advice. \nBut it was beautiful. \n\n\n                                    A Fitting End",
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      "parent_permlink": "boatcruise",
      "author": "tomhatcher",
      "permlink": "4vjfoz-voyage-of-the-estrella-de-oro-from-sacramento-to-berkeley",
      "title": "Voyage of the Estrella de Oro from Sacramento to Berkeley",
      "body": "On October 21, 2017, at approximately 11:30 a.m., the Estrella de Oro, \na Californian 34 coasting yacht built in Anaheim, California, almost \nforty years ago, cast off from her moorings at K-dock, slip-41 in the \nSacramento Marina. The Estrella de Oro had stayed the last two years \nand four months in the Sacramento Marina. I had lived aboard her. \neven as a \"sneak-aboard,\" for most of that time. \n\nThen I met and hired a not-so-young, but free-spirited man named \nMichael Curtis. Michael knew far more about boats than I did, and \nthe first time I met him, I liked him because when I mentioned I didn't \nhave a car, and proudly added, \"and I've never had a car,\" Michael \nsaid I was \"car-free.\" I had never heard that phrase, but thought \nit describes the situation precisely. He didn't own or drive a car either, \nthough it sounded as if he's not above riding in them. So, I got to know \nMichael. \n\n     I offered him twenty bucks an hour, my rate for fixing computers, \nif he would work on fixing up the boat. Eventually, I let him move onto \nthe Estrella de Oro at no charge because he was doing such a good job \nfixing up the boat. He fixed and maintained the water system, the \nelectrical system, and, above all, the engines. He was a nautical man \nwho seemed to prefer a sailboat to a powerboat, such as the Estrella \nde Oro, which has twin diesel engines. And he clearly had an \naffinity for the sea. He even knows the nautical terms, that I just \ncouldn't bring myself to learn. He'd say \"transom,\" and I'd ask, \n\"'Transom?' Why don't they just call it the back of the boat?\" \n\"Because that's its name,\" he calmly replied.\n\n\tBut I couldn't do all that he could. I would have had to have \nhired a bunch of mechanics to accomplish what he did. So, in exchange \nfor his nautical knowledge and skill, he was living rent free, as he \nseemed to have done in the past. That's my idea of a free spirit.\n\n\tI was tired of living on the boat, anyway. I had an apartment \nin Sacramento that had a wonderful shower. It's nice when you're on\n a boat that you can take hot showers. I enjoyed a hot shower \npractically every night I stayed on the Estrella de Oro. I especially \nenjoyed the shower because the boat had supplied the hot water. \nI could have been out on the ocean, and I still would have been\n able to take a hot shower. That's independence. It's a good feeling. \nBut on shore, thanks to the power company and water company, \nyou get about ten times as much water as you do with a shower \non a boat. On a boat the feeling of independence makes up, \nsomewhat, for the smaller quantity of hot water. An ex-Navy man \ntold me that showers in the Navy were, and probably still are, \nrather paltry affairs, too. Fresh water is precious at sea, especially \nif you have to make or carry it.\n\n     At any rate, the new coat of paint on the hull was dry, the boat \nlooked shipshape, maybe even, as Michael called it, \"Shipshape \nand Bristol fashion.\" The engines were purring, and Skipper \nMichael was at the helm. As the owner and captain, I had \nprovisioned the voyage, I'd paid all the taxes, paid for supplies, \npaid the \"slip\" fees. Now it was my turn to take videos. They are \nincluded in this narrative.\n\n\tWe left around noon, Saturday, Oct. 21. \nVIDEO 1 Entering Sacramento River\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3id1SLs9No\n\n       We went smoothly down the Sacramento River at around \neight or nine knots, Michael's dinghy trailing twenty-five feet \nbehind. I'm not sure what knots are. I think one knot an hour \nis a little more than one mile an hour.\nVIDEO 2 On our way \n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=058hg4pjaV0\n\n       We stopped at the Sherwood Harbor marina for fuel and to \npick up some final food and snacks and then were on the river \nagain. The day was beautiful—sunny, but not too hot. There was \nhardly a cloud in the sky. We had no idea how far we would go \nthat first day. We figured to reach Berkeley by the next day, but \nwe didn't know when. I just wanted to stop for a short visit in \nWalnut Grove, but I figured we'd go well beyond there before \nstopping for the night. \nVIDEO 3 An hour into the voyage\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LphKL-dc1z8\n\n       We reached Walnut Grove by mid-afternoon. We tied up to \nthe guest dock, the same guest dock at which the Estrella de \nOro had stopped for the night, when I brought it up from San \nMateo, having paid the seller to skipper the boat upriver to \nSacramento. Michael and I walked around the town, seeing the \nantique houses. We passed a pizza parlor, where the former \nowner, a friend of his, and I had eaten supper on the evening \nwe reached Walnut Grove on the trip up from San Mateo. \n\n       This time I especially looked for and found a Traditional \nJapanese Bathhouse.  On the way up, the bathhouse had been \nclosed, though I found a brochure describing the prices. This \ntime, the place was open for business, and I talked with the \nproprietor. It was now an Airbnb host, and one could rent a \nroom. Among the artifacts in the bathhouse, we saw an old \nrickshaw, probably brought from Japan, where rickshaws \nwere invented in the mid-1800's.\n\n       In some old Walnut Grove streets, we saw little three or \nfour inch iron rings embedded in and sticking up out of the \nsidewalk. A passerby told us they were for tying horses to. \nIt was an old town that hadn't changed much physically. \nMichael and I stopped to eat a late lunch of a tasty ice cream \ncone each, and soon we were on our way again, going down \nthe river.\nVIDEO 4 Walnut Grove\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWnnfZ1849E\n\n       We passed under a few bridges. One bridge was so low, we \nweren't sure we could go under it. In fact, when we did go under, \nMichael reached up and touched it with his hand. We passed \ndocks that had gates, and we wondered if those were private \ndocks. We passed several small towns.\n\n       The river gradually widened, and the sun began going down. \nWe had maybe an hour and half of sunlight left, and we started \nto seriously wonder where to stay for the night. Rio Vista seemed \nto be the next \"big\" town with a marina and a probable guest \ndock, but Michael wanted to go farther. I didn't care too much one\n way or the other, but I didn't want to be on the river after the sun \nset. Rio Vista seemed fine to me. We'd probably find a decent \nrestaurant there. I felt we didn't need to rush or push it. Enjoy \nthe trip. If it takes an extra day or two, that's life.\n\n       Any potential dispute was settled, however, when the port \nengine suddenly stopped working. Michael had no desire to \ndrive the boat on one engine; he especially didn't want to try \nmaneuvering into a marina on only one working engine. Two \nengines are much better than one for steering—if both engines \nare working. If one engine isn't working, the good engine is not \nin line with the center-line of the boat. If you can only have one \nengine working, then it should be at the middle of the transom. \nWith two engines, but only one working, the problem of steering \nis much more difficult than with just one engine. \n\n       We saw what we thought should be Rio Vista and looked for \nthe marina the chart said was there. We found it, but Michael \nwas reluctant to attempt to maneuver into its narrow opening on \none engine. Fortunately we saw a boat that Michael said was the \npolice. He called to them and told them about our plight. They \npointed to a guest dock attached to a restaurant overlooking the \nriver and said we could tie up there.\n\n       Since the police said we could, we stopped and secured the \nboat to the restaurant's dock. That was much easier than trying \nto enter the narrow marina. We were grateful to the restaurant \nand went in. We met a young woman who was either the head \nwaitress or some kind of manager. We asked if we could stay the \nnight tied to the restaurant's dock. She went to ask the owner \nand in a minute or so returned saying we could. But, she \ncautioned us, \"When the restaurant closes, the gate will be \nlocked, You won't be able to get off the boat and reach land by \ngoing through the restaurant.\" We had no intention of leaving\n the boat other than to have a meal, and we gladly accepted \nthe restaurant's hospitality.\n\n       Michael and I then proceeded to have one of the tastiest \nmeals I've had, and Michael said he'd had, in a long time. \nHunger and breathing fresh air, no doubt, helped the flavor. \nDuring the meal, Michael began trying to figure out why the \nport engine had gone out and how to start it again. He said it \nhad to be the fuel system and felt the culprit was either the fuel \nfilter or the fuel pump. By the time we'd finished, the sun had \nalready set, and darkness was overcoming the sky. A thin \ncrescent moon was hovering lovingly above the western horizon, \nand the sky was turning dark.\n\n       Michael went below to the engine room, and I made my bed \non the flybridge so I could see the stars. I was planning to use a \ncouple ensolite pads that I'd often used when camping in my \nyounger days, but Michael had the good idea of using the foam \nmattress from the port V-berth. We brought the mattress up to the \nflybridge, and I had a most comfortable bed below me and a clear \nnight sky above. \n\n       The only problem was the restaurant left a light on all night. \nHowever, that was the only light pollution, and I could block \nout that light by a careful arrangement of my backpacks and \ndeck chairs. The sky grew darker; the stars, like long-lost friends, \ncame back to greet me, and I recognized several constellations. \nI could easily see the Milky Way Galaxy, which is all I ask. \n\n       We were tired, and before long, we each hit the sack, Michael \nin the master cabin, and I on the flybridge. I don't know how \nmuch I slept. I woke often throughout the night, enjoying gazing \nat the stars. I hadn't camped under the stars in too long to \nremember how long it's been. It felt great. I passed into and out \nof sleep most of the night.\n\n       A few times the boat rocked quite violently. Some ship must \nhave been passing in the dark, or an earthquake was occurring \nnearby. Usually, a boat that can raise big waves is one that's \ngoing fast. But a heavy-enough boat can make big waves even \nthough it's going slow. There was no sound when the violent \nrocking began. So, it wasn't a speeding boat. I assume it was a \nheavily laden barge ship going smoothly and silently by. I saw \none such barge pushed by a tugboat during the day. It made \nno noise, but that barge displaced a lot of water.\nVIDEO 5 Rio Vista morning\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1oUajTOvTI\n\n\tI woke the next morning, a little tired, but refreshed and \nhappy. I saw Venus, the Morning Star, in the eastern sky a little \nbefore the sun made its appearance and considered it a good \nomen. I took a walk on the dock before Michael was up or the \nrestaurant was open. I met a couple men in a small single-engine \nputt-putt boat. Their boat was less than ten feet long, a boat \nyou don't have to register with the state or the Coast Guard. \nThey looked like fishermen. As they coasted in close to the dock, \nI called to them, softly so as not to break the general silence of \nthe morning, \"I trust you fellows have been to early church?\"\n       One, who was standing upright in the boat with a fishing \npole in his hands, replied, \"This is my church and my religion. \nThat's my story, and I'm sticking to it.\"\n\t\"If you can't worship here,\" I laughed, \"you can't worship \nanywhere,\"\n\n       We exchanged pleasantries, and I told them of our problem. \nOne of them suggested I might find a fuel pump at the marine \ncenter about a block from the restaurant. But since this was \nSunday morning, it might not be open. I wished them luck in \ntheir fishing, and they drifted off silently in their little putt-putt \nrowboat.\n\n       Since the previous evening's meal had been so delicious, \nMichael and I had breakfast at The Point, which we learned was \nthe name of the restaurant. It was another treat, this time \nfeaturing delicious hash browns. Michael ordered the same \nas I, but he additionally asked for some hot sauce. He had awoken \nwith a dry throat, and the medicine he used for it was hot sauce.\n\n       Over eggs, bacon, sausage and hash browns, Michael said he \nwas pretty sure he could start the engine. He was going to use \nsome trick, involving a gasoline soaked rag, he had learned while \nworking in an oilfield in Texas. After breakfast, we walked over to \na store featuring lots of marine items. I bought a white hose, which \nMichael said was the best hose for filling the water tank, and some \nfuel stabilizer. We came back to the Estrella de Oro, and Michael \nprepared to start the engines. To our great satisfaction they both \nstarted, and we steered over to the marina and filled up both \ndiesel fuel tanks. We were back on the river, heading southwest \nby ten a.m. As the river widened, we began to see windmills off \nour \"starboard,\" or right, side.\nVIDEO 6 Last view of Sacramento River\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8QYqlF3MKU\n\n       By the afternoon we had passed hundreds of large \nwindmills.\nVIDEO 7 Windmills.\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xb1iuLbZkJU\n\n       We were going through the complicated part of the trip. \nThere were military installations on our port side along in this \narea. I knew we had to stay far to the starboard. I remembered \na man in the San Mateo Yacht Club saying, \"Coast Guard \nvessels will come out and stop your boat if enter a restricted \narea.\" So, I definitely wanted to stay away from the installations \nand cities, such as Pittsburg and Antioch.\nVIDEO 8 Pittsburg\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a_QEcwQoUs\n\n       Fortunately, Michael got us through with no problems. We \nsaw several seals resting on the red and green marker buoys \nthat dot the river. Two years ago, on the trip up, I learned to \nsteer between the red and green marker buoys. If you do that, \nyou're probably going to be all right. Going down-river, the red \nmaker buoys should be on your left side, and the green buoys \nshould be on your right. The buoys are numbered and show \nyou where you are on the charts. Two pairs of seals, a pair on \nthe green buoy and a pair on the red one called to us. We \nclapped and tried to answer back. But I seriously doubt if seals \nand humans have anything of importance to say to one another.\nVIDEO 9 Seals\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-JV3uPSdes\n\n       As we approached Martinez, we went under the Benicia-\nMartinez Bridges, the new bridge, the railroad bridge, and the \nold bridge.\nVIDEO 10 Three bridges Benicia-Martinez\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uxh8auXv7MY\n\n       The afternoon was getting on, and I was for putting in at \nMartinez. I like Martinez, especially the climate. But, once again, \nMichael wanted to go further. There was still an hour or two of \nsunlight, and he thought we could probably find a marina closer \nto the bay, possibly Vallejo. I knew the lights and sounds in the \nVallejo area would preclude good gazing at the stars, and I put \nmy foot down against staying in Vallejo. Michael agreed that he \ndidn't particularly like Vallejo either. But there didn't seem to be \nmany places between Martinez and Berkeley except Richmond. \nHowever, once again, the port engine stepped in and decided \nfor us.\n\n       Just past the bridges and past a big tanker at Martinez, few \nhundred yards upriver from the Martinez Marina, the port engine \nwent out again! Michael didn't want to try entering the marina \non one engine. So, he gave me the helm and went hurriedly \nbelow to try and start the engine. I steered towards the marina, \nthen back out to deeper water, and then back in, staying in front \nof the Martinez Marina until Michael got the port engine running. \nI guess he used the gas-dipped rag trick again.\n\n       On two engines, we pulled up to the guest dock. I went \nashore to the marina office and paid for a guest slip and gate key.\nVIDEO 11 Harbormaster Martinez\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzI4sJWUV10\n\n       The slip was close to the land and close to the office.\nVIDEO 12 Dock at Martinez\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Og_nCgsc6NU\n\n       Michael and I then rode our scooters around the park that \nstretches along Martinez's shore. We were getting closer to the \nwide open waters that Michael loved. He marveled at the \nshoreline park. People seemed friendly in Martinez. Two young \nOriental women were walking their dog. They commented that \nscooters are a neat way to travel.\n\n       When we returned to the boat, Michael wanted to do his \nlaundry. So, I made my bed and ate rye bread, pork and beans, \nand real apple juice for dinner. In a way, it was a comedown from \nthe previous evening's meal, but it tasted good, hunger and \nbreathing fresh air being major ingredients of flavor. Soon after \nthe sun went down I could see that Martinez had much more \nlight pollution than Rio Vista. I couldn't see the Milky Way Galaxy, \nbut I slept well. The marina, protected by a sea wall, was very \ncalm compared to actually being on river, as we had been the \nnight before.\n\n       I awoke refreshed and ready to leave as soon as Michael \nroused himself.\nVIDEO 13 Sunrise at Martinez\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLBT9FDPkq0\n\n       I wanted to reach Berkeley, hopefully by noon. I had \ncalculated that we had over forty miles to go. I really didn't see \nhow we could make Berkeley by the afternoon, much less by \nnoon. I had a dental appointment the following day, and I was \nbeginning to doubt I could meet the schedule I had set. I \nconsidered calling and canceling the appointment. That would \ncause a cascade of cancellations of other meetings that I had \nplanned. I'd have to make four or five other calls and \ncancellations as well. But I was beginning to think that would \nbe the best.\n\n       I ate a quick breakfast and then went over to the marina \nrestroom. I wanted to take a shower. But at first, I couldn't see \nany shower. I saw a possible door to a shower. My key turned \nthe lock, but the door only opened an inch or so. I walked over \nto the nearby bait and grocery store, where I thought I'd find \nsomeone who worked for the marina who could explain where \nthe shower was.\n\nOn the porch of the bait store, I met a man I took to be a real \nnautical man, like Michael, but older, an \"Old Salt.\" I asked him \nwhere I could find a diesel fuel pump. He said, \"Not around here.\" \nI asked, \"How about the Eagle Marine store just up the road?\" He \nreplied, \"You can try it, but I doubt if they'll have one.\" Actually, \nMichael had found a spare fuel pump, which might or might not \nwork. I figured we should have a good one, just in case.\n\n\tI went into the bait store and found a young woman \norganizing store items. I asked her where the showers were. \nShe said she was new at the job and wasn't sure. She walked \nwith me back out to the porch and asked the old salt. He said \nthere was a room, just inside the door, which my key would \nopen. I said I had tried that door and it wouldn't open. He said \nhe didn't know, but that was the door to the shower.\n\n\tI headed back toward the restroom, knowing where the \nshower should be. I called back to the old salt standing on the \nporch. \"Maybe someone was taking a shower when I tried the \ndoor before.\" He replied, \"That's it. I think I saw someone \nwalking away from there who looked like he'd just taken a shower.\" \nI went back to the restroom, and this time my key opened the \ndoor. I took a refreshing shower.\n\n\tI had risen with the sun, but Michael wouldn't be up for a \nwhile. I looked over the charts hoping to see how many miles \nwe still had to go to reach Berkeley. I didn't see how we could \nmake Berkeley by noon unless we left immediately.\n\n\tBut Michael, when he finally came out of his bedroom \naround nine o'clock, was in a troubled mood and hadn't slept \nwell. He said, \"We're resting on the bottom. That's not good \nfor the boat!\"\n\n\tI hadn't noticed, but apparently, the Estrella de Oro was \nactually no longer floating. It was resting on the underlying \nground consisting mainly of silt. The Garmin navigator and \nsonar depth finder on the flybridge was not indicating any \nwater depth at all! It's not good for a boat to be resting on \nsolid ground, even if that ground is soft accumulated silt. A \nboat is built to float, to be in water so its sides have support.\n\n\tMichael was worried and angry at the harbor master's \nagent who had put us in our slip. There were plenty of other \nslips he could have put us in. I went to see the agent and told \nhim our situation and asked him why he didn't give us a slip \nfarther from land. He insisted that all the slips were silted; in \nfact, dredging was going on as we spoke. He concluded, \n\"That's the Martinez Marina. It's not deep anywhere because \nof the silt.\"\n\n\tWhile Michael continued to fume and eat something for \nbreakfast, I decided to walk down to a marine supply store to \nsee if they had a new fuel pump. They didn't have anything in \nthe way of diesel products. On my way back to the boat, I again \npassed the old salt and asked him if we could get out of the \nmarina with all the silt. He said confidently, \"Sure. It's just silt.\n You'll go right though it\" I stopped in at the office and turned \nin the dock key. I also picked up a tide chart. One of the dredge \nworkers, a man in an outboard powered boat, gave me a short \nlift to the Estrella de Oro. I was ready to take off, since by this \ntime it was after ten o'clock.\n\n\tMichael was still worried about being able to move the boat. \nI checked the tide chart, and saw that low tide was at ten-thirty. \nThe tide was still going out! If we waited for the tide to rise, \nwe'd be there until the afternoon. I told Michael, \"Let's just go. \nLet's try it.\" Michael wasn't happy, but he fired up the engines. \nThey both worked. We backed out, and we could see we were \nstirring up mud. On the flybridge I watched the depth finder \ncarefully. The Estrella de Oro has a draft of three point two feet. \nThe depth finder registered three point five feet and sometimes \nless than three point two. But we made it out to the main \nchannel, leaving a roiled trail of silty water. I let out the dinghy \nto the full length of its rope.\n\n\tOnce back on course, we headed west and soon went \nunder the Carquinez Bridges, linking Crockett and Vallejo.\nVIDEO 14 Carquinez Bridge\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD9BjlgtMi0\n\n       I figured we still had thirty-five miles or more to go and \nwould probably make Berkeley later in the day. While \nMichael charged ahead with the boat, I made a bunch of \nphone calls and canceled all appointments for the week. \nI felt much better. If I had to, I could stay on the boat all week, \nand my spirits lifted.\n\n       By noon the sky was blue, and the sun became hot. \nMichael chose to pilot the boat from the flybridge, since you \nget a better view of what's around you. I stayed on the flybridge \npart of the time, but I didn't stay in the sun long. It was intense, \nespecially with the reflection off the water. I stayed in the salon\n below and pored over the charts.\n\n\tI kept drinking bottles of water and bringing the same to \nMichael. But he was getting burned. For one thing he was \nwearing a long-sleeved black shirt. Eventually, he became so \nhot that he asked me to get him a lighter colored shirt from \nthe foot locker. I searched but could find only a short-sleeved \nlight-colored shirt. I felt sorry for him up there with the sun's \nrays, both from above and from the water below, on his arms. \nI figure a cabana-style square tent would help on sunny days \non the flybridge. \n\n\tI watched the shore. I'd enjoyed the scenic view of the water \nfrom the Amtrak Capital Corridor train many times before. But \nthe shoreline was equally as beautiful from the water. Michael \nsaid the lone marina along in here, besides Richmond, where \nhe didn't care to dock, was the San Pablo Marina. But according \nto Michael from YouTube videos he'd seen and from the charts \nas well, the San Pablo Marina has water to a depth of only one \nfoot. That would probably vary with the tide. He said they make \nyou sign a release before you can even dock there. After our \nMartinez escapade, neither of us much cared for that.\n\n\tBesides, we were making pretty good time. We figured we \nwould reach Berkeley sometime before the sunset. We could \nsee the water had a brownish tint. The closer we got to the brown, \nthe less the depth meter read. We headed back out to deeper \nwater. It might be longer, but we figured we should stay in the \nmain channel.\n\n\tSooner than I expected we rounded a point of land and \npassed from San Pablo Bay into San Francisco Bay. We came \nto an island with a lighthouse on it. It's called the East Brother \nLight Station and is a bed and breakfast.\nVIDEO 15 East Brother Light Station bed and breakfast\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTB_lByTMI4\n\n       Then ahead we saw the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge.\nVIDEO 16 Richmond-San Rafael Bridge\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DV3LrjaxgKY\n \n       At first, Michael seemed to be veering to the left, staying \nclose to the land. But from the charts, I saw that an entire \nrectangular area was a regulated navigation area. I can't \nremember the wording, but it sounded to me like somebody \ndidn't want us there. So, we went way around to the right. \nWe passed underneath the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, and \nI pointed out Red Rock Island off to our left\nVIDEO 17 Underneath RSR Bridge, Red Rock Island\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5-vFDotv-U\n\n       I had ridden in a bus over that bridge many times when I \nwas teaching in Novato. I remembered the island and wanting \nto explore it. The island has a red sandy beach that can be \nreached by boat. I've seen a boat anchored just off the island \nand a dinghy on the beach. I wondered what it'd be like to eat \nlunch on that red sandy beach. We continued past Red Rock \nIsland, and I could see San Francisco in the distance.\nVIDEO 18 San Francisco in the distance.\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKQAWNVF0uY\n\n       A little later the Golden Gate Bridge hove into view. Though \nI couldn't make out any details, I figured Berkeley would soon \nbe visible.\nVIDEO 19 San Francisco Bay past Richmond San Rafael Bridge\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytthRoo023g\n\n       Suddenly, the air became clearer, cooler, and fresher. \nThe Golden Gate Bridge was off to our starboard. Through the \nGolden Gate was flowing fresh air, after twelve thousand miles \nof unpolluted Pacific Ocean. San Francisco was on one side and \nMarin County was on the other. The air was noticeably fresher \nand more invigorating than even five minutes before, and, I \nwas soon to discover, five minutes later.\nVIDEO 20 Fresh air\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3SXDOF1OTE\n\n       As Michael cleaned up the boat, moving as hurriedly as I'd \never seen him move before, I took the wheel. I was a little \nsurprised when we passed Richmond; it seemed longer than \nI'd pictured it. But I was beginning to think that Berkeley was \nactually in view. Then, through my little telescope, I saw the \nclock tower at UC Berkeley. I looked for sails and masts but \ncouldn't make out the harbor.\n\nThe air wasn't as fresh as it had been just a few minutes back. \nI guess there's a current of clean fresh air that enters the bay \nand usually ends up near the UC Berkeley campus or North \nBerkeley. But it moves around with the prevailing winds. In a \nboat you could move with it. Could that be a big reason people \nlike sailing on San Francisco Bay? Just to breathe fresh sea air?\n\nIt took another half hour after Berkeley came into view before \nwe could clearly see the outlines of the marina harbor. Michael \nwas done cleaning up, and I let him take the wheel. The charts \nshowed depths of around ten feet. Finally we saw a sailboat \nheading into what looked like a breakwater. We followed it in. \nRunning on two engines, Michael has great confidence. Shortly \nafter we came into the harbor, he steered to the guest docks in \nfront of the marina office. They wanted to look us over, measure \nthe boat, and see the documentation. So we followed the sailboat, \nunder small outboard power, into slips K-0 and K-1, respectively.\n\nI went in and talked with a young woman named Sophia. I had \nmet her a few days before when I came down to Berkeley to take \ncare of all the paperwork. At the time, I hadn't brought the \nrequired documentation, and I still needed to pay her for the slip \nrental. She came out and measured the length of the Estrella de \nOro. She announced the yacht was thirty-six feet long. We went \nback into the office, and I paid her $393 for a slip, of which \nMichael agreed to pay $325 per month. I also had to pay another \nmonth's rent as a security deposit. She gave me two keys and \nasked which slip I preferred. I remembered Michael had said \nthat one near the marina entrance looked good, so I asked for \nthat. Sophia wished us luck, and I went back onto the boat. \nMichael asked about the marina's wi-fi password and if we had \na map of the marina. When I came back to ask for the map and \nwhat the wi-fi network key was, Sophia was waiting for me. \n\"'Berkeley,' with a capital 'B,'\" she said, handing me a marina map.\n\nWe found the slip, and it looked fine. It was near a gate and has \na beautiful view of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge \nfrom the flybridge. \nVIDEO 21 Berkeley Marina\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br8o_gJbzaA\n\n       Later that evening Michael and I headed over to Skate's on \nthe Bay for a \"last supper.\" In a big, relatively dark eating room, \nMichael and I sat at an elevated booth where we had a great view \nout the window of San Francisco Bay. As we ate the delicious \nfood, once again helped by hunger, our, no doubt, sunburned \neyes feasted on the view of the city of San Francisco, the setting \nsun, darkening sky and bay, the Golden Gate, Mount Tamalpais \nand very natural Marin County stretching away to the north. As \nthe orange ball went down behind the Golden Gate Bridge, \nMichael said I should take a picture. Alas, I didn't heed his advice. \nBut it was beautiful. \n\n\n                                    A Fitting End",
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      "parent_permlink": "boatcruise",
      "author": "tomhatcher",
      "permlink": "4vjfoz-voyage-of-the-estrella-de-oro-from-sacramento-to-berkeley",
      "title": "Voyage of the Estrella de Oro from Sacramento to Berkeley",
      "body": "On October 21, 2017, at approximately 11:30 a.m., the Estrella de Oro, \na Californian 34 coasting yacht built in Anaheim, California, almost \nforty years ago, cast off from her moorings at K-dock, slip-41 in the \nSacramento Marina. The Estrella de Oro had stayed the last two years \nand four months in the Sacramento Marina. I had lived aboard her. \neven as a \"sneak-aboard,\" for most of that time. \n\nThen I met and hired a not-so-young, but free-spirited man named \nMichael Curtis. Michael knew far more about boats than I did, and \nthe first time I met him, I liked him because when I mentioned I didn't \nhave a car, and proudly added, \"and I've never had a car,\" Michael \nsaid I was \"car-free.\" I had never heard that phrase, but thought \nit describes the situation precisely. He didn't own or drive a car either, \nthough it sounded as if he's not above riding in them. So, I got to know \nMichael. \n\n     I offered him twenty bucks an hour, my rate for fixing computers, \nif he would work on fixing up the boat. Eventually, I let him move onto \nthe Estrella de Oro at no charge because he was doing such a good job \nfixing up the boat. He fixed and maintained the water system, the \nelectrical system, and, above all, the engines. He was a nautical man \nwho seemed to prefer a sailboat to a powerboat, such as the Estrella \nde Oro, which has twin diesel engines. And he clearly had an \naffinity for the sea. He even knows the nautical terms, that I just \ncouldn't bring myself to learn. He'd say \"transom,\" and I'd ask, \n\"'Transom?' Why don't they just call it the back of the boat?\" \n\"Because that's its name,\" he calmly replied.\n\n\tBut I couldn't do all that he could. I would have had to have \nhired a bunch of mechanics to accomplish what he did. So, in exchange \nfor his nautical knowledge and skill, he was living rent free, as he \nseemed to have done in the past. That's my idea of a free spirit.\n\n\tI was tired of living on the boat, anyway. I had an apartment \nin Sacramento that had a wonderful shower. It's nice when you're on\n a boat that you can take hot showers. I enjoyed a hot shower \npractically every night I stayed on the Estrella de Oro. I especially \nenjoyed the shower because the boat had supplied the hot water. \nI could have been out on the ocean, and I still would have been\n able to take a hot shower. That's independence. It's a good feeling. \nBut on shore, thanks to the power company and water company, \nyou get about ten times as much water as you do with a shower \non a boat. On a boat the feeling of independence makes up, \nsomewhat, for the smaller quantity of hot water. An ex-Navy man \ntold me that showers in the Navy were, and probably still are, \nrather paltry affairs, too. Fresh water is precious at sea, especially \nif you have to make or carry it.\n\n     At any rate, the new coat of paint on the hull was dry, the boat \nlooked shipshape, maybe even, as Michael called it, \"Shipshape \nand Bristol fashion.\" The engines were purring, and Skipper \nMichael was at the helm. As the owner and captain, I had \nprovisioned the voyage, I'd paid all the taxes, paid for supplies, \npaid the \"slip\" fees. Now it was my turn to take videos. They are \nincluded in this narrative.\n\n\tWe left around noon, Saturday, Oct. 21. \nVIDEO 1 Entering Sacramento River\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3id1SLs9No\n\n       We went smoothly down the Sacramento River at around \neight or nine knots, Michael's dinghy trailing twenty-five feet \nbehind. I'm not sure what knots are. I think one knot an hour \nis a little more than one mile an hour.\nVIDEO 2 On our way \n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=058hg4pjaV0\n\n       We stopped at the Sherwood Harbor marina for fuel and to \npick up some final food and snacks and then were on the river \nagain. The day was beautiful—sunny, but not too hot. There was \nhardly a cloud in the sky. We had no idea how far we would go \nthat first day. We figured to reach Berkeley by the next day, but \nwe didn't know when. I just wanted to stop for a short visit in \nWalnut Grove, but I figured we'd go well beyond there before \nstopping for the night. \nVIDEO 3 An hour into the voyage\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LphKL-dc1z8\n\n       We reached Walnut Grove by mid-afternoon. We tied up to \nthe guest dock, the same guest dock at which the Estrella de \nOro had stopped for the night, when I brought it up from San \nMateo, having paid the seller to skipper the boat upriver to \nSacramento. Michael and I walked around the town, seeing the \nantique houses. We passed a pizza parlor, where the former \nowner, a friend of his, and I had eaten supper on the evening \nwe reached Walnut Grove on the trip up from San Mateo. \n\n       This time I especially looked for and found a Traditional \nJapanese Bathhouse.  On the way up, the bathhouse had been \nclosed, though I found a brochure describing the prices. This \ntime, the place was open for business, and I talked with the \nproprietor. It was now an Airbnb host, and one could rent a \nroom. Among the artifacts in the bathhouse, we saw an old \nrickshaw, probably brought from Japan, where rickshaws \nwere invented in the mid-1800's.\n\n       In some old Walnut Grove streets, we saw little three or \nfour inch iron rings embedded in and sticking up out of the \nsidewalk. A passerby told us they were for tying horses to. \nIt was an old town that hadn't changed much physically. \nMichael and I stopped to eat a late lunch of a tasty ice cream \ncone each, and soon we were on our way again, going down \nthe river.\nVIDEO 4 Walnut Grove\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWnnfZ1849E\n\n       We passed under a few bridges. One bridge was so low, we \nweren't sure we could go under it. In fact, when we did go under, \nMichael reached up and touched it with his hand. We passed \ndocks that had gates, and we wondered if those were private \ndocks. We passed several small towns.\n\n       The river gradually widened, and the sun began going down. \nWe had maybe an hour and half of sunlight left, and we started \nto seriously wonder where to stay for the night. Rio Vista seemed \nto be the next \"big\" town with a marina and a probable guest \ndock, but Michael wanted to go farther. I didn't care too much one\n way or the other, but I didn't want to be on the river after the sun \nset. Rio Vista seemed fine to me. We'd probably find a decent \nrestaurant there. I felt we didn't need to rush or push it. Enjoy \nthe trip. If it takes an extra day or two, that's life.\n\n       Any potential dispute was settled, however, when the port \nengine suddenly stopped working. Michael had no desire to \ndrive the boat on one engine; he especially didn't want to try \nmaneuvering into a marina on only one working engine. Two \nengines are much better than one for steering—if both engines \nare working. If one engine isn't working, the good engine is not \nin line with the center-line of the boat. If you can only have one \nengine working, then it should be at the middle of the transom. \nWith two engines, but only one working, the problem of steering \nis much more difficult than with just one engine. \n\n       We saw what we thought should be Rio Vista and looked for \nthe marina the chart said was there. We found it, but Michael \nwas reluctant to attempt to maneuver into its narrow opening on \none engine. Fortunately we saw a boat that Michael said was the \npolice. He called to them and told them about our plight. They \npointed to a guest dock attached to a restaurant overlooking the \nriver and said we could tie up there.\n\n       Since the police said we could, we stopped and secured the \nboat to the restaurant's dock. That was much easier than trying \nto enter the narrow marina. We were grateful to the restaurant \nand went in. We met a young woman who was either the head \nwaitress or some kind of manager. We asked if we could stay the \nnight tied to the restaurant's dock. She went to ask the owner \nand in a minute or so returned saying we could. But, she \ncautioned us, \"When the restaurant closes, the gate will be \nlocked, You won't be able to get off the boat and reach land by \ngoing through the restaurant.\" We had no intention of leaving\n the boat other than to have a meal, and we gladly accepted \nthe restaurant's hospitality.\n\n       Michael and I then proceeded to have one of the tastiest \nmeals I've had, and Michael said he'd had, in a long time. \nHunger and breathing fresh air, no doubt, helped the flavor. \nDuring the meal, Michael began trying to figure out why the \nport engine had gone out and how to start it again. He said it \nhad to be the fuel system and felt the culprit was either the fuel \nfilter or the fuel pump. By the time we'd finished, the sun had \nalready set, and darkness was overcoming the sky. A thin \ncrescent moon was hovering lovingly above the western horizon, \nand the sky was turning dark.\n\n       Michael went below to the engine room, and I made my bed \non the flybridge so I could see the stars. I was planning to use a \ncouple ensolite pads that I'd often used when camping in my \nyounger days, but Michael had the good idea of using the foam \nmattress from the port V-berth. We brought the mattress up to the \nflybridge, and I had a most comfortable bed below me and a clear \nnight sky above. \n\n       The only problem was the restaurant left a light on all night. \nHowever, that was the only light pollution, and I could block \nout that light by a careful arrangement of my backpacks and \ndeck chairs. The sky grew darker; the stars, like long-lost friends, \ncame back to greet me, and I recognized several constellations. \nI could easily see the Milky Way Galaxy, which is all I ask. \n\n       We were tired, and before long, we each hit the sack, Michael \nin the master cabin, and I on the flybridge. I don't know how \nmuch I slept. I woke often throughout the night, enjoying gazing \nat the stars. I hadn't camped under the stars in too long to \nremember how long it's been. It felt great. I passed into and out \nof sleep most of the night.\n\n       A few times the boat rocked quite violently. Some ship must \nhave been passing in the dark, or an earthquake was occurring \nnearby. Usually, a boat that can raise big waves is one that's \ngoing fast. But a heavy-enough boat can make big waves even \nthough it's going slow. There was no sound when the violent \nrocking began. So, it wasn't a speeding boat. I assume it was a \nheavily laden barge ship going smoothly and silently by. I saw \none such barge pushed by a tugboat during the day. It made \nno noise, but that barge displaced a lot of water.\nVIDEO 5 Rio Vista morning\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1oUajTOvTI\n\n\tI woke the next morning, a little tired, but refreshed and \nhappy. I saw Venus, the Morning Star, in the eastern sky a little \nbefore the sun made its appearance and considered it a good \nomen. I took a walk on the dock before Michael was up or the \nrestaurant was open. I met a couple men in a small single-engine \nputt-putt boat. Their boat was less than ten feet long, a boat \nyou don't have to register with the state or the Coast Guard. \nThey looked like fishermen. As they coasted in close to the dock, \nI called to them, softly so as not to break the general silence of \nthe morning, \"I trust you fellows have been to early church?\"\n       One, who was standing upright in the boat with a fishing \npole in his hands, replied, \"This is my church and my religion. \nThat's my story, and I'm sticking to it.\"\n\t\"If you can't worship here,\" I laughed, \"you can't worship \nanywhere,\"\n\n       We exchanged pleasantries, and I told them of our problem. \nOne of them suggested I might find a fuel pump at the marine \ncenter about a block from the restaurant. But since this was \nSunday morning, it might not be open. I wished them luck in \ntheir fishing, and they drifted off silently in their little putt-putt \nrowboat.\n\n       Since the previous evening's meal had been so delicious, \nMichael and I had breakfast at The Point, which we learned was \nthe name of the restaurant. It was another treat, this time \nfeaturing delicious hash browns. Michael ordered the same \nas I, but he additionally asked for some hot sauce. He had awoken \nwith a dry throat, and the medicine he used for it was hot sauce.\n\n       Over eggs, bacon, sausage and hash browns, Michael said he \nwas pretty sure he could start the engine. He was going to use \nsome trick, involving a gasoline soaked rag, he had learned while \nworking in an oilfield in Texas. After breakfast, we walked over to \na store featuring lots of marine items. I bought a white hose, which \nMichael said was the best hose for filling the water tank, and some \nfuel stabilizer. We came back to the Estrella de Oro, and Michael \nprepared to start the engines. To our great satisfaction they both \nstarted, and we steered over to the marina and filled up both \ndiesel fuel tanks. We were back on the river, heading southwest \nby ten a.m. As the river widened, we began to see windmills off \nour \"starboard,\" or right, side.\nVIDEO 6 Last view of Sacramento River\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8QYqlF3MKU\n\n       By the afternoon we had passed hundreds of large \nwindmills.\nVIDEO 7 Windmills.\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xb1iuLbZkJU\n\n       We were going through the complicated part of the trip. \nThere were military installations on our port side along in this \narea. I knew we had to stay far to the starboard. I remembered \na man in the San Mateo Yacht Club saying, \"Coast Guard \nvessels will come out and stop your boat if enter a restricted \narea.\" So, I definitely wanted to stay away from the installations \nand cities, such as Pittsburg and Antioch.\nVIDEO 8 Pittsburg\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a_QEcwQoUs\n\n       Fortunately, Michael got us through with no problems. We \nsaw several seals resting on the red and green marker buoys \nthat dot the river. Two years ago, on the trip up, I learned to \nsteer between the red and green marker buoys. If you do that, \nyou're probably going to be all right. Going down-river, the red \nmaker buoys should be on your left side, and the green buoys \nshould be on your right. The buoys are numbered and show \nyou where you are on the charts. Two pairs of seals, a pair on \nthe green buoy and a pair on the red one called to us. We \nclapped and tried to answer back. But I seriously doubt if seals \nand humans have anything of importance to say to one another.\nVIDEO 9 Seals\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-JV3uPSdes\n\n       As we approached Martinez, we went under the Benicia-\nMartinez Bridges, the new bridge, the railroad bridge, and the \nold bridge.\nVIDEO 10 Three bridges Benicia-Martinez\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uxh8auXv7MY\n\n       The afternoon was getting on, and I was for putting in at \nMartinez. I like Martinez, especially the climate. But, once again, \nMichael wanted to go further. There was still an hour or two of \nsunlight, and he thought we could probably find a marina closer \nto the bay, possibly Vallejo. I knew the lights and sounds in the \nVallejo area would preclude good gazing at the stars, and I put \nmy foot down against staying in Vallejo. Michael agreed that he \ndidn't particularly like Vallejo either. But there didn't seem to be \nmany places between Martinez and Berkeley except Richmond. \nHowever, once again, the port engine stepped in and decided \nfor us.\n\n       Just past the bridges and past a big tanker at Martinez, few \nhundred yards upriver from the Martinez Marina, the port engine \nwent out again! Michael didn't want to try entering the marina \non one engine. So, he gave me the helm and went hurriedly \nbelow to try and start the engine. I steered towards the marina, \nthen back out to deeper water, and then back in, staying in front \nof the Martinez Marina until Michael got the port engine running. \nI guess he used the gas-dipped rag trick again.\n\n       On two engines, we pulled up to the guest dock. I went \nashore to the marina office and paid for a guest slip and gate key.\nVIDEO 11 Harbormaster Martinez\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzI4sJWUV10\n\n       The slip was close to the land and close to the office.\nVIDEO 12 Dock at Martinez\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Og_nCgsc6NU\n\n       Michael and I then rode our scooters around the park that \nstretches along Martinez's shore. We were getting closer to the \nwide open waters that Michael loved. He marveled at the \nshoreline park. People seemed friendly in Martinez. Two young \nOriental women were walking their dog. They commented that \nscooters are a neat way to travel.\n\n       When we returned to the boat, Michael wanted to do his \nlaundry. So, I made my bed and ate rye bread, pork and beans, \nand real apple juice for dinner. In a way, it was a comedown from \nthe previous evening's meal, but it tasted good, hunger and \nbreathing fresh air being major ingredients of flavor. Soon after \nthe sun went down I could see that Martinez had much more \nlight pollution than Rio Vista. I couldn't see the Milky Way Galaxy, \nbut I slept well. The marina, protected by a sea wall, was very \ncalm compared to actually being on river, as we had been the \nnight before.\n\n       I awoke refreshed and ready to leave as soon as Michael \nroused himself.\nVIDEO 13 Sunrise at Martinez\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLBT9FDPkq0\n\n       I wanted to reach Berkeley, hopefully by noon. I had \ncalculated that we had over forty miles to go. I really didn't see \nhow we could make Berkeley by the afternoon, much less by \nnoon. I had a dental appointment the following day, and I was \nbeginning to doubt I could meet the schedule I had set. I \nconsidered calling and canceling the appointment. That would \ncause a cascade of cancellations of other meetings that I had \nplanned. I'd have to make four or five other calls and \ncancellations as well. But I was beginning to think that would \nbe the best.\n\n       I ate a quick breakfast and then went over to the marina \nrestroom. I wanted to take a shower. But at first, I couldn't see \nany shower. I saw a possible door to a shower. My key turned \nthe lock, but the door only opened an inch or so. I walked over \nto the nearby bait and grocery store, where I thought I'd find \nsomeone who worked for the marina who could explain where \nthe shower was.\n\nOn the porch of the bait store, I met a man I took to be a real \nnautical man, like Michael, but older, an \"Old Salt.\" I asked him \nwhere I could find a diesel fuel pump. He said, \"Not around here.\" \nI asked, \"How about the Eagle Marine store just up the road?\" He \nreplied, \"You can try it, but I doubt if they'll have one.\" Actually, \nMichael had found a spare fuel pump, which might or might not \nwork. I figured we should have a good one, just in case.\n\n\tI went into the bait store and found a young woman \norganizing store items. I asked her where the showers were. \nShe said she was new at the job and wasn't sure. She walked \nwith me back out to the porch and asked the old salt. He said \nthere was a room, just inside the door, which my key would \nopen. I said I had tried that door and it wouldn't open. He said \nhe didn't know, but that was the door to the shower.\n\n\tI headed back toward the restroom, knowing where the \nshower should be. I called back to the old salt standing on the \nporch. \"Maybe someone was taking a shower when I tried the \ndoor before.\" He replied, \"That's it. I think I saw someone \nwalking away from there who looked like he'd just taken a shower.\" \nI went back to the restroom, and this time my key opened the \ndoor. I took a refreshing shower.\n\n\tI had risen with the sun, but Michael wouldn't be up for a \nwhile. I looked over the charts hoping to see how many miles \nwe still had to go to reach Berkeley. I didn't see how we could \nmake Berkeley by noon unless we left immediately.\n\n\tBut Michael, when he finally came out of his bedroom \naround nine o'clock, was in a troubled mood and hadn't slept \nwell. He said, \"We're resting on the bottom. That's not good \nfor the boat!\"\n\n\tI hadn't noticed, but apparently, the Estrella de Oro was \nactually no longer floating. It was resting on the underlying \nground consisting mainly of silt. The Garmin navigator and \nsonar depth finder on the flybridge was not indicating any \nwater depth at all! It's not good for a boat to be resting on \nsolid ground, even if that ground is soft accumulated silt. A \nboat is built to float, to be in water so its sides have support.\n\n\tMichael was worried and angry at the harbor master's \nagent who had put us in our slip. There were plenty of other \nslips he could have put us in. I went to see the agent and told \nhim our situation and asked him why he didn't give us a slip \nfarther from land. He insisted that all the slips were silted; in \nfact, dredging was going on as we spoke. He concluded, \n\"That's the Martinez Marina. It's not deep anywhere because \nof the silt.\"\n\n\tWhile Michael continued to fume and eat something for \nbreakfast, I decided to walk down to a marine supply store to \nsee if they had a new fuel pump. They didn't have anything in \nthe way of diesel products. On my way back to the boat, I again \npassed the old salt and asked him if we could get out of the \nmarina with all the silt. He said confidently, \"Sure. It's just silt.\n You'll go right though it\" I stopped in at the office and turned \nin the dock key. I also picked up a tide chart. One of the dredge \nworkers, a man in an outboard powered boat, gave me a short \nlift to the Estrella de Oro. I was ready to take off, since by this \ntime it was after ten o'clock.\n\n\tMichael was still worried about being able to move the boat. \nI checked the tide chart, and saw that low tide was at ten-thirty. \nThe tide was still going out! If we waited for the tide to rise, \nwe'd be there until the afternoon. I told Michael, \"Let's just go. \nLet's try it.\" Michael wasn't happy, but he fired up the engines. \nThey both worked. We backed out, and we could see we were \nstirring up mud. On the flybridge I watched the depth finder \ncarefully. The Estrella de Oro has a draft of three point two feet. \nThe depth finder registered three point five feet and sometimes \nless than three point two. But we made it out to the main \nchannel, leaving a roiled trail of silty water. I let out the dinghy \nto the full length of its rope.\n\n\tOnce back on course, we headed west and soon went \nunder the Carquinez Bridges, linking Crockett and Vallejo.\nVIDEO 14 Carquinez Bridge\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD9BjlgtMi0\n\n       I figured we still had thirty-five miles or more to go and \nwould probably make Berkeley later in the day. While \nMichael charged ahead with the boat, I made a bunch of \nphone calls and canceled all appointments for the week. \nI felt much better. If I had to, I could stay on the boat all week, \nand my spirits lifted.\n\n       By noon the sky was blue, and the sun became hot. \nMichael chose to pilot the boat from the flybridge, since you \nget a better view of what's around you. I stayed on the flybridge \npart of the time, but I didn't stay in the sun long. It was intense, \nespecially with the reflection off the water. I stayed in the salon\n below and pored over the charts.\n\n\tI kept drinking bottles of water and bringing the same to \nMichael. But he was getting burned. For one thing he was \nwearing a long-sleeved black shirt. Eventually, he became so \nhot that he asked me to get him a lighter colored shirt from \nthe foot locker. I searched but could find only a short-sleeved \nlight-colored shirt. I felt sorry for him up there with the sun's \nrays, both from above and from the water below, on his arms. \nI figure a cabana-style square tent would help on sunny days \non the flybridge. \n\n\tI watched the shore. I'd enjoyed the scenic view of the water \nfrom the Amtrak Capital Corridor train many times before. But \nthe shoreline was equally as beautiful from the water. Michael \nsaid the lone marina along in here, besides Richmond, where \nhe didn't care to dock, was the San Pablo Marina. But according \nto Michael from YouTube videos he'd seen and from the charts \nas well, the San Pablo Marina has water to a depth of only one \nfoot. That would probably vary with the tide. He said they make \nyou sign a release before you can even dock there. After our \nMartinez escapade, neither of us much cared for that.\n\n\tBesides, we were making pretty good time. We figured we \nwould reach Berkeley sometime before the sunset. We could \nsee the water had a brownish tint. The closer we got to the brown, \nthe less the depth meter read. We headed back out to deeper \nwater. It might be longer, but we figured we should stay in the \nmain channel.\n\n\tSooner than I expected we rounded a point of land and \npassed from San Pablo Bay into San Francisco Bay. We came \nto an island with a lighthouse on it. It's called the East Brother \nLight Station and is a bed and breakfast.\nVIDEO 15 East Brother Light Station bed and breakfast\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTB_lByTMI4\n\n       Then ahead we saw the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge.\nVIDEO 16 Richmond-San Rafael Bridge\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DV3LrjaxgKY\n \n       At first, Michael seemed to be veering to the left, staying \nclose to the land. But from the charts, I saw that an entire \nrectangular area was a regulated navigation area. I can't \nremember the wording, but it sounded to me like somebody \ndidn't want us there. So, we went way around to the right. \nWe passed underneath the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, and \nI pointed out Red Rock Island off to our left\nVIDEO 17 Underneath RSR Bridge, Red Rock Island\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5-vFDotv-U\n\n       I had ridden in a bus over that bridge many times when I \nwas teaching in Novato. I remembered the island and wanting \nto explore it. The island has a red sandy beach that can be \nreached by boat. I've seen a boat anchored just off the island \nand a dinghy on the beach. I wondered what it'd be like to eat \nlunch on that red sandy beach. We continued past Red Rock \nIsland, and I could see San Francisco in the distance.\nVIDEO 18 San Francisco in the distance.\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKQAWNVF0uY\n\n       A little later the Golden Gate Bridge hove into view. Though \nI couldn't make out any details, I figured Berkeley would soon \nbe visible.\nVIDEO 19 San Francisco Bay past Richmond San Rafael Bridge\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytthRoo023g\n\n       Suddenly, the air became clearer, cooler, and fresher. \nThe Golden Gate Bridge was off to our starboard. Through the \nGolden Gate was flowing fresh air, after twelve thousand miles \nof unpolluted Pacific Ocean. San Francisco was on one side and \nMarin County was on the other. The air was noticeably fresher \nand more invigorating than even five minutes before, and, I \nwas soon to discover, five minutes later.\nVIDEO 20 Fresh air\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3SXDOF1OTE\n\n       As Michael cleaned up the boat, moving as hurriedly as I'd \never seen him move before, I took the wheel. I was a little \nsurprised when we passed Richmond; it seemed longer than \nI'd pictured it. But I was beginning to think that Berkeley was \nactually in view. Then, through my little telescope, I saw the \nclock tower at UC Berkeley. I looked for sails and masts but \ncouldn't make out the harbor.\n\nThe air wasn't as fresh as it had been just a few minutes back. \nI guess there's a current of clean fresh air that enters the bay \nand usually ends up near the UC Berkeley campus or North \nBerkeley. But it moves around with the prevailing winds. In a \nboat you could move with it. Could that be a big reason people \nlike sailing on San Francisco Bay? Just to breathe fresh sea air?\n\nIt took another half hour after Berkeley came into view before \nwe could clearly see the outlines of the marina harbor. Michael \nwas done cleaning up, and I let him take the wheel. The charts \nshowed depths of around ten feet. Finally we saw a sailboat \nheading into what looked like a breakwater. We followed it in. \nRunning on two engines, Michael has great confidence. Shortly \nafter we came into the harbor, he steered to the guest docks in \nfront of the marina office. They wanted to look us over, measure \nthe boat, and see the documentation. So we followed the sailboat, \nunder small outboard power, into slips K-0 and K-1, respectively.\n\nI went in and talked with a young woman named Sophia. I had \nmet her a few days before when I came down to Berkeley to take \ncare of all the paperwork. At the time, I hadn't brought the \nrequired documentation, and I still needed to pay her for the slip \nrental. She came out and measured the length of the Estrella de \nOro. She announced the yacht was thirty-six feet long. We went \nback into the office, and I paid her $393 for a slip, of which \nMichael agreed to pay $325 per month. I also had to pay another \nmonth's rent as a security deposit. She gave me two keys and \nasked which slip I preferred. I remembered Michael had said \nthat one near the marina entrance looked good, so I asked for \nthat. Sophia wished us luck, and I went back onto the boat. \nMichael asked about the marina's wi-fi password and if we had \na map of the marina. When I came back to ask for the map and \nwhat the wi-fi network key was, Sophia was waiting for me. \n\"'Berkeley,' with a capital 'B,'\" she said, handing me a marina map.\n\nWe found the slip, and it looked fine. It was near a gate and has \na beautiful view of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge \nfrom the flybridge. \nVIDEO 21 Berkeley Marina\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br8o_gJbzaA\n\n       Later that evening Michael and I headed over to Skate's on \nthe Bay for a \"last supper.\" In a big, relatively dark eating room, \nMichael and I sat at an elevated booth where we had a great view \nout the window of San Francisco Bay. As we ate the delicious \nfood, once again helped by hunger, our, no doubt, sunburned \neyes feasted on the view of the city of San Francisco, the setting \nsun, darkening sky and bay, the Golden Gate, Mount Tamalpais \nand very natural Marin County stretching away to the north. As \nthe orange ball went down behind the Golden Gate Bridge, \nMichael said I should take a picture. Alas, I didn't heed his advice. \nBut it was beautiful. \n\n\n                                    A Fitting End",
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      "parent_author": "",
      "parent_permlink": "boatcruise",
      "author": "tomhatcher",
      "permlink": "4vjfoz-voyage-of-the-estrella-de-oro-from-sacramento-to-berkeley",
      "title": "Voyage of the Estrella de Oro from Sacramento to Berkeley",
      "body": "On October 21, 2017, at approximately 11:30 a.m., the Estrella de Oro, \na Californian 34 coasting yacht built in Anaheim, California, almost \nforty years ago, cast off from her moorings at K-dock, slip-41 in the \nSacramento Marina. The Estrella de Oro had stayed the last two years \nand four months in the Sacramento Marina. I had lived aboard her. \neven as a \"sneak-aboard,\" for most of that time. \n\nThen I met and hired a not-so-young, but free-spirited man named \nMichael Curtis. Michael knew far more about boats than I did, and \nthe first time I met him, I liked him because when I mentioned I didn't \nhave a car, and proudly added, \"and I've never had a car,\" Michael \nsaid I was \"car-free.\" I had never heard that phrase, but thought \nit describes the situation precisely. He didn't own or drive a car either, \nthough it sounded as if he's not above riding in them. So, I got to know \nMichael. \n\n     I offered him twenty bucks an hour, my rate for fixing computers, \nif he would work on fixing up the boat. Eventually, I let him move onto \nthe Estrella de Oro at no charge because he was doing such a good job \nfixing up the boat. He fixed and maintained the water system, the \nelectrical system, and, above all, the engines. He was a nautical man \nwho seemed to prefer a sailboat to a powerboat, such as the Estrella \nde Oro, which has twin diesel engines. And he clearly had an \naffinity for the sea. He even knows the nautical terms, that I just \ncouldn't bring myself to learn. He'd say \"transom,\" and I'd ask, \n\"'Transom?' Why don't they just call it the back of the boat?\" \n\"Because that's its name,\" he calmly replied.\n\n\tBut I couldn't do all that he could. I would have had to have \nhired a bunch of mechanics to accomplish what he did. So, in exchange \nfor his nautical knowledge and skill, he was living rent free, as he \nseemed to have done in the past. That's my idea of a free spirit.\n\n\tI was tired of living on the boat, anyway. I had an apartment \nin Sacramento that had a wonderful shower. It's nice when you're on\n a boat that you can take hot showers. I enjoyed a hot shower \npractically every night I stayed on the Estrella de Oro. I especially \nenjoyed the shower because the boat had supplied the hot water. \nI could have been out on the ocean, and I still would have been\n able to take a hot shower. That's independence. It's a good feeling. \nBut on shore, thanks to the power company and water company, \nyou get about ten times as much water as you do with a shower \non a boat. On a boat the feeling of independence makes up, \nsomewhat, for the smaller quantity of hot water. An ex-Navy man \ntold me that showers in the Navy were, and probably still are, \nrather paltry affairs, too. Fresh water is precious at sea, especially \nif you have to make or carry it.\n\n     At any rate, the new coat of paint on the hull was dry, the boat \nlooked shipshape, maybe even, as Michael called it, \"Shipshape \nand Bristol fashion.\" The engines were purring, and Skipper \nMichael was at the helm. As the owner and captain, I had \nprovisioned the voyage, I'd paid all the taxes, paid for supplies, \npaid the \"slip\" fees. Now it was my turn to take videos. They are \nincluded in this narrative.\n\n\tWe left around noon, Saturday, Oct. 21. \nVIDEO 1 Entering Sacramento River\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3id1SLs9No\n\n       We went smoothly down the Sacramento River at around \neight or nine knots, Michael's dinghy trailing twenty-five feet \nbehind. I'm not sure what knots are. I think one knot an hour \nis a little more than one mile an hour.\nVIDEO 2 On our way \n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=058hg4pjaV0\n\n       We stopped at the Sherwood Harbor marina for fuel and to \npick up some final food and snacks and then were on the river \nagain. The day was beautiful—sunny, but not too hot. There was \nhardly a cloud in the sky. We had no idea how far we would go \nthat first day. We figured to reach Berkeley by the next day, but \nwe didn't know when. I just wanted to stop for a short visit in \nWalnut Grove, but I figured we'd go well beyond there before \nstopping for the night. \nVIDEO 3 An hour into the voyage\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LphKL-dc1z8\n\n       We reached Walnut Grove by mid-afternoon. We tied up to \nthe guest dock, the same guest dock at which the Estrella de \nOro had stopped for the night, when I brought it up from San \nMateo, having paid the seller to skipper the boat upriver to \nSacramento. Michael and I walked around the town, seeing the \nantique houses. We passed a pizza parlor, where the former \nowner, a friend of his, and I had eaten supper on the evening \nwe reached Walnut Grove on the trip up from San Mateo. \n\n       This time I especially looked for and found a Traditional \nJapanese Bathhouse.  On the way up, the bathhouse had been \nclosed, though I found a brochure describing the prices. This \ntime, the place was open for business, and I talked with the \nproprietor. It was now an Airbnb host, and one could rent a \nroom. Among the artifacts in the bathhouse, we saw an old \nrickshaw, probably brought from Japan, where rickshaws \nwere invented in the mid-1800's.\n\n       In some old Walnut Grove streets, we saw little three or \nfour inch iron rings embedded in and sticking up out of the \nsidewalk. A passerby told us they were for tying horses to. \nIt was an old town that hadn't changed much physically. \nMichael and I stopped to eat a late lunch of a tasty ice cream \ncone each, and soon we were on our way again, going down \nthe river.\nVIDEO 4 Walnut Grove\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWnnfZ1849E\n\n       We passed under a few bridges. One bridge was so low, we \nweren't sure we could go under it. In fact, when we did go under, \nMichael reached up and touched it with his hand. We passed \ndocks that had gates, and we wondered if those were private \ndocks. We passed several small towns.\n\n       The river gradually widened, and the sun began going down. \nWe had maybe an hour and half of sunlight left, and we started \nto seriously wonder where to stay for the night. Rio Vista seemed \nto be the next \"big\" town with a marina and a probable guest \ndock, but Michael wanted to go farther. I didn't care too much one\n way or the other, but I didn't want to be on the river after the sun \nset. Rio Vista seemed fine to me. We'd probably find a decent \nrestaurant there. I felt we didn't need to rush or push it. Enjoy \nthe trip. If it takes an extra day or two, that's life.\n\n       Any potential dispute was settled, however, when the port \nengine suddenly stopped working. Michael had no desire to \ndrive the boat on one engine; he especially didn't want to try \nmaneuvering into a marina on only one working engine. Two \nengines are much better than one for steering—if both engines \nare working. If one engine isn't working, the good engine is not \nin line with the center-line of the boat. If you can only have one \nengine working, then it should be at the middle of the transom. \nWith two engines, but only one working, the problem of steering \nis much more difficult than with just one engine. \n\n       We saw what we thought should be Rio Vista and looked for \nthe marina the chart said was there. We found it, but Michael \nwas reluctant to attempt to maneuver into its narrow opening on \none engine. Fortunately we saw a boat that Michael said was the \npolice. He called to them and told them about our plight. They \npointed to a guest dock attached to a restaurant overlooking the \nriver and said we could tie up there.\n\n       Since the police said we could, we stopped and secured the \nboat to the restaurant's dock. That was much easier than trying \nto enter the narrow marina. We were grateful to the restaurant \nand went in. We met a young woman who was either the head \nwaitress or some kind of manager. We asked if we could stay the \nnight tied to the restaurant's dock. She went to ask the owner \nand in a minute or so returned saying we could. But, she \ncautioned us, \"When the restaurant closes, the gate will be \nlocked, You won't be able to get off the boat and reach land by \ngoing through the restaurant.\" We had no intention of leaving\n the boat other than to have a meal, and we gladly accepted \nthe restaurant's hospitality.\n\n       Michael and I then proceeded to have one of the tastiest \nmeals I've had, and Michael said he'd had, in a long time. \nHunger and breathing fresh air, no doubt, helped the flavor. \nDuring the meal, Michael began trying to figure out why the \nport engine had gone out and how to start it again. He said it \nhad to be the fuel system and felt the culprit was either the fuel \nfilter or the fuel pump. By the time we'd finished, the sun had \nalready set, and darkness was overcoming the sky. A thin \ncrescent moon was hovering lovingly above the western horizon, \nand the sky was turning dark.\n\n       Michael went below to the engine room, and I made my bed \non the flybridge so I could see the stars. I was planning to use a \ncouple ensolite pads that I'd often used when camping in my \nyounger days, but Michael had the good idea of using the foam \nmattress from the port V-berth. We brought the mattress up to the \nflybridge, and I had a most comfortable bed below me and a clear \nnight sky above. \n\n       The only problem was the restaurant left a light on all night. \nHowever, that was the only light pollution, and I could block \nout that light by a careful arrangement of my backpacks and \ndeck chairs. The sky grew darker; the stars, like long-lost friends, \ncame back to greet me, and I recognized several constellations. \nI could easily see the Milky Way Galaxy, which is all I ask. \n\n       We were tired, and before long, we each hit the sack, Michael \nin the master cabin, and I on the flybridge. I don't know how \nmuch I slept. I woke often throughout the night, enjoying gazing \nat the stars. I hadn't camped under the stars in too long to \nremember how long it's been. It felt great. I passed into and out \nof sleep most of the night.\n\n       A few times the boat rocked quite violently. Some ship must \nhave been passing in the dark, or an earthquake was occurring \nnearby. Usually, a boat that can raise big waves is one that's \ngoing fast. But a heavy-enough boat can make big waves even \nthough it's going slow. There was no sound when the violent \nrocking began. So, it wasn't a speeding boat. I assume it was a \nheavily laden barge ship going smoothly and silently by. I saw \none such barge pushed by a tugboat during the day. It made \nno noise, but that barge displaced a lot of water.\nVIDEO 5 Rio Vista morning\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1oUajTOvTI\n\n\tI woke the next morning, a little tired, but refreshed and \nhappy. I saw Venus, the Morning Star, in the eastern sky a little \nbefore the sun made its appearance and considered it a good \nomen. I took a walk on the dock before Michael was up or the \nrestaurant was open. I met a couple men in a small single-engine \nputt-putt boat. Their boat was less than ten feet long, a boat \nyou don't have to register with the state or the Coast Guard. \nThey looked like fishermen. As they coasted in close to the dock, \nI called to them, softly so as not to break the general silence of \nthe morning, \"I trust you fellows have been to early church?\"\n       One, who was standing upright in the boat with a fishing \npole in his hands, replied, \"This is my church and my religion. \nThat's my story, and I'm sticking to it.\"\n\t\"If you can't worship here,\" I laughed, \"you can't worship \nanywhere,\"\n\n       We exchanged pleasantries, and I told them of our problem. \nOne of them suggested I might find a fuel pump at the marine \ncenter about a block from the restaurant. But since this was \nSunday morning, it might not be open. I wished them luck in \ntheir fishing, and they drifted off silently in their little putt-putt \nrowboat.\n\n       Since the previous evening's meal had been so delicious, \nMichael and I had breakfast at The Point, which we learned was \nthe name of the restaurant. It was another treat, this time \nfeaturing delicious hash browns. Michael ordered the same \nas I, but he additionally asked for some hot sauce. He had awoken \nwith a dry throat, and the medicine he used for it was hot sauce.\n\n       Over eggs, bacon, sausage and hash browns, Michael said he \nwas pretty sure he could start the engine. He was going to use \nsome trick, involving a gasoline soaked rag, he had learned while \nworking in an oilfield in Texas. After breakfast, we walked over to \na store featuring lots of marine items. I bought a white hose, which \nMichael said was the best hose for filling the water tank, and some \nfuel stabilizer. We came back to the Estrella de Oro, and Michael \nprepared to start the engines. To our great satisfaction they both \nstarted, and we steered over to the marina and filled up both \ndiesel fuel tanks. We were back on the river, heading southwest \nby ten a.m. As the river widened, we began to see windmills off \nour \"starboard,\" or right, side.\nVIDEO 6 Last view of Sacramento River\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8QYqlF3MKU\n\n       By the afternoon we had passed hundreds of large \nwindmills.\nVIDEO 7 Windmills.\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xb1iuLbZkJU\n\n       We were going through the complicated part of the trip. \nThere were military installations on our port side along in this \narea. I knew we had to stay far to the starboard. I remembered \na man in the San Mateo Yacht Club saying, \"Coast Guard \nvessels will come out and stop your boat if enter a restricted \narea.\" So, I definitely wanted to stay away from the installations \nand cities, such as Pittsburg and Antioch.\nVIDEO 8 Pittsburg\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a_QEcwQoUs\n\n       Fortunately, Michael got us through with no problems. We \nsaw several seals resting on the red and green marker buoys \nthat dot the river. Two years ago, on the trip up, I learned to \nsteer between the red and green marker buoys. If you do that, \nyou're probably going to be all right. Going down-river, the red \nmaker buoys should be on your left side, and the green buoys \nshould be on your right. The buoys are numbered and show \nyou where you are on the charts. Two pairs of seals, a pair on \nthe green buoy and a pair on the red one called to us. We \nclapped and tried to answer back. But I seriously doubt if seals \nand humans have anything of importance to say to one another.\nVIDEO 9 Seals\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-JV3uPSdes\n\n       As we approached Martinez, we went under the Benicia-\nMartinez Bridges, the new bridge, the railroad bridge, and the \nold bridge.\nVIDEO 10 Three bridges Benicia-Martinez\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uxh8auXv7MY\n\n       The afternoon was getting on, and I was for putting in at \nMartinez. I like Martinez, especially the climate. But, once again, \nMichael wanted to go further. There was still an hour or two of \nsunlight, and he thought we could probably find a marina closer \nto the bay, possibly Vallejo. I knew the lights and sounds in the \nVallejo area would preclude good gazing at the stars, and I put \nmy foot down against staying in Vallejo. Michael agreed that he \ndidn't particularly like Vallejo either. But there didn't seem to be \nmany places between Martinez and Berkeley except Richmond. \nHowever, once again, the port engine stepped in and decided \nfor us.\n\n       Just past the bridges and past a big tanker at Martinez, few \nhundred yards upriver from the Martinez Marina, the port engine \nwent out again! Michael didn't want to try entering the marina \non one engine. So, he gave me the helm and went hurriedly \nbelow to try and start the engine. I steered towards the marina, \nthen back out to deeper water, and then back in, staying in front \nof the Martinez Marina until Michael got the port engine running. \nI guess he used the gas-dipped rag trick again.\n\n       On two engines, we pulled up to the guest dock. I went \nashore to the marina office and paid for a guest slip and gate key.\nVIDEO 11 Harbormaster Martinez\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzI4sJWUV10\n\n       The slip was close to the land and close to the office.\nVIDEO 12 Dock at Martinez\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Og_nCgsc6NU\n\n       Michael and I then rode our scooters around the park that \nstretches along Martinez's shore. We were getting closer to the \nwide open waters that Michael loved. He marveled at the \nshoreline park. People seemed friendly in Martinez. Two young \nOriental women were walking their dog. They commented that \nscooters are a neat way to travel.\n\n       When we returned to the boat, Michael wanted to do his \nlaundry. So, I made my bed and ate rye bread, pork and beans, \nand real apple juice for dinner. In a way, it was a comedown from \nthe previous evening's meal, but it tasted good, hunger and \nbreathing fresh air being major ingredients of flavor. Soon after \nthe sun went down I could see that Martinez had much more \nlight pollution than Rio Vista. I couldn't see the Milky Way Galaxy, \nbut I slept well. The marina, protected by a sea wall, was very \ncalm compared to actually being on river, as we had been the \nnight before.\n\n       I awoke refreshed and ready to leave as soon as Michael \nroused himself.\nVIDEO 13 Sunrise at Martinez\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLBT9FDPkq0\n\n       I wanted to reach Berkeley, hopefully by noon. I had \ncalculated that we had over forty miles to go. I really didn't see \nhow we could make Berkeley by the afternoon, much less by \nnoon. I had a dental appointment the following day, and I was \nbeginning to doubt I could meet the schedule I had set. I \nconsidered calling and canceling the appointment. That would \ncause a cascade of cancellations of other meetings that I had \nplanned. I'd have to make four or five other calls and \ncancellations as well. But I was beginning to think that would \nbe the best.\n\n       I ate a quick breakfast and then went over to the marina \nrestroom. I wanted to take a shower. But at first, I couldn't see \nany shower. I saw a possible door to a shower. My key turned \nthe lock, but the door only opened an inch or so. I walked over \nto the nearby bait and grocery store, where I thought I'd find \nsomeone who worked for the marina who could explain where \nthe shower was.\n\nOn the porch of the bait store, I met a man I took to be a real \nnautical man, like Michael, but older, an \"Old Salt.\" I asked him \nwhere I could find a diesel fuel pump. He said, \"Not around here.\" \nI asked, \"How about the Eagle Marine store just up the road?\" He \nreplied, \"You can try it, but I doubt if they'll have one.\" Actually, \nMichael had found a spare fuel pump, which might or might not \nwork. I figured we should have a good one, just in case.\n\n\tI went into the bait store and found a young woman \norganizing store items. I asked her where the showers were. \nShe said she was new at the job and wasn't sure. She walked \nwith me back out to the porch and asked the old salt. He said \nthere was a room, just inside the door, which my key would \nopen. I said I had tried that door and it wouldn't open. He said \nhe didn't know, but that was the door to the shower.\n\n\tI headed back toward the restroom, knowing where the \nshower should be. I called back to the old salt standing on the \nporch. \"Maybe someone was taking a shower when I tried the \ndoor before.\" He replied, \"That's it. I think I saw someone \nwalking away from there who looked like he'd just taken a shower.\" \nI went back to the restroom, and this time my key opened the \ndoor. I took a refreshing shower.\n\n\tI had risen with the sun, but Michael wouldn't be up for a \nwhile. I looked over the charts hoping to see how many miles \nwe still had to go to reach Berkeley. I didn't see how we could \nmake Berkeley by noon unless we left immediately.\n\n\tBut Michael, when he finally came out of his bedroom \naround nine o'clock, was in a troubled mood and hadn't slept \nwell. He said, \"We're resting on the bottom. That's not good \nfor the boat!\"\n\n\tI hadn't noticed, but apparently, the Estrella de Oro was \nactually no longer floating. It was resting on the underlying \nground consisting mainly of silt. The Garmin navigator and \nsonar depth finder on the flybridge was not indicating any \nwater depth at all! It's not good for a boat to be resting on \nsolid ground, even if that ground is soft accumulated silt. A \nboat is built to float, to be in water so its sides have support.\n\n\tMichael was worried and angry at the harbor master's \nagent who had put us in our slip. There were plenty of other \nslips he could have put us in. I went to see the agent and told \nhim our situation and asked him why he didn't give us a slip \nfarther from land. He insisted that all the slips were silted; in \nfact, dredging was going on as we spoke. He concluded, \n\"That's the Martinez Marina. It's not deep anywhere because \nof the silt.\"\n\n\tWhile Michael continued to fume and eat something for \nbreakfast, I decided to walk down to a marine supply store to \nsee if they had a new fuel pump. They didn't have anything in \nthe way of diesel products. On my way back to the boat, I again \npassed the old salt and asked him if we could get out of the \nmarina with all the silt. He said confidently, \"Sure. It's just silt.\n You'll go right though it\" I stopped in at the office and turned \nin the dock key. I also picked up a tide chart. One of the dredge \nworkers, a man in an outboard powered boat, gave me a short \nlift to the Estrella de Oro. I was ready to take off, since by this \ntime it was after ten o'clock.\n\n\tMichael was still worried about being able to move the boat. \nI checked the tide chart, and saw that low tide was at ten-thirty. \nThe tide was still going out! If we waited for the tide to rise, \nwe'd be there until the afternoon. I told Michael, \"Let's just go. \nLet's try it.\" Michael wasn't happy, but he fired up the engines. \nThey both worked. We backed out, and we could see we were \nstirring up mud. On the flybridge I watched the depth finder \ncarefully. The Estrella de Oro has a draft of three point two feet. \nThe depth finder registered three point five feet and sometimes \nless than three point two. But we made it out to the main \nchannel, leaving a roiled trail of silty water. I let out the dinghy \nto the full length of its rope.\n\n\tOnce back on course, we headed west and soon went \nunder the Carquinez Bridges, linking Crockett and Vallejo.\nVIDEO 14 Carquinez Bridge\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD9BjlgtMi0\n\n       I figured we still had thirty-five miles or more to go and \nwould probably make Berkeley later in the day. While \nMichael charged ahead with the boat, I made a bunch of \nphone calls and canceled all appointments for the week. \nI felt much better. If I had to, I could stay on the boat all week, \nand my spirits lifted.\n\n       By noon the sky was blue, and the sun became hot. \nMichael chose to pilot the boat from the flybridge, since you \nget a better view of what's around you. I stayed on the flybridge \npart of the time, but I didn't stay in the sun long. It was intense, \nespecially with the reflection off the water. I stayed in the salon\n below and pored over the charts.\n\n\tI kept drinking bottles of water and bringing the same to \nMichael. But he was getting burned. For one thing he was \nwearing a long-sleeved black shirt. Eventually, he became so \nhot that he asked me to get him a lighter colored shirt from \nthe foot locker. I searched but could find only a short-sleeved \nlight-colored shirt. I felt sorry for him up there with the sun's \nrays, both from above and from the water below, on his arms. \nI figure a cabana-style square tent would help on sunny days \non the flybridge. \n\n\tI watched the shore. I'd enjoyed the scenic view of the water \nfrom the Amtrak Capital Corridor train many times before. But \nthe shoreline was equally as beautiful from the water. Michael \nsaid the lone marina along in here, besides Richmond, where \nhe didn't care to dock, was the San Pablo Marina. But according \nto Michael from YouTube videos he'd seen and from the charts \nas well, the San Pablo Marina has water to a depth of only one \nfoot. That would probably vary with the tide. He said they make \nyou sign a release before you can even dock there. After our \nMartinez escapade, neither of us much cared for that.\n\n\tBesides, we were making pretty good time. We figured we \nwould reach Berkeley sometime before the sunset. We could \nsee the water had a brownish tint. The closer we got to the brown, \nthe less the depth meter read. We headed back out to deeper \nwater. It might be longer, but we figured we should stay in the \nmain channel.\n\n\tSooner than I expected we rounded a point of land and \npassed from San Pablo Bay into San Francisco Bay. We came \nto an island with a lighthouse on it. It's called the East Brother \nLight Station and is a bed and breakfast.\nVIDEO 15 East Brother Light Station bed and breakfast\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTB_lByTMI4\n\n       Then ahead we saw the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge.\nVIDEO 16 Richmond-San Rafael Bridge\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DV3LrjaxgKY\n \n       At first, Michael seemed to be veering to the left, staying \nclose to the land. But from the charts, I saw that an entire \nrectangular area was a regulated navigation area. I can't \nremember the wording, but it sounded to me like somebody \ndidn't want us there. So, we went way around to the right. \nWe passed underneath the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, and \nI pointed out Red Rock Island off to our left\nVIDEO 17 Underneath RSR Bridge, Red Rock Island\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5-vFDotv-U\n\n       I had ridden in a bus over that bridge many times when I \nwas teaching in Novato. I remembered the island and wanting \nto explore it. The island has a red sandy beach that can be \nreached by boat. I've seen a boat anchored just off the island \nand a dinghy on the beach. I wondered what it'd be like to eat \nlunch on that red sandy beach. We continued past Red Rock \nIsland, and I could see San Francisco in the distance.\nVIDEO 18 San Francisco in the distance.\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKQAWNVF0uY\n\n       A little later the Golden Gate Bridge hove into view. Though \nI couldn't make out any details, I figured Berkeley would soon \nbe visible.\nVIDEO 19 San Francisco Bay past Richmond San Rafael Bridge\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytthRoo023g\n\n       Suddenly, the air became clearer, cooler, and fresher. \nThe Golden Gate Bridge was off to our starboard. Through the \nGolden Gate was flowing fresh air, after twelve thousand miles \nof unpolluted Pacific Ocean. San Francisco was on one side and \nMarin County was on the other. The air was noticeably fresher \nand more invigorating than even five minutes before, and, I \nwas soon to discover, five minutes later.\nVIDEO 20 Fresh air\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3SXDOF1OTE\n\n       As Michael cleaned up the boat, moving as hurriedly as I'd \never seen him move before, I took the wheel. I was a little \nsurprised when we passed Richmond; it seemed longer than \nI'd pictured it. But I was beginning to think that Berkeley was \nactually in view. Then, through my little telescope, I saw the \nclock tower at UC Berkeley. I looked for sails and masts but \ncouldn't make out the harbor.\n\nThe air wasn't as fresh as it had been just a few minutes back. \nI guess there's a current of clean fresh air that enters the bay \nand usually ends up near the UC Berkeley campus or North \nBerkeley. But it moves around with the prevailing winds. In a \nboat you could move with it. Could that be a big reason people \nlike sailing on San Francisco Bay? Just to breathe fresh sea air?\n\nIt took another half hour after Berkeley came into view before \nwe could clearly see the outlines of the marina harbor. Michael \nwas done cleaning up, and I let him take the wheel. The charts \nshowed depths of around ten feet. Finally we saw a sailboat \nheading into what looked like a breakwater. We followed it in. \nRunning on two engines, Michael has great confidence. Shortly \nafter we came into the harbor, he steered to the guest docks in \nfront of the marina office. They wanted to look us over, measure \nthe boat, and see the documentation. So we followed the sailboat, \nunder small outboard power, into slips K-0 and K-1, respectively.\n\nI went in and talked with a young woman named Sophia. I had \nmet her a few days before when I came down to Berkeley to take \ncare of all the paperwork. At the time, I hadn't brought the \nrequired documentation, and I still needed to pay her for the slip \nrental. She came out and measured the length of the Estrella de \nOro. She announced the yacht was thirty-six feet long. We went \nback into the office, and I paid her $393 for a slip, of which \nMichael agreed to pay $325 per month. I also had to pay another \nmonth's rent as a security deposit. She gave me two keys and \nasked which slip I preferred. I remembered Michael had said \nthat one near the marina entrance looked good, so I asked for \nthat. Sophia wished us luck, and I went back onto the boat. \nMichael asked about the marina's wi-fi password and if we had \na map of the marina. When I came back to ask for the map and \nwhat the wi-fi network key was, Sophia was waiting for me. \n\"'Berkeley,' with a capital 'B,'\" she said, handing me a marina map.\n\nWe found the slip, and it looked fine. It was near a gate and has \na beautiful view of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge \nfrom the flybridge. \nVIDEO 21 Berkeley Marina\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br8o_gJbzaA\n\n       Later that evening Michael and I headed over to Skate's on \nthe Bay for a \"last supper.\" In a big, relatively dark eating room, \nMichael and I sat at an elevated booth where we had a great view \nout the window of San Francisco Bay. As we ate the delicious \nfood, once again helped by hunger, our, no doubt, sunburned \neyes feasted on the view of the city of San Francisco, the setting \nsun, darkening sky and bay, the Golden Gate, Mount Tamalpais \nand very natural Marin County stretching away to the north. As \nthe orange ball went down behind the Golden Gate Bridge, \nMichael said I should take a picture. Alas, I didn't heed his advice. \nBut it was beautiful. \n\n\n                                    A Fitting End",
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