San Francisco PRICELESS AYAY ROSSINGSROSSINGS Volume 6,B Number 12 C January 2006 B “TheC Voice of the Waterfront” The Great NorthNorth Bay, Bay Warmth Flyaway, by theKayaking Cup, Decking on Calm the Rails Waters, Green Building, The Flow of Contemporary Design Complete Ferry Schedules for all SF Lines Voted Best Restaurant 4 Years Running Lunch & Dinner Daily Banquets Corporate Events www.scomas.com (415)771-4383 Fisherman’s Wharf on Pier 47 Foot of Jones on Jefferson Street Penguins, Whales and Sharks; Surfers, Swimmers and Rowers Among the Stars to Hit the Silver Screen Now in its third year, SFOFF is the fi rst U.S. fi lm festival celebrating the joy, power, and mystery of the sea. The festival features documentaries and narrative works by fi lmmakers from around the world who share their passion for the earth’s last frontier with fi lm buffs and ocean lovers alike. Enjoy the beauty and mysteries of the ocean’s depths, experience the thrill of ocean sports, explore the coastal cultures that are shaped by the sea, and pause to refl ect on the importance of the oceans’ vital ecosystems. Program Tickets: $10 Penguins and Man (Des Samurai Surfers The Vanishing Ice Two-Day Festival Pass: $50 Manchots et Des Hommes) Puerto Rican surfers adopt the Options for action in addressing www.oceanfi lmfest.org Behind the scenes at the Way of the Warrior when their the earth’s melting glaciers filming of “March of the reef is trashed. Saturday, January 14, 2006 Penguins” A Life Among Whales Program 1 — 10:00 a.m. Taking Back the Waves A pioneer whale biologist’s Cool Water Haven Program 3 — 4:00 p.m. Two young surfers, one white, cetacean-loving labors An oceanic cornucopia at the Ivan, The Return of the one colored, confront barriers Gulf of the Farallones Stingrays in South Africa. Program 7 — 4:00 p.m. Divers and rays are reunited Henry Wood Elliot: Defender of Goldman Environment in the Grand Cayman Islands Sunday, January 15, 2006 the Fur Seal Prizewinners after Ivan’s wrath. Program 5 — 10:00 am The illustrator-advocate in Profi les of grassroots activists Reefs: Rainforests of the Alaska’s Pribilof Islands Cristini’s Feat Ocean Cod Help Us An Italian visitor swims from Care for slow-growing coral Salt Pond Habitat Restoration Fishing in Quebec’s St. Paul’s Alcatraz while doing a painting reefs, from Quatar to the Restoring San Francisco tidal River of the Golden Gate Bridge. Bahamas. wetlands to wildness Hotu Painu (Poison Fruit) Beach Food: The Importance Bridging San Francisco Bay Devil’s Teeth The aftermath of nuclear tests of Kelp on the Beach The dangerous work of Sea urchins at the Farallon in French Polynesia Seaweed provides feasts for bridgemen on the original Islands critters. Bay Bridge Program 2 — 1:00 p.m. Beach Food: The Importance Channel Swimming Soulmate The Bridge So Far: A Suspense of Kelp on the Beach Going solo — with the help of A note in a bottle becomes Story Piles of seaweed are feasts for Dolphin Club pals the ultimate matchmaking A wry look at the dramas over kelp-chomping critters service. the new Bay Bridge Lethal Sound: Whales, Sonar Third World/Another World (Le & the Rising Threat of Ocean Mavericks Program 6 — 1:00 p.m. Troisième Monde) Noise The evolution of the world- City of Mermaids Crossing the Atlantic and Excess noise threatens class Northern California surf Weeki Wachee mermaids in cultural boundaries in a two- underwater creatures spot. 1950s on Florida man boat Reefstory Program 4 — 7:30 p.m. Great Highway: Journey to Recovery for slow-growing Tsunami Rangers the Soul of Bay Area Surfi ng corals Ocean kayakers rock and Friendships atop the waves at roll. Ocean Beach 4 January 2006 BAYCROSSINGS www.baycrossings.com “Th e Voice of the Waterfront” DEPARTMENTS 6 NEWS Alcatraz goes to court BDBC turns 40 7 BOATING From the Helm of a Yacht Bay Area Boating Events Top 10 Tips 12 WATERFRONT ADVENTURES Winter kayaking for the birds 12 Winter Kayaking for the Birds: 13 AROUND THE BAY Calm waters in the winter make Bay waters a perfect place to kayak up close North Bay Focus: Flyaway Festival and view over 50 species of migrating birds. 20 WATERFRONT LIVING Design Living well Treasure Island 26 LIBATIONS Zin is in 28 TECHNOLOGY Talk long-distance on your computer, for free 29 BOOK REVIEW Nature, art, adventure, Imperialism 13 DIRECTORIES North Bay Focus: Flyaway Festival 14 WATERFRONT ADVENTURES The Flyaway Festival is a unique wildlife celebration with a host of activities Our watersports resource guide and education about birding, at the height of the migration season. 22 MARKETPLACE MERCHANTS Ferry Building fare 32 WTA FERRY SCHEDULES On-time for last call ON OUR COVER 24 Treasure Island 31 From an art-deco-dent world-class The latest rendering of the design for what is hoped will be California’s exhibition, to a “Navy town” military base, Cartoon Finish fi rst LEED certifi ed eco-resort. Hotel Gaia, designed by Mickey two lives of our man-made island have They came, they ran... Muennig and Todd Jersey, is being built in American Canyon. ended, as a third is about to begin. some moo’d Illustration by Barry Nathan. www.baycrossings.com BAYCROSSINGS January 2006 5 NEWS Alcatraz Ferry Contract Moves to Court BY WES STARRATT, SENIOR EDITOR service from the City of San Francisco assumption that the service would be MacRae also pointed out, “The Federal to Alcatraz Island has been contested by moved to Hornblower’s docking facilities bid prospectus for the Alcatraz service he contract awarded to Blue and Gold Fleet LP in the US Court at Pier 33. The Board of Supervisors sent invited bids from landing facilities in the Hornblower Yachts, Inc. last of Federal Claims. copies of the resolution to San Francisco’s City of San Francisco, not specifi cally September by the National Blue and Gold, which has operated Congressional delegation and to the limited to Fisherman’s Wharf.” Park Service to provide ferry the service for many years, is challenging National Park Service. However, it is obvious that the Wharf T the selection of Hornblower as “the best The San Francisco Port Commission is where the tourists are, and seems the San Francisco proposal.” Arguments are being heard on reviewed the contract selection process at logical place for ferry service to the Bay BAYCROSSINGS Feb. 14. its Dec. 13 meeting. Terry MacRae, CEO Area’s most popular tourist destination, Volume 6, Number 12 “The Voice of the Waterfront” January 2006 Meanwhile, the San Francisco Board of Hornblower Yachts, appeared before Alcatraz. It is also the location of Blue and Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, of Supervisors, at its Dec. 6 meeting, the commission and said, “We already Gold’s docking facilities for its excursion and that they deserve to get it good and heard. — H.L. Mencken passed a resolution “supporting the offered to speak with maritime unions boats, but not of Hornblower Yachts. Joyce Aldana, Publisher retention of San Francisco maritime about this service, as soon as our contract The National Park Service has Bobby Winston, Proprietor Michelle R. Moday, Editor union jobs aboard the Alcatraz ferry with the National Park Service is in place indicted that the ferry service currently service and urging the San Francisco Port and crew members are hired.” operated by Blue & Gold Fleet LP will ADVERTISING / SALES Joel Williams, North Bay / Waterfront Commission to consider the economic And while “speaking” may be one continue without interruption at Pier Adventures Director; Eric Shatin, Advertising & and traffi c impacts of moving ferry service thing, providing union jobs may be quite 41, until the new contract becomes Marketing Director, (REMOVE) Heidi Obermeit, East Bay Director ; Mary Swift Swan away from Fisherman’s Wharf,” on the another. effective. ART & PRODUCTION Francisco Arreola, Graphic Designer / Web Producer ART DIRECTION Francisco Arreola; Michelle R. Moday STAFF WRITERS & EDITORIAL Dianne Boate & Robert Meyer; Patrick Forty Years of Saving the Bay Burnson, Book Editor; Bill Picture; Mary E. Shacklett ; Guy Span, SP ; Wes Starratt, P.E., Senior Editor ; Sam Tolmasoff n 1965, Governor Pat Brown with authority to regulate filling and of access in 1969 to over 200 miles today. CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Joseph Ernish; Scott Hargis; Myrna Hayes; signed the McAteer-Petris Act to dredging by permit in the Bay and For more information on the history Michael Logue; Ed & Pam McGrath; Dan Sankey create the Bay Conservation and within a 100-foot shoreline band. of Save The Bay and the Bay Conservation Development Commission. The Supporters of BCDC have beaten and Development Commission, visit ACCOUNTING bill creating BCDC was passed back challenges to the Commission www.saveSFbay.org/ourhistory Cindy Henderson Iafter a massive grassroots effort, led by and its authority to protect the Bay. DISTRIBUTION Save The Bay (then Save San Francisco When Governor Pete Wilson proposed Franz the Man ; Mexican Nightmare ; Reliable Bay Association), which mobilized eliminating BCDC’s budget in 1995, Distribution ; Richard Mitchell The San Francisco Bay Save The Bay and maritime businesses citizens to write letters, attend hearings Conservation and Development Subscribe: and journey by the busload to Sacramento joined together to save the Commission. By mail: $35 / year (12 monthly issues) Commission (BCDC) Online: www.baycrossings.com/subscribe.asp to demand action that would stop In 2004, Governor Arnold wholesale fi lling of San Francisco Bay. Schwarzenegger’s California Performance Advertising Inquires: • BCDC was the first coastal (415) 350-3768 / [email protected] At the time, one-third of the Bay Review considered reducing BCDC’s zone management agency in the Editorial Inquiries: had already been fi lled for development authority to regulate dredging and (415) 362-0717 / [email protected] United States, and the model for or diked off from the tides and drained.