Color Page “The Voice of the Waterfront” April 2012 Vol.13, No.4 Opening Day on the Bay American Spirit at Annual Bash 40,000 Miles of Water World Racers to Stop in Oakland A Very Clean Marina Initiative Takes on Raw Sewage Complete Ferry Schedules for all SF Lines Color Page TASTING ROOM OPEN DAILY FROM 11AM TO 6PM TASTE, TOUR RELAX Just a short ferry ride across San Francisco Bay lies the original urban winery, Rosenblum Cellars. Alameda is our urban island with no pretension. Our tasting room is a true gem, with a rustic urban charm that attracts fans from around the world to enjoy the unique, relaxed atmosphere. TWO FOR ONE TASTING with this ad. $10 value www.rosenblumcellars.com 2900 Main St. Suite 1100 Alameda, CA 1-877-GR8-ZINS Please enjoy our wines responsibly. © 2011 Rosenblum Cel Alameda, CA www.DrinkiQ.com 2 April 2012 www.baycrossings.com columns features 05 WHO’S AT THE HELM? 12 OPENING DAY Captain Chuck Elles Catch the Spirit at 95th by Matt Larson Annual Celebration by April Thygeson 11 08 BAYKEEPER Clean Boat Repair Tips 14 GREEN PAGES guides by Deb Self Clean Marina Initiative Puts Brakes on Sewage WATERFRONT ACTIVITIES 22 Our recreational resource guide 09 SAILING ADVENTURES by Bill Picture The Marin Islands 24 WETA FERRY SCHEDULES by Captain Ray news Be on time for last call AROUND THE BAY 20 CULTURAL CURRENTS 04 511 Transit Info App 26 To see, be, do, know Destination: L.A. Debuts for Smartphones by Paul Duclos by Craig Noble ON OUR COVER 06 WATERFRONT NEWS Foreign Trade Drives April 2012 Volume 13, Number 4 Growth at Bay Ports Bobby Winston, Proprietor by Patrick Burnson Joyce Aldana, President Joel Williams, Publisher Patrick Runkle, Editor Around-the-World Racers ADVERTISING & MARKETING 10 Joel Williams, Advertising & Marketing Director to Make Stop in Oakland GRAPHICS & PRODUCTION Francisco Arreola, Designer / Web Producer AMERICA’S CUP ART DIRECTION 16 Francisco Arreola; Patrick Runkle; Joel Williams Final Agreement with S.F. COLUMNISTS Captain Ray Wichmann; Brings Scaled-Down Cup Paul Duclos; Patrick Burnson; Deb Self and Matt Larson WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS Artemis Racing Debuts Bill Picture; Joel Williams; Craig Noble 17 April Thygeson Full-Scale AC72 Wing This year, Sunday, April 29 marks the 95th annual Opening ACCOUNTING Day on the Bay. The main event is the decorated boat parade Cindy Henderson Federal Tax Deductions and blessing of the fleet. From noon to 3 p.m., spectators will Advertising Inquiries: 18 (707) 556-3323, [email protected] for Boat Owners gather at Crissy Field to watch over 120 yachts strut their stuff in single file along the San Francisco waterfront. This year’s theme Bay Crossings SF Ferry Building Store (415) 362-0717, is “American Spirit,” with an aim towards celebrating the many Clipper customer service center June Start for South S.F. (877) 878-8883 19 people and properties that make San Francisco so unique. For Transit Information – Dial 511 to East Bay Ferry Photo courtesy of PICYA Bay Crossings Ferry Building, #22 San Francisco, CA 94111 S.F. Legislation to Ease Corrections & Letters www.baycrossings.com 21 A Division of Nematode Media, LLC Access for Bike Commuters We appreciate the opportunity to publish our readers' comments, letters or requests for corrections, which can be sent to [email protected]. www.baycrossings.com April 2012 3 TRANSPORTATION NEWS 511 Traveler Info System Offers Powerful New Smartphone App BY CRAIG NOBLE (MTC). “Now you can use one app to and from stops and fares plan trips on more than 30 public transit (including transfers) are agencies, accessing the most complete also displayed. he Bay Area’s 511 traveler coverage for the San Francisco Bay Area.” “Smartphones and information system is now The free 511 Transit App is available on-the-go trip planning offering its first smartphone both for the Android operating system, are becoming increasingly app for transit riders. The through Google Play (formerly the Android common, and 511 is now free 511 Transit App is Market), and for the iPhone through the extending its Bay Area a multiple-agency public transit trip iPhone App Store using an iTunes account transit planning tools Tplanner using GPS-based location tools for and by searching for “511 Transit.” The to these faster, more smartphones. Ideal for a daily commute, new app provides door-to-door transit trip compact platforms,” weekend errand or occasional trip, the planning and scheduled departure times for said Tom Spiekerman, app serves both residents and visitors who transit routes near your location or from a 511 Transit project are planning transit trips within the nine- location you specify. It includes information manager. “Currently, county region. for 720 routes and more than 23,700 transit 511 customers plan more “We are pleased to offer this unique and stops throughout the region. An interactive, than one million transit Appearing in the Android Market as 511 Transit, the new powerful tool for transit riders in the Bay dynamic map shows routes and stops along trips per month using the app was developed in conjunction with the Metropolitan Area,” said Adrienne J. Tissier, chair of the the way, as well as your current position popular website version Transportation Commission by the developer of the 511 Transit Trip Planner, Mentz Datenverarbeitung GmbH of Metropolitan Transportation Commission while on the move. Walking directions to of the 511 Trip Planner. Munich, Germany. The new app brings core features of this tool to customers on the go.” receiving real-time transit Departure Times Additional app features include: texts (SMS). Desktop users can access the • Recently viewed locations and trips information from 511.org. are saved automatically, as well The 511 Transit App includes data as favorites. from SF Muni, BART, AC Transit, VTA, • GPS positioning enables users to set SamTrans, Caltrain, Golden Gate Transit, their current location as a starting County Connection, Vallejo Transit, point for a trip, or to find nearby LAVTA, Sonoma County Transit, VINE stops and transit routes with (Napa County) and more than a dozen scheduled departure times. additional agencies. For a complete list • The app incorporates transit agency of all transit agencies included in the 511 announcements that may affect a Transit app, please visit the trip planning trip’s itinerary. page at 511.org. 511 Transit App customers are able Apart from the new smartphone app, to provide feedback on the new app by 511 is a one-stop phone and web source for clicking on the “Help/Info” button to send up-to-the-minute Bay Area traffic, transit, an email to the 511 Team. rideshare and bicycling information. It’s The new app complements numerous free of charge and available 24 hours a day, options people already have to access 511 seven days a week from anywhere in the traveler information. Smartphone and nine-county Bay Area. 511 is managed by The 511 Transit app provides easy-to-read Using GPS technology, the 511 Transit app maps to help riders navigate the region on includes detailed walking directions to the other mobile phone users may access many a partnership of public agencies led by the transit. appropriate bus stop, train station or ferry of 511’s most popular features through the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, landing. mobile 511 site (m.511.org), by calling the California Highway Patrol, and the 511 from any Bay Area phone, or by California Department of Transportation. 4 April 2012 www.baycrossings.com WHO’S AT THE HELM? Senior Captain Chuck Elles are constantly getting better.” But Elles isn’t BY MATT LARSON the only one to thank for the quality of the ferry system. “I have the utmost respect for our huck Elles is Blue & Gold engineering staff at Baylink,” Elles said. Fleet’s Senior Captain. “If something’s broken, it’s fixed the next With 32 years at the day. They’re the best in the business.” And company, he has first dibs having a great crew means that Elles can on the late afternoon/early man the helm to the best of his ability. “It evening Vallejo ferry shift. makes me feel confident about running CBut with power comes responsibility, the boat, concentrating on navigating the and Captain Elles’ role is no different. vessel and doing my job, because I know He recently returned from a special trip everything down below is done right and to Seattle, and he brought with him the in good working condition.” And as far as refitted Intintoli. the general upkeep of the place, Elles said, Photo by Matt Larson “We made it in 48 hours,” Elles said. “You can eat off the deck plates down in Blue & Gold Fleet’s Senior Captain Chuck Elles next to a newly refurbished engine on the Intintoli. “It was carefully planned. We took the the engine room. It’s that clean.” Captain Elles made the 48-hour trip back from Seattle recently where the Intintoli was fully restored. long-range forecast, found a weather He also commends the management window that worked and it was pretty staff for not only listening to the ideas mellow—perfect offshore conditions. and input from the captains and crews, and have two twin daughters who work the morning shift for 10 years,” he said. “I It felt great driving the boat under the but actually acting upon it. A new feature in Washington, D.C. enjoy sleeping in a little bit now.” And after Golden Gate Bridge back up to Vallejo.” on the Intintoli is a large front window in A Philadelphia native and former 32 years with Blue & Gold, he still looks The Intintoli was fully restored with a the wheelhouse, resulting in two window Heavenly Valley ski instructor, Elles forward to watching the sunset from the refurbished engine, new deck, new carpet, frames being removed.