Ferryboat Sausalito History 2004 Articles

Kathie's December Article

'Twas just days before Christmas and all through the Ferry, many creatures were stirring especially those merry.

The children were all waiting to come to the boat, to see their friend Santa come up from the float.  

They came to eat treats and sing with the teacher, to ring jingle bells, and hear stories of a long ago Preacher. Santa arrived all dressed in his finest, to see each child and ask of their kindness.  

The children all smiled and looked up at Santa as he handed them gifts in a very nice style. They said they were good, but many of us know, some had trouble as they started to grow. 

Their pictures were taken as they smiled with Santa in hopes he knows what their wants are. 

As Santa left and we waved good-bye, we could see the merry twinkle in his eye. He said he must leave and pick up his reindeer that he left on West Island to rest for the journey. 

As we looked toward the sky, we heard him exclaim, “Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.” 

Written by Kathie Hammer, 2004  

Kathie's November Article

On Wednesday, October 13th, Keith and I went to the Benicia Library to see the model of the Solano Ferry. It was nice to finally meet Thomas Rubarth and his brother Bill Rubarth. They had just arrived from  Michigan, bringing their beautiful ferry model to the Bay Area by van. Their friend Jim Turner did most of the building of the ferry structure, Bill did the railroad part, and Thomas was the organizer. 

They picked the Solano because it was a train ferry. At the time she was built, in 1879, she was the largest ferry in the world. She had a wood hull and measured 420.5' x 65' x 18.3'. She was one of only two ferries that had two walking beams; it was these walking beams that kept her rolling for 51 years on the Port Costa - Benicia run. In 1877, the railroad constructed a railroad line from Oakland to Berkeley, then to Richmond, Port Costa, and Martinez to Tracy which made a considerably shorter route than the former transcontinental route via Niles Canyon.  

While skirting the south side of Carquinez Straits, the line came within a mile of the track that is on the opposite side of the water. They thought if only the straits could be crossed somehow, the route to Sacramento would be lessened by many miles. What they needed was a boat that carried an entire train, including the locomotive. The answer to the problem was to build the giant ferry steamer Solano.  

The Solano stopped her run and was vacated in 1930. The interesting thing is she can now be seen in her watery grave in the Delta, by the Red Caboose restaurant in Antioch. If you look hard you can still see both of her walking beams, one standing up and one laying on its side.  

Kathie's October Article

The greatest loss of lives at sea did not happen on the Titanic or the Lusitania. It happened in North America on the St. Lawrence River on May 28, 1914. On this date the Empress of Ireland, a luxury liner, collided with a Norwegian coal freighter and sank in only 14 minutes.  You can only imagine the horror Captain Henry George Kendall must have felt as he looked into the fog and saw a ship bearing down on the Empress not much over 100 feet away.

My Mother, Kathleen Mary, came to America from England in 1913 on the Empress of Ireland and that is how I discovered this disaster at sea.

Over a thousand people drowned, most of them were asleep, making it the worst maritime disaster for passengers in maritime history. Less than five hundred lives were saved. Although this was the worst disaster at sea, this tragic event has almost been forgotten.

Two books have been written about this disaster, "The Forgotten Empress" and Fourteen Minutes by James Croall. 

Kathie's September Article

From a Sportsmen Bulletin dated September 1941, the following was reported: 

“Our boat manager and his gang are building a substantial bridge across the ell end of the harbor and a motor room will be built at the levee end of this bridge, this will provide another cabin space for someone and also allow large cruisers to back in and gas up at the visible gas pump which will be installed. The above improvements are just a few of the many projects that have been started, completed and paid for in the past two and one half years since we purchased the property and moved to our present location.

Just visualize the place as it was on March 1, 1939 and then look at it today. It sums up to hundreds of work days and thousands of dollars. We thank our hard working boat managers and the equally hard working members for all of the improvements."

Kathie's August Article

Recently I was looking over some old bulletins and came across an article from August 1940 that I thought you might find interesting: 

 "Since the last issue of the bulletin a number of things have been done for the convenience of the members and their families. First on the list is a fine shore fishing wharf with a windbreak, comfortable seats and a guard rail. This improvement has been needed for a long time, now we have an attraction for those who do not care to go out in boats.

A new gangplank has been built to the land end of the clubhouse, also a retaining wall is being built constructed along the lower levees. All of this was done on Sunday, July 30, 1940. It seemed as though everyone just felt like working."

Kathie's June/July Article

On July 16, 17, and 18, Stockton will host the 51st 4S Cruise-In. For those of you new to this event, I would like to give you the history.  The 4S started in 1953 when four clubs (Sportsmen, Sacramento, Stockton, and San Joaquin) got together for an Over-the-Bottom Race. The host club would serve sandwiches at the end of the race. This event has really changed in 51 years. Now it is a three or four day event with games, food, entertainment, and a lot of fun.  

In 1986, Sportsmen Yacht Club donated a perpetual trophy for the 4S games. Sportsmen won it in 1986, then again in 1992; in 1997 we brought it home and were able to keep it in 1998, 1999, and 2000.   

In 1994, Sportsmen Yacht Club started the tradition of presenting medals to all the game winners.   

We hope to see you at this year’s 4S.  

Kathie's May Article

The oldest ferryboat that had a narrow gauge system was the Clinton, built in 1853.  On October 22, 1877, she collided with the steamer Petaluma and was sunk. The Petaluma had left Saucelito [sic] on Saturday evening for San Francisco. The Clinton was proceeding in the opposite direction. Just after dark the two steamers met off Arch Rock. Some of the crewmen reported the Clinton did not have her lights on. The Clinton whistled once to pass to starboard, the Petaluma gave two short blasts for passing on the port side. No one knew for sure who whistled first, but it seems the Clinton cut across the Petaluma's bow and was struck a crushing blow midship which caused her to sink immediately.   

On the Clinton there was the captain, deckhand, fireman and engineer. The first three were rescued from the water by boats from the Petaluma. Engineer John Manning lost his life in an attempted rescue. Fearing the fireman had been trapped, he rushed into the hold just before the Clinton disappeared into the water, never to be seen again.  

Kathie's April Article

The World Can Be A Small Place!

Many of you have met Sauceylito who lives in our museum. “Saucey” came to us about 8 years ago via Macy's. One of the parents in my school worked for Macy's and  when I told her that I had been looking for a mannequin for over 3 years, she said she might be able to help me. Sure enough I was able to get a mannequin; the problem was, she was minus a nose and hair. Jean Novinger came to the rescue, not only making her a copy of an 1892 costume but also making her a new nose. She now stands proud in our museum. 

If you look at Sauceylito's left arm, she is holding an authentic silver bag from the middle 1800s. This bag belonged to Gloria Batchelor and Yvonne Lackey's grandmother, Catherine Cardinalli.  

Catherine came to California as an immigrant from Italy, via Ellis Island. She was a very young bride at the time bringing with her this very lovely silver bag.  She lived with her husband and family on the Delta in a Houseboat until the family home was built.

Gloria wrote to me, "We think it is so wonderful that part of our grandmother's memory will still be on a boat on the Delta.”  

Kathie's March Article

In case you haven’t had time to follow a recent event, I would like to share it with you. The brand new Queen Mary 2 made her maiden voyage on January 14th. Her cruise was from South Hampton, England, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  Her length is 1,132 feet, width 134 feet, height 236 feet.  Her normal cruising speed is 29.6 knots (33 mph).  The Queen Mary 2 is a transatlantic ocean liner, not to be confused with a cruise ship.  She is the fourth ship of royalty.   

The first Queen Mary began service in 1936; she retired in 1967 and is presently a hotel/museum in Long Beach, California.   

The first Queen Elizabeth began service in 1946; she retired in 1968.  She was moored in Fort Lauderdale as an attraction, but it was not successful.  She was sold in 1970 and renamed Seawise University, went to Hong Kong for extensive refitting but burned and capsized in 1972.  She was then cut up for scrap. 

The Queen Elizabeth 2 began service in 1969; she made her last transatlantic runs in 2003.  After completing her current world cruise, she will make cruises in European waters. 

In 2002, we had the pleasure of sailing on the Queen Elizabeth 2 and dining with Captain Ronald Warwick.  At that time, he told us about the Queen Mary 2.  Captain Warwick is now the Admiral of the Queen Mary 2.

Kathie's February Article

If you have visited San Francisco's Maritime National Historical Park at Hyde Street you probably visited the CA Thayer. The CA Thayer is one of only a few schooners still in existence.  

A hundred years ago there were hundreds of schooners that sailed the West Coast hauling lumber. The schooner was built in 1895 by Hans Ditlev Bendixsen, a Denmark native, in Fairhaven, across the Humboldt Bay from Eureka. The ship was named after Clarence A. Thayer, a partner in a San Francisco Lumber Company.

The CA Thayer retired from hauling lumber in 1912. From 1912 to 1924 she took small fishing boats, barrel staves and salt to Alaska in the spring, then came back with salted salmon in the summer.  From 1925 to 1930 she made cod fishing trips from Washington to the Bering Strait.  After the Depression she was sold to the Army which used her as an Ammunition ship after they removed her masts. The CA Thayer made her last voyage in 1950. She is in the history books as the last commercial sailing vessel.   

The CA Thayer was towed recently to the Oakland Estuary to begin a two year, $9.6 million overhaul. She will be rebuilt to historical accuracy.  

Kathie's January Article

Even though our Christmas Party 2003 is history, many of us will have wonderful memories for many years to come.

Thanks to the generosity of the following people I was able to purchase Christmas stockings and many items to fill them. Thank You to Chuck Carroll, Don & Freda Lucido, Barbara Chapman, Jackie Steel, Ken Corippo, Bert & Sandie Schneider, Al & Alma Wood, Greg & Debbie Dawson, John & Carol Hunter, Bill &  Audrey Coach, Keith & Kathie Hammer.   

The ferry looked beautiful; you could see the children's eyes light up as they walked in. The food was delicious and there was plenty for all. 

When I called the children up to sing, they all came up, with smiles on their faces ready to sing. We sang many songs and I read them The Night Before Christmas.  

When Santa arrived the children found their families and excitedly went out to see Mr. & Mrs. Santa arrive by boat. Mr. & Mrs. Santa looked great and came in to greet each child and give them a stocking full of treats and a present. The children sang Jingle Bells to Mr. & Mrs. Santa much to their delight.  Mr. & Mrs. Santa  surprised Freda, Kathie and Alice with thank you gifts.  When it was time for Santa to go, the children followed him out to say good bye. It was a very exciting evening,