Join us in person at the Bay Model Visitor Center in Sausalito for a lecture and tour of this fascinating facility. For those not familiar with it, the Bay Model is an indoor 1.5 acre 3D hydraulic model of the San Francisco Bay in which you can watch a full tidal cycle in just 8 minutes. It was built in 1957 to study a bizarre proposal to dam up the Bay for development, and was used until 2000 to research movement of pollution and oil spills and to understand the impacts of engineering modifications to waterways. After the lecture and tour, lunch will be provided outside in the amphitheater ($10 donation requested).
Time: 10 am to noon, with lunch following
Location: Bay Model Visitor Center, 2100 Bridgeway, Sausalito, CA
Sign up for meeting here. (The meeting room is limited to 100 persons, which is more than we’ve ever had attend, but ya never know.)
Paddling opportunities:
- Initiate a paddle to and from the meeting, landing on the Sea Trek dock (up to 25 boats, must carry boat up in front of Bay Model). Possible launch spots include Horseshoe Bay, Ferry Point, Windsurfer Beach (Larkspur). Those landing at Sea Trek must sign a waiver online at https://www.seatrek.com/sign-a-waiver/. Look for a posting of this paddle soon on the Calendar, Currents, and Buzz
- After lunch, there will be an easy new member paddle from nearby Schoonmaker Beach, initiated by Peter Donohue, Jim Ferris, and Kelly Krag-Arnold. New and old members alike will enjoy Peter’s in-depth tour of the Sausalito waterfront and Richardson Bay. Sign up and details here. For this paddle, park at 30 Libertyship Way, an easy walk from the Bay Model. If there is interest in renting boats from Sea Trek for this paddle, contact Peter at donohue.peter@gmail.com. Look for a posting of this paddle soon on the Calendar, Currents, and Buzz.
Meeting Agenda:
- New Member Introductions
- Nomination of BASK officers for 2023-2024
- Gonzo Endurance Paddle Preview
Questions? Contact Tom Colton, BASK President, tcolton@berkeley.edu
Presentation Description: What Kayakers Need to Know About Tidal Currents in San Francisco Bay by Kame Richards
Join Alameda sailmaker and sailing legend Kame Richards for a lecture and tour of the Bay Model. Like sea kayakers, sailors racing in San Francisco Bay learn to take advantage of tidal currents and eddies. Kame has used the Bay Model for decades to educate sailors in the finer points of these currents, and will now focus on the needs of sea kayakers navigating the Bay. Kame shows aerial photos to indicate how to spot eddy lines and determine which way the water is moving on each side of the line. He’ll focus on the patterns of eddies and counter-currents along the edges of the Bay that kayakers can take advantage of when the main currents oppose them. After his presentation in the classroom, he’ll take us onto the model floor to illustrate the currents as we watch simulated tides in action. You can focus on specific locations to see the currents that will help or hinder your next paddle. Kame Richards is an avid sailboat racer and the founder of Pineapple Sails in Alameda. His sailboat racing experience covers San Francisco Bay, the California Coast, Hawaii, Mexico, and other parts of the world.
