ISLAND HOPPING A
fter returning from our circumnavigation in 2003, Terry Shrode and I continued to sail on the Bay. But as days passed, one of us turned to the other and said, "What's the fun in this? You can't die or anything." I kept my beloved Ericson 39 Maverick for a couple more years, but it was a big boat, heavily outfitted for ocean passages, and overkill for our protected native waters. Finally, I let her go. After a respectable time without a boat, we reckoned that right in our own neighborhood, big adventures awaited that required none of the bothersome chart study, equipment and fancy electronics needed for an ocean voyage. We found a boat named Whisper, one of the original swing-keel Catalina 22s, the first of a long line of that marque's successful designs. We had decided on Tomales Bay as a new venue for further expeditions, and the Catalina was the perfect boat for what we had in mind. Although no rocket ship, it's solid, shoal-draft, trustworthy, and spacious for its size. I also built a 10ft stitch-and-glue rowboat as a tender, to explore waters even Whisper was too large to navigate. With these crafts, Mr. Shrode and I were able to embark on travels to nearby places we've all seen but seldom if ever visited. Hog and Duck Islands Tomales Bay has no real marina save the small boat harbor at the Tomales Bay Resort and Marina. To keep a larger
Fred, Chuck, Bill and Tony — the Bay Area Summiteers. Right, Hog Island from Duck Island.
boat in those waters, you'll need to buy a mooring and get a permit for it from the state. If you want to sail, the only alternative is to launch each day; too much work for us layabouts. So we acquired a mooring off Marshall, administered by Skip Vilicich, whose family has been taking care of this area for a century. It was lovely to soak up the local knowledge from Skip Page
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February, 2021
ALL PHOTOS TONY BROWN
and learn about times past, and the boatyard at Marshall still retains a nostalgic ambiance. We explored many places in the bay including Walker Creek, Inverness, Chicken Ranch Beach, Lawson's Landing, White Gulch, and of course Hog and Duck islands. These are right in the middle of the bay, across from the Miller Boat Launch next to Nick's Cove, and are part of the Point Reyes National Seashore. According to local legend, the name "Hog Island" is derived from an incident involving a barge hauling hogs that caught fire and was consequently grounded there to save the live cargo. I'd visited this small bit of land several times in the past, as we'd sailed up there on Maverick, and I'd also landed my Byte there. Years ago, the islands were verdant, but they have, of late, been denuded by the guano from nesting cormorants. Eventually, they will be reduced to bare rocks, and maybe even the cormorants won't be happy. But this hasn't bothered the marine mammals, and human visitors should avoid disturbing them on the east side of the island. There is a spit running between the islands of Hog and Duck that dries out at low tide, so that's when we planned our arrival. There's nothing to ascending Hog Island, and you can land a dinghy easily. Duck Island is another matter. Mr. Shrode and I, along with fellow fool Bill
Joost, knew a grappling hook and ropes would be needed, as the way up is steep and slippery, covered with fragrant white stuff contributed by the residents. Would Shackleton be daunted by this sort of thing? I don't think so. Rat Rock There is a whole sailbag load of strange places inside the Gate as well. The two next destinations, both off China Camp in
Marin County, were reached by rowboat, which was easily launched at the beach. Rat Rock is only about 1/3 mile out, and East Sister is about four times that distance, doable even by an old guy. If you've ever picnicked or anchored at China Camp, you will have noticed a curious tiny island just offshore, and probably wondered how you could get there. There is no beach and it is really hard to say whether high or low tide presents a less inviting landing, as at high tide, you're just seeing a cliff, while at low tide, rocks surround the approach. There were three of us, including the indomitable Mr. Shrode and Fred Feller, on the Rat Rock expedition. Having previously done some reconnaissance, I felt that with a line ashore and stern anchor, we could make the boat secure without damaging it. Disembarking required a bit of agility, as the rocks seem to have been coated with wheel bearing grease. But once Feller, running point, made it with a line that he secured, we set the stern anchor and were ashore. The ascent to the top required a grappling hook and line. It's only about 10-12 feet but these are almost vertical. Gaining the summit, we felt a bit special, although we found lovers' initials carved in a tree so we certainly weren't the first. They looked pretty ancient, and I wondered if the couple
