Continuing a 35-year tradition of unorthodox ceremonial gatherings out in the Bay, the Cal Sailing Club hosted a New Year’s Day Clam Bake on a muddy sand bar between the Emeryville and Berkeley marinas Wednesday evening. Longtime CSC member Paul Kamen filed this report:
The sand bar, known to local sailors and paddlers as Ashby Shoal, only shows itself above water at extremely low tides. [There was a clam bake last year too, prompted by the King Tides phenomenon.]
This year, two of the 48-ft dragon boats from the Berkeley Racing Canoe Center provided transportation from the Berkeley Marina for about half the 60-strong group, while sailboats, kayaks, dinghies and an outrigger canoe filled out the fleet.
Berkeley Yacht Club and the Bay Area Sea Kayakers were also well represented. The highlight was a simultaneous ignition of a large box of sparklers, just as the tide bottomed out at 1.6 feet below the usual lower low tide.
“It’s the low point of the Cal Sailing Club whirlwind social schedule,” remarked Kamen.
To find out about more events in Berkeley and nearby, visit Berkeleyside’s Events Calendar. And be sure to to post your own events there.
