Ferry Trip

FERRY BUILDING
Friday, July 20, 2007.
Today, Mary, Joan and Manny, Sue, and Marie and I had a great outing. We met at the Vallejo ferry Terminal, and took the ten A.M. ferry into San Francisco. We pushed back from the dock right on time, and headed South to San Francisco - some 25 miles away. The trip used to take 50 minutes, which was 10 minutes faster than the first ferry put in service about ten years ago. Due to increased fuel costs, they have slowed the boat down, and now it takes an hour - just like it used to.
This is a catamaran- type ferry (twin hulls), and gets its high speed by hydroplaning over the water. It gives a smoother ride, too. Our boat is named “Solano” - after our county. The capacity is about 300 passengers. I asked one of the crew how many were aboard and he said 200. I also asked him what the “break-even” number was. He said that he didn’t know, but he was sure that someone in management had calculated it.
We cruise along the Mare Island channel at five knots, in order to minimize any wake damage along the nearby shores. Have a close-up view of the eastern waterfront of Mare Island. It is a smooth ride. It is a little windy, but no whitecaps. We are sitting in the front row, so have a good view ahead. Can see the sun bouncing off the cars crossing on the Coquinas bridge. In the distance I can see Mt. Mamalis. I can see the oil tankers at the pier of Phillips Petroleum in Rodeo, and the refinery in the distance. We pass beneath the Richmond-San Rafael bridge (Highway 580). As we pass South of Angel Island, I can see both the San Francisco- Oakland Bay Bridge, Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. We arrive at the Ferry Building dock at 11 o’clock - right on time. Most of the passengers stayed on board, as the ferry would go up to Fisherman’s Wharf/ Pier 39, before returning to Vallejo.
We split up and browse among the many nice shops inside the terminal. The terminal survived the big earthquake of 1906. It was a busy place before the Bay bridge was completed in 1937. The only way to get to San Francisco back then (other than a long circuitous route over land) was by ferry.
We met for lunch together - what a great invention - the cell phone! Then we sat on the waterfront for about an hour and ” people watched” until our ferry came in for our 3:30 return to Vallejo. Our return trip on the “Mare Island” was uneventful, and we saw the same scenery that we saw coming down. It was a beautiful day, and I hated to see the end of our delightful day jaunt.

MY BROTHER BOB

JULY 15, 2007.

I try to recall anything of significance that happened on each day, This is part of my daily routine. On this particular date, I remember my brother, Bob. He was nearly four years younger, but we were very close. Today is his birthday. He would have been 85!
While he and his wife, Jackie, raised their nine children, his short life ended with much suffering and sadness. He died on May 31, 1984 at home in Ypsilanti, Michigan. He was only 63! Bob served with the Coast Guard during World War II, and received his honorable discharge in December, 1945.
A month later - January, 1946 - he was critically injured in a late Saturday night auto crash. The drunk driver who hit their car was killed. Bob and his girl friend were riding in the back seat of the car. She received a severe leg injury that required surgery. While they were able to save her leg, it ended up shorter than her other one. I often have wondered if seat belts and air bags, were available back then, would have made any difference?
Bob received a broken neck, an almost severed leg and internal injuries. St. Joseph’s hospital, in Ann Arbor, listed his condition as critical, and they did not expect him to live. They had to amputate his severed leg when the couldn’t establish circulation. He remained in their Intensive Care unit for six weeks - with around the clock nursing care! Bob eventually recovered enough to be released by the hospital, to recover at home, with our parents care. Bob didn’t have any medical coverage - it was non-existent or very rare 60 years ago. Our Mom and Dad cashed in all their War Bonds (their life-savings) to pay for Bob’s medical expenses.
Years later, Bob confided in me that “there never was a day, when he didn’t have a headache. Yet, he returned to work at Ford Motor Company in Ypsilanti.
Bob has been dead for over 23 years now, and I still think about him often, and miss him very much.

MY FIRST BLOG!

July 19, 2007.

Greetings!

This is my first attempt at “Blogging”. I am soloing today! This effort was suggested by my daughter Joan, and Joan’s and Manny’s daughter, Melissa. The thrill and excitement are similar to the same emotions that I remember having back in May, 1945, on my first solo flight in a Stearman PT-17 - a bi-plane workhorse. This ride took place at Rankin Field (Tulare) during my Primary- Flight Training. It was here where I met my wife to be - Marie Jaynes.