Harbor Tour

The Port of Oakland was gracious enough to host a Saturday harbor tour for our neighborhood group last weekend. They commandeered a Blue & Gold ferry for the purpose. Unfortunately the event was rather poorly attended as it wasn't announced until Friday afternoon. The Port of Oakland, as much as I love it needs a new community relations director. I took full advantage of the opportunity, grabbed my camera, a neighbor and headed down to the dock on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. Most of the commentary was history I had heard before from the Oakland Museum's bike trip docents. They both must get their material from the same place. The tour took us very close in alongside the cargo ships and around to the less viewed backside of the port. It was a good opportunity to take in just how massive the Port of Oakland is. In 2006 the port handled 2.4 millions TEU's (twent foot equivalent units) of cargo. The tour also gave a good look at the building of the new Bay Bridge, which doesn't actually seem to be moving along very quickly. Not sure why I didn't get a copy in my mailbox (again better community relations needed) but the Spring 2007 Port News is available in .pdf and is devoted to the Port's green initiatives. They have done a fantastic job with Middle Harbor Park. The tour was a good way to spend an hour and I hope in the future the Port will offer more of such events. Afterall we're all being slowly being choked to death by living in a place where we constantly inhale the diesel emissions from the trucks, trains and ships; the least they could do is give the neighbors a little fun once in a while.