Half Moon Bay Memories & El Granada Observer

One morning an incredibly nice Carole Allen of New Jersey googled “Let Women Alone,” because a friend of her mother’s, an antiques dealer, had the poster in her garage–and she came upon my blog talking about this “lost” 1920s film, part of which was shot at Princeton-by-the-Sea–an email to me, a friendly back-and-forth exchange, AND two days later, here’s the marvelous poster.

I do admit, however, that I didn’t anticipate a poster promoting “Let Women Alone” photographed on what was a very rural Coastside, to have such a sophisticated flavor. There’s no fishing boats, farmers, or artichoke fields depicted.

Here’s how it all began:

(Photo: Indoor Shopping Mall with beautiful glass roof)
By June Morrall

The crowds were thick and upbeat in the lobby of the new Oceano Hotel & Spa at Princeton-by-the-Sea. On a drizzly Coastside evening, they were there to witness the long-awaited ribbon cutting ceremony, performed by jovial county Supervisor Rich Gordon.

The lobby was so busy that I couldn’t get a hard count on how many folks had come to celebrate with the Coastside’s Keet Nerhan, the man associated with the nearly completed project.

And in the middle of the festive mood, the loud conversations and live music, I watched Keet Nerhan confidently walk through the jammed room, constantly stopped by well-wishers wanting to shake his hand and offer well deserved congratulations.

Remember that the Oceano Hotel & Spa is opening in the early stages of what appears to be a serious economic recession.

For Nerhan, reaching tonight’s ribbon cutting ceremony has been a long, hard journey (and I’m sure there’s a book in it), a project that has been in the works for decades (and one that famous developer Henry Doelger considered in the 1950s).

The Oceano Hotel &Spa is surely the most complex project Keet Nerhan has worked on in his entire career—and one has only to look at the attention to detail to appreciate the accomplishment.

The Oceano Hotel & Spa has impressive conference facilities that feature fine views of the harbor and Pillar Point. There’s a nautical theme throughout; for example, a model yacht placed above the fireplace and a variety of seashells used creatively. This motif is carried throughout the hotel

It’s not just a hotel, though; you must look up when you’re walking through the indoor shopping mall with its extraordinarily beautiful glass “roof.� No shops were open yet, and I have no idea how many have been rented.

The restaurant-in-the-round, or so it looked to me, is an eye-catcher and I’m certain there are beautiful harbor views.

For little Princeton-by-the-Sea, a harbor-fishing village with some 450 permanent residents, the Oceano Hotel & Spa is an amazing project bigger than anything else nearby. It will definitely become a venue for people and families hungry for something fun to do—close to home, easy on the gas tank–and that is why I feel it will be a success.

As for me, I hope that good take-out restaurants move in. As a superb blueprint, I’m thinking of the Ferry Building in San Francisco—where everything is fresh and comes from local farms and flower growers. We have the talent right here on the Coastside.

And I have never encountered a grumpy salesperson or moody waiter at the Ferry Building—They must give a congeniality test to all potential employees; everyone is so cheerful and loves what they are doing. I hope that’s what we get at the Oceano Hotel & Spa.

But the Oceano Hotel & Spa will have its supporters and its detractors, and the argument over what is appropriate for the Coastside will continue to be a bitter source of controversy

Cheers!

(Photos below: Getting the ribbon ready for cutting and Supervisor Rich Gordon poses for me–I was using an Iphone).

(Photos below: Keet Nerhan (at right) with Supervisor Rich Gordon; Fireplace)

from Richard who was working aboard the Maurauder at Pillar Point Harbor in Princeton-by-the-Sea.

“Reading Time,” Painting by artist Michael Bowen, who, in the late 1950s, lived with other hardcore beatniks in the Abalone Factory at Princeton-by-the-Sea. (Photo: L-R: Beat Artist Michael Bowen with beat writer Gregory Corso standing in front of the Trieste Cafe in San Francisco. Photo courtesy Michael Bowen.)

Michael, a world traveler, is featured in my new book, “Princeton-by-the-Sea.”

click here

For many Coastsiders— Princeton-by-the-Sea— lives on in a special cove in the mind—a space carefully protected from invasions of the ordinary.

In today’s world where new American cities and towns are designed in advance, all identical, with no surprises, no serendipity, Princeton-by-the-Sea has been the antithesis of suburbia and that’s why we love it.

Ordinary has never applied to Princeton-by-the-Sea.

There were times when Princeton reminded me of my disorganized closet or messy garage–I’m referring to the streets named for Ivy League universities, lined with endearing homemade architecture– interspersed with hundreds of crab traps and decaying fishing boats.

When I crossed Highway 1 (from suburbia on the east side), I happily walked westward into another dimension—it was a great place for a kid to grow up, the oldtimers told me. Example: In the 1940s if you needed a stick of furniture, Mr. Patroni, the owner of a local hotel, said, “You can borrow a chest of drawers from my roadhouse.�

“Princeton-by-the-Sea� is a place, unlike most places, that has been known by many other colorful names: Whalers Cove, Patronis, Small Cannery Row, Ida’s, Hazel’s, the Drag Strip, the Abalone Factory, the Point Beyond, and more recently, Mavericks and the Golf Ball.

Oh, yes and a name that didn’t stick was “the Polynesian Village.�

Some of the Half Moon Bay kids raced their cars up the hill to Pillar Point before the radar station appeared, laughing as their tires kicked up clods of dirt, feeling a rush of adrenaline up there, high above the Pacific.

Every so often, the owner of Pillar Point would drive down from San Francisco to check on his property [yes, there was an owner, reportedly a descendant of a ranchero]– and upon spotting the juvenile trespassers, wagged his finger and chased them away.

A couple of generations later, the Coastside’s teenagers ventured out to what they called “Beyond the Point,� where, alone, during the winter months, they stood, mesmerized by the crazy surf and the wall of 60 foot waves…..

Treasured snapshots and the “Princeton-by-the-Sea” in my mind.

I have derived immeasurable pleasure from funky Princeton-by-the-Sea, and now it’s payback time–and the only way I know how….my book: “Princeton-by-the-Sea, published by Arcadia, will be available in the bookstores for Christmas (and there will be a booksigning at Bay Book on Friday, December 14 at 7 pm) I hope you will enjoy the book.

Grim News: Crab Season NOT Opening: Story by Burt Blumert

Walking on this bright, beautiful Sunday morning on Johnson Pier at Princeton was glorious. The heavy rains yesterday scrubbed everything and the world seemed perfect.

An ideal day to inaugurate the opening of the crab season by buying some succulent crabs from the boats that sell to the public.

Not so. No crabs today. It’s grim for the fishermen who earn their living from harvesting crabs, for the restaurants that feature crab on their menus at this time of year and the poor consumer who will be denied their winter treat.

To walk on Johnson Pier at Princeton is very sad. All the fishing boats are sitting idle and their empty traps are quietly nested.

Not many crab-men were even on their boats or on the pier. I did encounter one or two; they were glum-faced.

There was a meeting of fisherman last night and they voted to cancel the opening of crab season.

The commercial fishermen haven’t had a good time of it; the salmon season was disappointing–and now with this devastating oil spill, things are going from bad to worse.

At the meeting, reported by a couple of locals, the fishermen discussed the fact that the crabs could be contaminated from the spill–and people could get sick consuming them. This factor eliminated any debate about whether to open the crab season or not.

I didn’t have time to get all of the facts. These poor fellows weren’t in a mood for chatty conversation– worse yet, they are concerned that this disastrous oil spill could threaten future crab seasons.

Let’s hope that there is better news ahead.

 Photos:At left, the “Brother Buzz,” and at right, a motor launch believed to have been the “Buzz” before it was retrofitted. Both photos courtesy Fran Young.

June,
You may recall a decade or so ago we also found a Dog at sea, it made The Review Every Dog Has It’s Day…
I have included a picture of “BROTHER BUZZ” and a US NAVY photo of a 40′ motor launch that might be Buzz before “his” retrofitting, ( I know boats are usually referred to as “She” but my oldest Son Francis III once quizzed me, “Dad why do you call the boat her, when it’s name is “Brother Buzz?” I changed my behavior at least when referring to “The Buzz”
The boat has a substantial history,
——————–

“Brother Buzz” Built-1941 Mare Island Naval Ship Yard (40′ Motor Launch)
Served until decommission in 1951, Sold at auction Mare Island;

Names in Chronological Order:

“WHIRL-A-WAY” 1951-64, Party Boat Sausalito
“KW” 1964-65, Party Boat Sausalito
“CORINNE II” 1965, Party Boat Fishermen’s Warf
“PATTIE L” 1966-71, Party Boat Fishermen’s Warf
“QUEEN OF HEARTS” 1971-86, Party Boat Fishermen’s Warf / Halfmoon Bay
“BROTHER BUZZ” 1987-present, Party Boat, Private Fishing Boat Halfmoon Bay

Photo: Explosion aboard the “San Juan” in 1929 took the lives of many. The “San Juan”was a “commuter” ship that offered passengers good value as it sailed between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Courtesy San Mateo County History Museum.

Summer of 1929: Tragedy at Sea Near Pigeon Point by June Morrall, Part II

As the San Juan continued south past Pigeon Point, the Standard Oil tanker S.C.T. Dodd was plowing northward up the coast toward San Francisco, nearing the end of her voyage from Baltimore.

The vessels were 12-miles out, off the San Mateo-Santa Cruz coastline when minutes before midnight the sound of a piercing whistle broke the stillness of the night.

Without any further warning, the sickening shriek of metal tearing metal roared through the San Juan’s staterooms. The Granstedts were thrown from their berths. Hearts pounding, pulses racing, the panicked couple threw on clothes and fled to the deck.

The oil tanker Dodd had rammed the San Juan and the old steamer was sinking. Once on deck, the Granstedts encountered an eerie scene of terrified passengers and crew dashing about madly—and the smell of fear was pervasive. Theodore Granstedt saw no order, only chaos.

Some passengers jumped overboard, others were swept away by the powerful waves. Through the foggy mist, Captain Asplund could be seen trying to help women into a lifeboat.

There was no time to reflect, hardly time for prayer: It all happened so fast.

One second the Granstedts were standing beside their good friends, John and Anna Olsen, and their daughter, Helen. The next moment the San Juan was plunging stern first into the sea, creating a whirlpool that sucked them all in the abyss.

Then there was a great and very loud explosion.

Of the original group, only Theodore Granstedt survived. The next thing he knew he had surfaced from beneath the cold water. Searchlights illuminated the sea littered with wreckage—but he did not recognize the faces of people struggling in the nearby surf, clinging to toolboxes, screaming for help.

Miraculously, before the seriously injured Mountain View man lost consciousness, he grasped the piece of floating debris that saved his life.

By now lifeboats had been launched from other vessels in the vicinity: the oil tanker Dodd, the lumber carrier Munami and the motor-ship Frank Lynch. Theodore Granstedt was one of the 38 surviving passengers and crewmembers.

Wife, Emma, whose anxieties were sadly proven valid was one of 72 presumed dead…as were the Olsens and Stanford student Paul Wagner.
Summer of 1929: Tragedy at Sea Near Pigeon Point, Part II
Although many of the San Juan’s survivors were crew, Captain Asplund went down with his ship as did the purser, Jack Cleveland.

…To be continued…

MORE FROM FRAN “BROTHER BUZZ’ YOUNG

Posted reply [from Robert to Fran Young]“I’ll look for a pic of vessel. Location corresponds with ‘San Juan’, iron passenger vessel lost 1929. I’d like to get your gps#’s at your slip in HMB and I can proof against out gps(there is small differences in unit to unit) and hope you don’t mind but past the info onto buddy with NOAA and he’ll be trying to interest officials in making a submersible dive on it. Hopefully it’s early enough to be coal or IF switched to oil firied it’s not a sleeping environmental disaster like the ‘Jacob Luckenbach’ (we provided logistical etc. support to the oil recovery on her as we dove it the last 14? Years) in the Western Channel.-Again thanks for providing the info to the world and furthering our knowledge of a cultural resource. I’ll pass any info I dig up onto you. Bob (we’ve been diving wrecks here in California since 1968 and worked with Bill Anderson on his sub search out of HMB).”

Attached is a drawing of what I remember the image on my depth sounder to look like, length is of question because of speed of my vessel, bear in mind this is what the compiled image would have been, the total readout would have been approximately 3 screens at 11.5 MPH. I am going to the boat this afternoon and will give you my in dock position. As to whether I mind if you share the information, Putting it on Coastside was exactly what I was doing “Sharing the information” I’m excited to see if It is indeed the San Juan having sunk 78 years ago. You know I am from PA and I was born in Chester County Hospital not far from where the Keel was laid for the San Juan. The story was quite a tragedy, I wonder if Mr. Pifer is still alive? The namesake of the S.C.T. Dodd was from Titusville PA, not far from where my Dad was born. I’m glad you are a Coast Side Member, less this would have no doubt remained a novelty I would show others aboard while making tuna runs.

Fran (Brother Buzz) Young
Drawing of Sounding:

June,
Here’s some of the correspondence to this point, I came across the wreck site on Thursday 8/2 while making my way to a spot we fishermen call “601″ it is aptly named because it is the only spot on the NOAA chart for our area that is 601 fathoms, Tuna fishing enthusiast refer to the area when talking about a seamount that is approximately 40 miles SW of Pillar Point. While headed in that direction on 8/2, I had spent quite some time staring at a flat 300+ foot bottom on my fish finder, then all of sudden a large sounding and outline of something obviously man made, a sharp square cornered shape a sloping side on the end followed by a second somewhat rectangular shape also clearly Man made and very large, I brought it to the attention of my friend standing next to me on my 1941 Mare Island Naval Shipyard manufactured WWII US Naval Launch (Brother Buzz) which I have kept in Pillar Point for 19 years as a Private Sport Fishing Vessel. OK, can you tell I love my old “Warship”?
Back to the shipwreck, Being a member of the locally founded Coastside Fishing Club, I posted on our forum the numbers (Lat / Long) that I had jotted down while passing over the site. Turns out one of our club members is an avid diver and had knowledge of the San Juan and is doing some foot work with NOAA, below is some of our e-mails…. Fran (Brother Buzz) Young

Photo: San Juan (1929)

[June,
An investigation is underway, seems as though I might have come across the wreck of the SanJuan on my way tuna fishing last Thursday 8/02/07, I'll let you know more when I hear, NOAA may check the area out with a submersible!! I own The Vessel Brother Buzz @ Pillar Point... Fran (Brother Buzz) Young]

——————————————————————-

A while back, I wrote a three-part series  about the horrific events that led to the explosion aboard the ill-fated commuter ship, the “San Juan.”  If Fran Young, who was tuna fishing aboard the “Brother Buzz,” did indeed encounter the long buried “San Juan,” he will be bringing to the surface one of the most dramatic ship disasters to have occurred along this coastline.

Summer of 1929, Tragedy At Sea Near Pigeon Point by June Morrall, Part I

Emma Granstedt felt a premonition of danger as she boarded the popular “commuter steamer� San Juan at San Francisco on Thursday, August 29, 1929.

The middle-aged Mountain View woman tried to explain the feelings she couldn’t shake to her husband, Theodore: She was worried about an accident at sea, she told him.

Theodore assured his uneasy wife that there was nothing to worry about. The venerable 47-year-old iron steamer made routine runs between the City and Los Angeles—and he reminded her about the attractively inexpensive fare, ranging from $8 to $10 per passenger.

He may have pointed to the San Juan’s advertisement in the local newspaper: “A delightful way to travel,� promised the ad. “One fare includes comfortable berth, excellent meals, open-air dancing, promenade decks, radio music—all the luxury of ocean travel. A trip to be remembered! The economic way that entails no sacrifice!�

Premonition or not, it was too late for the Granstedts to change their mind.

It would mean canceling the plans they had made with the Palo Alto friends they were traveling with, John and Anna Olsen and the couple’s 28-year-old daughter, Helen.

The Granstedts and Olsens were traveling to Southern California to attend a wedding anniversary celebration—and the trip also gave them good reason to visit the Granstedt’s daughter, Irene, who was pursuing an acting career in Hollywood.

Emma may have been consoled to learn that only a few days earlier the San Juan had been in dry dock at which time a new rudder and propeller were installed. The vessel was cleaned, painted and the sea valves overhauled. The steamer’s radio was in tiptop shape, and life-saving equipment included six lifeboats and 110 life preservers for adults and 17 children.

Steamboat officials, who inspected the San Juan, pronounced her safe and in fine condition.

Daylight faded and the sky darkened as the sailing hour neared on Thursday, August 29. It was customary for the purser, Jack Cleveland, to sell tickets to impulsive travelers who made a last-minute decision to sail from San Francisco to L.A. One such last-minute ticket-buyer may have been 24-year-old Stanford graduate student Paul Wagner, who was on his way to visit his family in Southern California.

On board the busy steamer there was no hint of anything out of the ordinary—but one significant change had been made: 65-year-old retired Captain Adolph F. Asplund replaced the regular commander who had taken time off for his summer vacation. The experienced Captain Asplund knew every inch of the San Juan, as he had been her captain many years before.

When the San Juan left port, there were 110 men, women and children on board, 65 passengers and 45 members of the crew. All were settling in and a few hours later the steamer approached the beautiful Pigeon Point lighthouse, south of the village of Pescadero.

By now many of the sleepy passengers, including the Granstedts and the Olsens, headed for their staterooms below deck to rest on their first night at sea.

…To be continued….

<em>Photo: Pigeon Point, courtesy San Mateo County History Museum, Redwood City.</em>

June,
An investigation is underway, seems as though I might have come across the wreck of the SanJuan on my way tuna fishing last Thursday 8/02/07, I’ll let you know more when I hear, NOAA may check the area out with a submersible!! I own The Vessel Brother Buzz @ Pillar Point… Fran (Brother Buzz) Young