Tag: Alameda

Explore USS Hornet: A Hidden WWII Gem

Not quite on the radar as a main tourist attraction, the USS Hornet is well worth a visit. It’s of particular interest for those interested in the history of World War II and aviation. She was launched in 1941, served in World War II and also served in the recovery of the Apollo 11 and 12 space capsules. The onboard exhibits include an Apollo space capsule and one of the trailers used to quarantine the astronauts once they had returned to earth.

While in service she was instrumental in shooting down 668 Japanese airplanes and in sinking quite a number of ships. She had quite a colorful history.

The Aircraft Carrier Hornet Foundation preserves the legacy of USS Hornet as a national historic landmark. We visited the Hornet on a Monday afternoon arriving about 2:00 pm. Admission was $15 for seniors. Once onboard we found the docents very knowledgeable and friendly. There were not many visitors that afternoon, so we felt like we had the whole ship to ourselves. Onboard are a variety of aircraft and exhibits, with something for all ages to enjoy. You can even climb into the cockpit of a fighter jet.

We spent about an hour and a half touring the exhibits which gave us a taste for the history. One could easily spend hours here if you wanted to take in the exhibits in more depth. There are also docent led tours to various parts of the ship that are not open for self-guided tours.

The ship was designed for a crew consisting of 86 officers and 1280 men and an air complement consisting of 141 officers and 710 men. I came away from the tour with a greater appreciation for the role of the ship and of the various aircraft that would have flown off the deck of the carrier.

Middle Harbor

On December 18, we decided to launch from Encinal Boat Ramp in Alameda and paddle to Middle Harbor Shoreline Park in Oakland.

We launched at 10:30 on a flood current, which meant we would be paddling against the current going towards Oakland, but with a small tidal change, the current would be minimal. In the afternoon we’d be riding the current back. I plotted the course using the BASK.org trip planner, measuring about 4.3 miles to our intended lunch location. I printed a copy of the map which I studied, looking for a landmark that would mark our turning point to paddle into the beach. Then I stuck the map in my dry box, which I keep in a hatch.

I opted to paddle my Dagger Stratos rather than my wooden Coho. Why? Because I hadn’t paddled it for awhile.

All was fine, paddling on calm waters. As we approached the port, I kept an eye out for the jetty I had noted as our turning point. We arrived at the end of the pier at the port and poked around the end thinking we’d find the park. What? No beach? I fiddled with my GPS unit trying to pull up the map on the tiny screen. Then it became clear that I had picked the wrong landmark for our turn into the park. Note to self: Carry a waterproof chart on the deck .

We backtracked and found the beach. A fine sand beach lined with palm trees. It seemed out of place with container ships to the north and south. It was 12:45 when we landed for lunch and we had worked up an appetite after six miles of paddling. We made a note that this might be a fun place to take the grandkids. There is a viewing platform you can climb to watch the tall cranes moving cargo, a nice beach at least on a high tide, and a dolphin sculpture to play on.

After lunch we were back on the water retracing our route, but sticking closer to the shore. We saw a few harbor seals and thousands of birds including cormorants and brown pelicans. We were back at our launch site at 2:45 having logged 11 miles. I was reminded why I like my wooden Coho. On a long paddle on calm water, it moves with less effort than the Stratos. Want to see more photos? Click here.