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| Rock the Dock--Harboring a rocking good time By Stacy Trevenon--[ stacy@hmbreview.com ] Published/Last Modified on Wednesday, September 19, 2007 2:46 PM PDT Pillar Point Harbor may be a world of its own, nestled against the ocean on the western lip of the Midcoast, but it teems with ocean sport, fishing industry, busy small businesses and recreational opportunities. All of that will be highlighted at the second annual Rock the Dock, scheduled to take place from 4 to 9 p.m. this Friday, Sept. 21. The event is geared for the family, with local food, live music, tours, rescue demonstrations and more. It will be "more a celebration and awareness of the unique harbor experience," said event chairman Wayne Meyer. "We are excited that Rock the Dock will highlight all that the harbor has to offer and educate both locals and visitors on this amazing resource and attraction right in our back yard," said Peter Grenell, general manager for the San Mateo County Harbor District. The event will highlight the harbor community. Pillar Point is home to dozens of commercial fishing boats that produce in excess of 2.4 million pounds of seafood annually. It's valued at nearly $6 million, and includes Dungeness crab, salmon and sardines. Consequently, seafood will feature in menus for the event, including grilled seafood from the Half Moon Bay Fishermen's Association. To go with that, there will be Mavericks Amber Ale and Harbor Light Ale from the Half Moon Bay Brewing Company and fine vintages from Half Moon Bay's La Nebbia Winery. A portion of beverage proceeds will benefit the association and the Half Moon Bay Coastside Chamber of Commerce and Visitors' Bureau's scholarship foundation. Aimed to give visitors an idea of the scope of activities possible at the harbor, tours of its waters will be offered through Half Moon Bay Kayak Co. and on a U.S. Coast Guard cutter, Meyer said. There may also be a demonstration from the Pillar Point Harbor Search and Rescue team, which handles 110 search-and-rescue cases annually and "works to prevent accidents through participation in education and awareness efforts such as Rock the Dock," said Capt. William Uberti, commander of the Coast Guard's Sector San Francisco. Providing a musical backdrop through the evening will be rock from Blue, beginning at 4:30 p.m., rock and blues from Gypsy Love Jam at 6 p.m., and Mighty Mike Schermer at 7:30 p.m., celebrating a new CD and performing his "Cruz blues." The event is also structured as a vehicle for highlighting the plight facing local fishermen plying their trade in increasingly limited fishing areas and to spotlight the economic impact of the harbor, Meyer said. For information, contact the chamber at 726-8380. • LOTS TO SEE OUT AT SEA It's not unusual, in the overall scheme of things, to see humpback whales, blue whales, leatherback turtles or even great white sharks in the blue waters off the Coastside. But in an unusual scenario that may delight ocean wildlife aficionados, all of the above seem to be out and about these days. "What's really special is seeing them all at one time," said Birgit Winning, director of the Oceanic Society. As noted in a recent San Francisco Chronicle story, on one recent society wildlife cruise, a leatherback turtle swam right up alongside the boat, as if checking it out. Around the same time and not far away, society observers spotted a gruesome sight: a great white shark feeding on a seal. Whales are also surfacing locally, Winning said. It's not unusual to spot humpback whales, though that often happens in May, and spectacular, huge blue whales are "not something you see every year," she added. Both have made appearances lately. "It's a good time to come out and have a good chance of seeing all the things that are spectacular off the coast," Winning said. Pillar Point Harbor is a good departure point for Oceanic Society whale watching voyages that coincide with humpback whale migration season or approach the Farallone Islands in hopes of spotting blue whales. Other harbor-based businesses which will be highlighted at Rock the Dock, including Captain John's Fishing Trips, Huck Finn Sportfishing and Huli Cat Sportfishing, Whale Watching and Nature Trips, bring ocean lovers out onto the blue as well. - Stacy Trevenon • AT A GLANCE What: Rock the Dock Where: Pillar Point Harbor, Princeton When: 4-9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 21 Cost: Free Information: Half Moon Bay Coastside Chamber of Commerce, 726-8380 |