Cruising with Petaluma history

<p>With the gently warm afternoons of early fall, spending time on the Petaluma River seems an even more inviting proposition before the chill of winter arrives.</p><!-- Nothing to do. The paragraph has already been output --><p>Friends of the Petaluma River is giving residents another good reason to schedule some river time this weekend, with Petaluma River Heritage Days Oct. 9-10.</p><p>The historic scow schooner Alma and the replica shrimp junk Grace Quan are sailing into the Petaluma Marina on Friday, Oct. 8 to offer school groups cruises and shore-side displays, then will be open to the public on Saturday, Oct. 9 in the Turning Basin.</p><p>“This is the first time we're going to take some local elementary school students out on the Alma,” said Jason Rucker, captain of the Alma. “We're really excited about it.”</p><p>Participating students will learn the histories of both boats and their connections to Petaluma, while helping to set sail on the Alma and navigate the boat down the river.</p><p>“What's exciting about this boat is that it has a local history on the bay and its rivers for 119 years,” said Rucker. “It's only traveled from San Francisco to Petaluma, Napa and Sacramento, so it's kind of neat that her whole history is right here in this area.”</p><p> The Alma was built in 1891 in San Francisco by German immigrant Fred Siemer, who gave the ship to his son-in-law, James Peterson. Siemer named the boat after his granddaughter, Alma. </p><p>During its lifetime, the Alma carried hay and lumber, and after Peterson removed its masts in 1918, it carried sacks of Alviso salt while being towed as a barge. </p><p>The boat was purchased in 1926 by Frank Resech, who installed a gasoline engine. From then until 1957, its cargo was exclusively oyster shell. During that time, the Alma hauled 110 to 125 tons of shell per week to Petaluma, where it was ground and used for chicken feed.</p><p>The Alma was sold to Peter John Gambetta in 1943, who continued to operate it as a dredger until 1957. When Gambetta retired the Alma, it was still seaworthy, but no longer profitable.</p><p>The state of California purchased the Alma in 1959, and restoration work began in 1964. It was transferred to the National Park Service in 1978, and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1988. The Alma is now part of the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park's fleet of historic vessels at Hyde Street Pier. It sails every season, and participates in the revived Master Mariners Regatta every May.</p><p>Those attending the River Heritage Days will have the opportunity to tour the Alma from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday during an open house in Cavanagh Landing at the Turning Basin. Also, for the first time, local residents will have a chance to cruise the river aboard the Alma at a public sail offered on Sunday, Oct. 10 beginning at the Petaluma Marina.</p><p>“Over the past 20 years that we've been coming into Petaluma, we've just done an open house, so we're really excited about getting Petalumans on the boat and on the river,” said Rucker. “She's been coming to Petaluma as one of her main routes, both as a sailing scow and a motorized cargo carrier, for most of her 119-year career. It's exciting that we're going to be getting Petalumans on the boat for a public sail.”</p><p>Tickets for the public sail are $40 general, $20 children ages 6-15 and free for kids 5 and under. Reservations must be made by Saturday, Oct. 9 and can be done in person or by calling (415) 292-6664.</p><p>Petaluma River Heritage Day on Saturday in the Turning Basin begins at 10 a.m. and will feature public tours of the Alma and the Grace Quan, along with displays and exhibits of handcrafted boats from the Traditional Small Craft Association. A collection of boats from the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park will be present at the festivities and may offer rides.</p><p>Boat-builders from the San Francisco Maritime and Friends of the Petaluma River will be building a tule splitter, which was a boat used in the early 1900s for duck hunting in the marshes of Petaluma.</p><p>The day wraps up with music and a campfire at 7 p.m. at the Petaluma River Heritage Center, located at the end of Copeland Street.</p><p>For more information on Petaluma River Heritage Days, visit www.friendsoft hepetalumariver.org.</p><p>(Contact Yovanna Bieberich at yovanna.bieberich@argus courier.com)</p>