click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney
China Camp comprises a seven mile stretch of San Pablo Bay shoreline -- this is the west side of the upper "thumb" of San Francisco Bay.
These days it's a paradise for day-trippers, hikers, kayakers, boaters with shotguns, and the occasional photographer; but China Camp has been a small village and shrimp fishery dating back to the 1860's. Netting and drying shrimp was one of the few businesses in which Chinese immigrants were permitted to engage.
click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney
This is the somewhat camera-shy Mr. Frank Quan, who is the last remaining resident of China Camp. Except for a stint in the Army during WW2 he's lived and worked here, netting and processing Bay Shrimp, his entire life.
The Bay Shrimp catch has dwindled to almost nothing these days. The salinity of San Pablo Bay has risen above ideal conditions for the shrimp. Water from the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers is being diverted for agriculture in the Central Valley, leaving little fresh water to flush San Pablo Bay of it's salt.
click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney
This is the very seaworthy Grace Quan, an exact Chinese junk reproduction, built a few years ago by the Maritime Museum boatbuilders over at the Hyde Street Pier in San Francisco.
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photo by Donald Kinney
This is the oiled sail of the Grace Quan. It seems to go up and down with great ease.
This year the annual China Camp Heritage Days were held on August 21 (((sorry I'm late with this report))). Music was performed and songs were sung. Poetry was read. Lion-dancers put on flashy show and stood by to greet incoming boats. Free trips on the Grace Quan were available, and again this year the Alma; a flat-bottomed lumber schooner sailed in from Pier41.
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3 comments:
great shots!
Love the boat!
Beautiful pictures. Love the first one:)
Have a nice sunday.
Berit.
I would have loved to be there for that.
The pic. of the sail is awesome Don. Great motion in the folds.
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