They Rowed Their Boats!

The fishing pier at Shollenberger Park, right on the Petaluma River, was a viewing platform for the Sixth Annual Wine Country Rowing Classic on Sunday. 

That pier, I've heard, was built a little too high for effective fishing. Turns out it's a great spot for viewing nature and rowing, too. Two benches on the pier make for a nice stop on the two-mile trail walk, run or roll around Shollenberger, and nearby picnic tables and a kiosk also make for a nice snack and picnic break.

Sunday's regatta viewers enjoyed two great egrets and a gull flying overhead, swooping around, water lapping against the bank below the pier, a strand of a once-spider web on the pier railing fascinating a young girl, and clear tidal movements.

A little north of the fishing pier, quiet and hopefully unobtrusive monitors helped guide those looking for best viewing areas around Alman Marsh and Shollenberger Park - and avoiding endangered species habitat and damage to it. 

Kudos to those who worked behind the scenes this year to collaborate, organize, and help guide this year's viewers to best available areas. I heard no complaints.  When one viewer said she couldn't get to the spot they had last year right on the river, I shared what I knew. Last year's paths to the riverbank included potential, albeit innocent, damage to endangered species habitat, so that's why monitors were guiding viewers this year. She understood the explanation, agreed, and felt satisfied about where she was - the fishing pier was a great viewing platform.

One man explained the rowers competed against time, not themselves, so crossing an official finish line wasn't that crucial to see.  Yes, it was nice, but the timing was most important.  The rowers were rowing for their best times, not to beat someone else.  That's how the places would be determined.  

Supporters from Mills College, Sonoma State University, Marin Co., North Bay Rowing and others were on the fishing pier-viewing platform for great views, good photo-ops and good vocal projection to the rowers, as they cheered for their favorites.  Homemade signs were held up and waved, schedules were checked, the river was watched for timed boats racing past, headed toward the Marina.  From the viewing platform, looking right, we watched a couple of near misses of the riverbank as a challenging turn was navigated. 

One man came with a double-stroller. His son and daughter enjoyed "Honest Juice" juice bags while he told them that mom's boat would be coming soon. 

Two's, Four's, Eight's, young, adults, women, men - this was a competition for people of all ages and backgrounds. One experienced rower, watching from the viewing platform, said rowing, getting into the rhythm, gliding across the water, was about as close to flying as someone could get.

Viewers were horrified to hear of the once proposed, now approved and in litigation asphalt factory just a couple hundred feet away on the other side of the riverbank.   

A tall man with paper lists of participants and cell phone check-ins to a team-mate back at the Marina commented, "There's no boathouse here."  We shared a moment of conversation. He agreed - the North Bay Rowing Club organizes a great event, they're such true stewards of the river and its health, their recreation and health-promoting activity doesn't disturb the river or the wildlife, and drawing athletes from near and far with their supporters, it would be great if the club and supporters could have a well located Boathouse, even if it's small, with a few amenities.

Sounds like a very good idea to tie in with Petaluma's economic development strategy and bringing more people to Petaluma to enjoy everything the river has to offer.