By Chris O., Tradewinds Instructor
I pass Brooks Island many times as I teach sailing classes admiring the beauty of this mysterious place, at the same time I cringe at the pungent smell of bird poop coming off the windward side which signals to me a healthy thriving bird population on the island. Through my numerous days of sailing on the Bay I only come to its shore once a year.
2024 is the 4th consecutive time I was able to participate in the Coastal Clean-up Day organized by Tony Johnson, one of our own TWSC Sailing Instructors, Matt A., the Island Caretaker, the Regional East Park Service, and Tradewinds!
On a cold September morning, a rag tag team of dedicated TWSC sailors and their friends gathered at the Richmond Marina Dock G where we met Matt and proceeded to the island on a zodiac and two motorboats from TWSC.
A light breeze from the Golden Gate made the air crisp and enjoyable, waking up all remaining sleepy heads who did not have their daily dose of caffeine. Thanks to careful planning by Matt, the Tide Gods were on our side this time around allowing us to pass the treacherous shallows as we approached the island dock. Timing is everything and if you don’t pay homage to them, you will run aground and wait until They decide to let you go… if they decide favorably that is.
The island is a bird sanctuary and a breeding ground for many species of birds migrating between North and South coastal territories. Based on Archaeological excavation the island was inhabited by Coastal Native Tribes as early as 3000 B.C.
Our group of volunteers were determined to make a difference and clean up the accumulated plastic debris making this swath of land a safer, cleaner place for all its inhabitants. Due to tidal range, we only had a few hours on the island to do our job before low tide settled in for the next 6 hours. By the early afternoon we had removed approximately 30 large 60-gallon bags of plastic trash and debris from the island. Due to Brooks Island location and prevailing winds on the San Francisco Bay, all floating trash generated by people usually ends up here on the shore. It’s a never-ending struggle to keep the island beachhead plastic free, but there are those that will take on the challenge annually.
So, what did it take to make this endeavor happen… a thought.
A few years back Tony had a thought, an idea; he turned this idea into an organized plan with the help of Matt and the good folks at REPS and TWSC, there was no shortage of folks wanting to volunteer and participate in the plan to make a difference, myself included.
Over the four years Brooks Island beachhead has turned around from a place filled with floated garbage to a local jewel, a quiet beautiful quaint beach nestled in the busy San Francisco Bay.
So, what’s in it for me you ask…
For me, the next time I teach my students tacks, jibes reefing sails, COB’s maneuvers next to Brooks, the ever so pungent smell of bird poop from the windward side will remind me that I was part of a greater difference, which allowed birds and nature to return and flourish, making the San Francisco Bay that much nicer to sail and enjoy as a sailor…and the smell, well you get used to it after a while. 😊
