This week, Carl ruminates on Jack London’s origins in Oakland and what sets the Port of Oakland apart from San Francisco. Carl talks about how London’s experiences sailing around the Bay shaped him as a person and fed the material for his writing.
Podcast: Carl on the Bay
Tune in for short vignettes from legendary San Francisco Chronicle columnist Carl Nolte, a man as well-known in the Bay Area as the San Francisco Bay itself. Learn a brief history of iconic ferry vessels, the ports, and the past moments out on the water that defined the region. Follow along with photos from Bay Crossing’s extensive archive. Each episode is narrated by Carl Nolte and facilitated by Natalia Gurevich.
Sometimes things go awry
This week, Carl describes the San Francisco Bay’s most significant ferry accidents, the most notable of which served as the inspiration for the first chapter of Jack London’s The Sea-Wolf. Carl explains how ferries are typically a safe mode of transportation, and what exceptional conditions caused accidents to occur.
Pre-Car California
This week, Carl takes us on a steamer ride down California’s rivers. Best known as a mode of transport on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers thanks to authors such as Mark Twain, riverboats played an important role in California’s development dating back to before the Gold Rush. Produced by Noor Al-Samarrai.
The Eureka
In this episode, Carl talks about his favorite ferry boat, The Eureka. A grand vessel when it was first built, he muses about what made it last as long as it did, and why it was special to him in particular. Produced by Amy Mostafa