Okay, how many of you know where you live? Raise your hands. How many of you know you live in the San Francisco Bay Area? Raise your hands … good. How many of you know the SS Red Oak Victory Ship is located at the Richmond Ship Yards and is totally accessible to the general public for adventure? Yeah, I didn’t think so.
This is a P.S.A., a Public Service Announcement.
This last Sunday morning at 10:30 am found the Biggles making his way down to Pt. Richmond and then the Richmond Harbor/Ship Yards for a little adventure. I’d been about 3 or 4 years ago and it was time for a little readventure.
“Launched on November 9, 1944 as the SS Red Oak Victory, and commissioned as the USS Red Oak Victory (AK235) in December, 1944, the Red Oak Victory is the only vessel built by the Kaiser Shipyards in Richmond, California that is being restored. The ship saw service in World War II, Korea and Vietnam and has the distinction of being the only ship operated by both military and civilian personnel during her career.
In 1996, by an Act of Congress, title to the SS Red Oak Victory was conveyed to the Richmond Museum Association. One of the primary goals of the museum is to preserve, restore and develop the Red Oak Victory into a viable asset that can be used, enjoyed and appreciated by the citizens of Richmond and the surrounding Bay Area communities.”
– Lifted from their web site – Photographs are mines
Holee crap this is a beauty of a ship and they’ve done an amazing job at bringing her back to life. When I arrived back in ’04, she was rusty from one end to the other, a photographer’s dream. She’s all shiny now and still the same dream come true. It’s generally a self-guided tour and you have access to nearly every part. You can climb ladders, stairs, anywhere. Plus? I was the only one there wandering about, sticking my nose here, my lens there.
There is no better place to spend 5 dollars in this entire area. You should go. When friends or family come to town, you should go. Bored some weekend, you should go. However, if you have small children or can’t safely climb gangways or ladders, you should not go. You have to keep your wits about you and pay attention to the fact you’re on a real ship, not at Disneyland. It’s so exciting!
Interested in seeing more of her? Check out the rest of my images of Red Oak Victory Ship.
A Grand Day Out, indeed.
xo, Biggles
ps – So I can redeem myself here and include a food related point, they do have pancake breakfasts scheduled on the weekends as a fundraiser. Contact them or visit the ship for details.
MeatHenge
"If it ain't pork, it ain't sausage"
Ahoy, Captain! Good job well done! This is something I will gladly pass along to the K – 5 crowd, as in elementary school, not miniature arf-arfs! I love to tell people about exciting and different places to take the family to have some enlightening adventures; ones that lead to further study and research. 8 Bells and Anchors Aweigh!
Avast!
Don’t think I would do the ladders and all very well but I am sho nuff going to recommend this for my grands. Eating pancakes on a ship! Wow.
I used to love passing the moth-balled “ghost ships” up on the Hudson (off Rockland County), imagining their wartime sagas.
Geez Biggles. You jussabout made this former Navy boy get all misty an’ such. She still needs some work from what I can see of her, but she’s definitely a beauty. Thanks for sharing.
My Beloved and I have attended the pancake breakfast aboard and we can recommend it although, food snobs that we are, we brought our own real maple syrup. She is an amazing ship, the view of the city from there is cool, the history of the shipyard is fascinating and the Rosie the Riveter memorial in Marina Bay is a nice addition to the whole theme. And, did you know that what became Kaiser Permanente was begun as a benefit to shipyard workers during WWII when they couldn’t pay them much so they had the idea of medical benefits? Right here in Richmond!
Kewl. Thanks for the pointers as to spending a Sunday.
Have you been to the (decommissioned) Nike Missile Site in Marin? You get to ride up & down on the firing platform. No redeeming culinary features though.
Aaoooga, Aaoooga—Dive, Dive, Dive. Oops, wrong boat. That must be the Balclutha…or is it the Pampanito? I get so confused.