From Way Back – by Ty Mellott

Hello and best wishes for the new year. We hope that all of you are having a great start to 2022. If anything, I can only hope that this year is much better than the past couple we have boated our way through.

I had an idea of looking forward to a whole new year of boating that I hope you find enjoyable by taking a look back to a time that some may have forgotten. Each month, I would like to display an old photo from around the Bay or Delta to help everyone remember the joy boating has given to all of us over the years. They may be of an unknown location with unknown boaters at times. It might prove to not only invoke reminisce of a certain time period, but also to create some fun along the way should you happen to know the person pictured. Who knows, it may very well end up being you!

Sitting at the Rusty Porthole docks in the early 80’s.

As the months roll along, I would certainly entertain the idea of publishing some photos provided by you the readers.

This month’s photo was provided to me by my son-in-law Phil Bryan, who works for the City of Martinez. They happened to be cleaning out an older building in town and ran across a box of photos. Of them all, this one drew his attention and he felt that I might enjoy it. Thusly, From Way Back was born. The only thing I know of the photo is that it is at Rusty Porthole of course, and the year is probably 1982 by the date of the CF#.

Boating in the 80’s according to Hal Schell was certainly an amazing time to be on the Delta.

Should anyone know anything of the people pictured and/or the boat, I would really enjoy hearing from you.

You can reach me at tymellott@yachtsmanmagazine.com if you would like to share what you know of this month’s featured photo or wish to send me some photos from your own collection. I look forward to sharing them. See you next month.