Juanita Musson was the colorful, no–nonsense proprietor of Juanita’s Galley on the Sausalito waterfront in the early 1960s. “By her own account, Juanita Musson has opened and closed 11 restaurants since the 1950s,” wrote S.F. Chronicle critic Grace Ann Walden in 2002. “The first was Juanita’s Galley located on Gate...
Last week’s early morning (3:39 a.m.) earthquake, which roused some floating home residents from a deep sleep, is a reminder that we are definitely on Terra Non Firma. The December 17 temblor was centered in El Cerrito—only 10 miles away—and was measured at a magnitude 3.6. The tide was about...
In 1999, a fire destroyed the waterfront home of one of Sausalito’s more colorful residents: former porn star and prostitute Annie Sprinkle. Her home was located in Varda Landing, near the ferry Vallejo. In a fundraising appeal posted on Compuserve immediately after the fire, a friend of Annie’s wrote: “Thankfully,...
A stroll across the lawn and paths of the newly created Waldo Point Park at Bridgeway and Gate 6 Road will take you over the historic resting place of the Charles Van Damme ferry, a 1916 side paddle wheeler that, in its heyday, ferried people, cattle, cargo, and cars to...
Looking for holiday gifts that reflect our lifestyle? Check out the Boatload of Books section of this newsletter. You’ll find notices of publications by current and former residents as well as select books about our floating homes. Categories include fiction, non-fiction, history, memoirs, poetry and children’s books, so you’re sure to find...
Vocalist, writer and actress Gale Garnett was born in New Zealand, but became a local fixture in Sausalito’s hippie heyday. In 1964, Gale scored a Top Five pop hit with her original composition “We’ll Sing in the Sunshine,” which won her a Grammy for Best Folk Recording. Five years later...
On October 8, four old hands from East Pier decided to mosey on over to the Cow Palace for the Grand National Rodeo. They report having a good time, but would not disclose which one of them wrestled the champion bull to the ground and walked away with the grand...
Catherine Lyons-Labate’s beautiful, informative book beams out to the world the joy that is found within our waterfront community. If her photographs could actually make music, we would have the soundtrack to life on the water for her and the other lucky folks who blossomed here. Not sure the world...
Sausalito celebrated one year of free First Wednesday al fresco concerts on September 7 with a performance by West Coast Cool Jazz. The mercury was nudging 90 when the 8-piece band kicked off a 90-minute set, but a crowd still gathered at Cascais Plaza. According to NPR, the West Coast...
When I first moved to Gate 6 ½, I thought I had one of the most unique addresses on the planet. Indeed, it caused confusion at the Sausalito Post Office and in computer programs all over the world. But just recently my stepdaughter Jennifer sent me a photo of 6½...