Berkeley Pier

Photo by Dan Rademacher.

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Oct-Dec 2006

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by Scarth Locke — published October 01, 2006

It's an hour or two before high tide and the dull roar of traffic from Interstate 80 is not quite loud enough to drown out the sound of waves splashing against the pilings that support the Berkeley Pier, where you can stroll two-thirds of a mile into the heart of the Bay. As the tide comes in, more and more fishers arrive. Solitary anglers are joined by families armed with extra poles. Shouts and laughter ring out as someone pulls up a fish. You can hear snippets of conversation in half a dozen different languages.

The pier, now one of the region's most popular pier-fishing spots, was originally opened as a ferry launch, went out of business twice, and was nearly destroyed before its 1958 renovation. Experienced fishers have caught some large halibut (up to 30 pounds), striped bass, and even white sturgeon, but perch and jacksmelt are most common, along with the occasional bat ray and leopard shark. Seafood fans should not get too excited, since authorities recommend eating no more than two meals a month of fish from the Bay, but this doesn't scare off the anglers. The Berkeley Pier is one of our most-used public resources—and a prime place to see the Bay's past and present at the center of our region.

Getting there: Take the University Avenue exit off I-80 and head west. Follow the signs to the pier. Or take AC Transit #51 from Shattuck and Center in Berkeley. Get off at Sixth and University, walk one block north, and transfer to the #9/Berkeley Marina bus at Sixth and Hearst.