Next tour: “Fishing Boats Through the Decades: Stories from Monterey’s Waterfront” — Saturday, September 5, 10 a.m. to noon
Looking for a free, family-friendly way to spend a Saturday morning? Monterey’s Fisherman’s Wharf Association is continuing its popular Wharf Walks series with historian and author Tim Thomas, offering a fun, hands-on history lesson right on the water.
The next walk, happening Saturday, September 5, focuses on the fishing boats that have worked Monterey Bay for generations — and the people who depended on them. Over the two-hour tour, Tim will share stories about how the fishing fleet changed over time as fishermen pursued abalone, salmon, squid, sardines, rockfish and other species that made Monterey Bay famous.
Kids and parents alike will learn how boats, fishing methods and the local industry transformed the waterfront decade by decade — and how those changes reflect the diverse communities that built Monterey’s fishing heritage, from the area’s Indigenous peoples to the many cultures that later worked the bay.
Good to know if you’re planning to go:
- When: Saturday, September 5, 10 a.m. – noon (held the first Saturday of every month)
- Where: Meet at the head of Old Fisherman’s Wharf, near the pink Harbor House store at #1 Old Fisherman’s Wharf, Monterey
- Ages: Recommended for ages 10 through adult
- Group size: Limited to 15 participants
- Cost: Free
- Reserve your spot: monterey.gov/library/events or call (831) 646-3933
About Tim Thomas
Tim Thomas is a fourth-generation Monterey native and a lively, knowledgeable tour guide. He spent 16 years as historian and curator for the Monterey Maritime & History Museum and has worked with the Monterey Bay Aquarium, California State Parks and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. He’s the author of The Abalone King of Monterey: “Pop” Ernest Doelter and The Japanese on the Monterey Peninsula and co-author of Monterey’s Waterfront. Tim also serves on the Board of Directors of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) and is curator of the new JACL Heritage Center/Museum.
About Wharf Walks
People have fished Monterey Bay for thousands of years, starting with the Rumsien Ohlone, the area’s first fishermen. Over time, the bay grew into a multicultural fishing community — Azorean whalers, Chinese squid fishermen, Japanese salmon fishermen and abalone divers, and Sicilian sardine fishermen all left their mark on the waterfront.
Each Wharf Walk takes participants back in time to explore this history, from the Rumsien Ohlone and the abalone industry to whaling and Monterey’s legendary sardine days. It’s a great way for families to connect with the stories of the people who worked — and still work — Old Fisherman’s Wharf.
For more information: Visit monterey.gov/library/events or call (831) 646-3933 to reserve your free spot.
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