Monomoy

Historically the coming of the fall triggered the spirited Whaleboat Regatta. The multitude of ships visiting or stationed at Mare Island would lower their monomoys—traditional, heavy whaleboats that doubled as lifeboats—and teams of eight sailors would race a friendly but intense competition, with thousands of spectators gathering to cheer from the waterfront. The tradition lives on with the modern-day Vallejo Whaleboat Regatta each fall. Between the Maritime Academies, Navy presence, and local rowing associations, the San Francisco Bay Area has the largest concentration of monomoy whaleboats in the country.