Fort Cronkhite, Marin Headlands, CA (9/1/2017) – “Cannon to the right of them, Cannon to the left of them, Cannon in front of them, Volley’ed and thundered.” – The Charge of the Light Brigade
The recent heat wave in the Bay Area forced us out of Kentfield Marin Headlands in search of cooler air. Unlike our last few scenic drives, the fog was nowhere to be seen on this day, so we drove down through Sausalito and Cavallo Point/Fort Baker, before heading up into the Headlands to Bicentennial Campground for our picnic lunch.
While we were eating, Air Force cargo and refueling planes flew low over the area, providing an aerial show, only rivaled by the shipping traffic navigating their way in and out of the Golden Gate. Once we finished eating, we took a short walk to explore Battery Wallace, part of the former Coastal Defense for the San Francisco Bay.
“Originally built in 1919 as a pair of open-air firing platforms, Battery Wallace featured a new generation of guns designed to meet advances in battleship gunnery that allowed vessels to fire farther from shore. The two 12-inch caliber guns installed here were mounted on carriages that allowed them to be elevated to 4inch angles, which gave them a firing range of 17 miles. During World War II, another advance in warfare technology posed a challenge for coastal defense forces—the threat of aerial attack from aircraft carriers. Battery Wallace’s open platforms left the weapons and their crews exposed to enemy attack, particularly from airplanes. To protect and camouflage them, the army covered the guns with this concrete and earth structure, built between 1942 and 1943.”
Once we loaded back up, we drove down to Fort Cronkhite and Rodeo Beach, where we watched about twenty surfers and three porpoises having a good time in the waves. Then it was back to WindChime for a little rest.
Our weekly excursions are a great way for our residents to keep their sense of adventure as we explore the beautiful Bay Area. For more information on the programs available at WindChime of Marin, or to make an appointment for a tour, please call (530) 414-9700. #BEADVENTUROUS