Local elite tour Richmond gems by sea
By Robert Rogers
Contra Costa Times
Posted:   09/20/2012 10:29:37 AM PDT
Updated:   09/20/2012 10:37:26 PM PDT

For an album of photos, see http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_21592240/local-elite-tour-richmond-gems-by-sea.

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RICHMOND -- The city's business and political elite swarmed the Craneway Pavilion under brilliant sunshine Wednesday afternoon.
The 183-foot-long California Hornblower bobbed gently at the peninsula point, waiting for more than 260 passengers to board.
"I love taking the shoreline tour," said Andrew Butt, a local architect and son of longtime City Councilman Tom Butt. "You get a unique perspective from the water of the beauty and breadth of business activity on Richmond's shoreline."
The Council of Industries of West Contra Costa County hosted its annual Discover Richmond by Sea on Wednesday, showcasing Richmond's port, industrial and business community from the waters of San Pablo Bay.
The tour followed a tour that morning hosted by the Richmond Chamber of Commerce dubbed Discover Richmond by Land, which provided participants an overview of the city and the opportunities for development.
The events were in celebration of the city's more than 100 years of "business, commerce and port activities," according to a Council of Industries news release.
Richmond's shoreline area is a heady place of late, bustling with the distribution of cars and other goods at the port and the recent news that the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory will build its next research campus in Richmond's southern shoreline district. Much of the turnout consisted of longtime local leaders, but there were plenty of new faces, too.
Two members of one of Richmond's newest businesses, the American Basketball Association's Richmond Rockets franchise, were on hand as well. Star players Tita Davis and Patrick Mitchell said they were excited to see their hometown from a different vantage point.
Tour-goers saw the Ford Peninsula, the Marina Bay harbor, the port, the World War II-era SS Red Oak Victory ship and other landmarks from views accessible only by water.
Another high point of the tour was the opportunity to regale Richmond's promise while mixing with the city's most prominent leaders.
"I've been on the tour many times," said Bea Roberson, a neighborhood council officer and City Council candidate. "The best thing about it is being able to mingle with all the business leaders in our town."
Contact Robert Rogers at 510-262-2726 or rrogers@bayareanewsgroup.com. Follow him at Twitter.com/roberthrogers.