The Tomales Regional History Center (TRHC) invites the public to dive into the forgotten underwater archaeology and rugged maritime heritage of the local coastline. On Sunday, July 19, 2026, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., renowned maritime archaeologist Denise Jaffke will present a fascinating lecture titled, "Small Ports and Working Shores of the North Coast." The event is free of charge and open to the community.
Long before modern highways connected the North Bay, Tomales Bay, Point Reyes, Bodega Bay, and the exposed coves of the Pacific coast served as a bustling marine highway. This vital coastal trade carried regional dairy products, seafood, and timber directly to a booming San Francisco and global markets. While the sheltered waters of West Marin supported ranching, fishing, and local transportation, timber operators farther north faced a treacherous challenge: moving heavy lumber from steep coastal bluffs onto vessels anchored in churning offshore waters.
The ingenious solution was the "doghole port"—landings so small and exposed that sailors joked a dog could barely turn around in them. At these rugged sites, cargo was precariously loaded using complex networks of chutes, cables, and mooring systems.
In this compelling presentation, Jaffke will share how the Sonoma County Historical Underwater Research Society (SCHUNRS) documents these perilous coastal sites. Through a mix of archival research, maritime archaeology, scientific diving, and shoreline surveys, she will reveal underwater discoveries from Fort Ross, Salt Point, Fisk Mill, Caspar, and other legendary North Coast landings, connecting the shared maritime DNA of Marin, Sonoma, and Mendocino counties.
About the Speaker Denise Jaffke is a Principal Investigator with Far Western Anthropological Research Group, an active member of the California State Parks Dive Team, and President of SCHUNRS, a volunteer nonprofit dedicated to documenting and interpreting California’s maritime history. Specializing in coastal and underwater archaeology, her extensive fieldwork spans the northern and central California coast, San Francisco Bay, and high-elevation lakes like Lake Tahoe. As an AAUS scientific diver, Jaffke works closely with state, federal, tribal, nonprofit, and community partners to study and protect California's submerged cultural resources.
TRHC Sunday Lecture Series is curated by Carin Jacobs, Place Matters.
Event Details:
What: Small Ports and Working Shores of the North Coast Guest Lecture
When: Sunday, July 19, 2026 | 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. | Free Admission
Where: Tomales Regional History Center, 26701 Highway One, Tomales, CA 94971