by Chase Montara

Irene, during a recent Half Moon Bay harbor tour. Photo courtesy of Cecily Parsons.

August 2011 —
Pillar Point Harbor belongs to us all. We can walk Johnson Pier and buy fish right off the boat. We can dine on a fresh crab dinner prepared for us at a local restaurant. We can even watch the fireworks on the Fourth of July. But unless we own our own boat, or plan to go out sport fishing, we can’t experience this beautiful harbor from the water. That is, until now! Beginning this summer, Pillar Point Harbor has its own resident harbor tour vessel. That vessel is the Irene.

You may have seen Irene in the parking lot under a canopy for several years while being restored. Irene is a 38-foot, 1925 classic wooden “Monterey” fishing vessel. Irene fished for just about anything that swam, serving four generations of the Bettencourt family until being sold. By 2006, however, Irene had fallen into disrepair and was being towed toward demolition when it was spotted by Leland Parsons.

Parsons has a story of his own. He had built a 65-foot gaff-rigged schooner in his back yard in San Diego and had begun the first leg of a transatlantic journey in 2006 with his wife, Cecily, when they reached Half Moon Bay, fell in love and have been here ever since. Parsons purchased the Irene for a dollar and began the arduous process of restoring it. He had a dream that Irene could be transitioned from a commercial fishing vessel to a harbor tour boat. Irene’s restoration was made possible entirely by generous donations from local businesses and well-wishers. Now, nearly five years later, Irene has been fully restored to its original elegance. Irene was once nicknamed “The Emerald of the Bay,” and the boat shines once again as brilliantly as it did almost 85 years ago.

Irene, prior to restoration, circa 1927. Photo courtesy of the Pillar Point Education Fund.

Just your luck, too! Now you can come down to “D” dock off Johnson Pier on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays where tours leave four times daily. You can listen to a narrated tour covering the history and lore that makes Pillar Point Harbor unique. The tours last one hour and tickets are $15 for adults, $7 for children, and kids under 5 ride free. Tours are also available for private celebrations, such as weddings and birthdays. Or you can book Irene for an hors d’oeuvres cruise before dining at a local restaurant. Proceeds from the tours will be made available for educational grants for fishermen’s families by way of the Pillar Point Educational Fund, a non-profit organization founded by Parsons and his wife. For more information, call Chase Montara, director of maritime activities, at 650-533-4385.