Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/253120
C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • W I N T E R 2 0 1 4 135 Charlie") built a steamship pier (Moss' Landing) to facilitate the expor t of agricultural products and tanbark from the Pajaro Valley area. Moss also operated barges that brought goods from Hudson's Landing near Watsonville, via the waters of Elkhorn Slough. Whaling operations fol- lowed in the 20th century, including a huge processing plant and wharf on the present-day site of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI). Other Moss Landing-area industries include agriculture, salt reclamation, dairy farming, retail, hospitality, boat repair, power production and, of course, fishing. Following World War II, the US Army Corps of Engineers opened up a channel to the sea, forming the harbor as we know it today. "At that time, the harbor contained commercial fishing vessels almost exclusively," says Yohn Gideon, owner of the Captain's Inn Bed and Breakfast and Elkhorn Slough Safaris. Today, due to issues both economic and gov- ernmental, the fishing fleet is somewhat diminished—but still healthy—leav- ing the 600 slips to mainly hold private and recreational vessels. Brian Ackerman, former Commodore of the Elkhorn Yacht Club and proprietor of Whisper Charters, estimates the current harbor boat pop- ulation to be about 60 percent private vessels. The Monterey Bay and Elkhorn Slough have always been home to a plethora of marine, avian and land wildlife. It's also home to a lively human population. "It's like an airport," Couts comments. "There are so many different people here." That fact is highly evident every Sunday afternoon at the Moss Landing Inn, the popular bar attached to Retez' Whole Enchilada. The funky, charming bar resembles nothing more than an old fashioned 134-138 Moss Landing 2_152-161 Garcia story 1/26/14 2:34 PM Page 2