Directions to Pier 3

What To Google
Type in Rigger’s Loft as the destination.

Directions from 580
Take 580 in the direction on San Rafael, but take the Canal exit. At the ramp, turn left and stay on Canal Blvd. You will find yourself in an industrial district. There will be a railyard to your left. The hill-hugging road will curve to the west. You will see a parking lot full of hundreds of new cars, then the waterfront and a brand-new residential development, Shea Homes to your right. Pass the tugboats moored to your right and you will begin seeing the WWII piers where military ships were built, now storing all kinds of boat parts. Follow the road in the direction of the USS Red Oak, visible from afar. Park on the parking lot next to the boat, in front of Rigger’s Loft, a wine bar that plays live music on weekends.

Description

Pier 3 is not really known as an East Bay painting destination, partly because of its remoteness and partly because of the industrial themes abundant in this area. Yet this location has also been described as quiet and even peaceful. It is visited by cyclists, history buffs and dog owners. The East Bay Landscape Painters painted it a few times and I also brought a few classes. Artists and photographers love the sailboats and ships passing quite close to the pier. Others are thrilled to stand so close to the monumental Whirley Crane and USS Red Oak. Farther away you can see water tanks across the surrounding hills and the piers themselves, full of rusty machinery and boat parts. There is some shade depending on what you want to paint. If you like water views, bring an umbrella. Riggers Loft will be closed at the time we are there, so it is fair to say there are no bathrooms or water.

History

Pier 3 is located in the Kaiser Shipyards, the historical part of the modern Port of Richmond. According to Wikipedia, the port itself was constructed in the 1980s, about thirty years after the World War II-era Kaiser Shipyards were decommissioned. The most prominent landmark on Pier 3 is the Whirley Crane, home to a famous osprey couple. If you look carefully, you might see their nest at the very top. The SS Red Oak Victory is a restored World War II Victory ship. She is berthed at Pier 3 as a floating museum, currently closed to the public. The Riggers’ Loft building is a historical landmark that was recently renovated. A restaurant and wine tasting business occupies those premises. The large, monolithic Art-Deco era building north of Rigger’s Loft was the general warehouse for the Kaiser Shipyards.

Map of Pier 3 Painting Location