Tug Boat “Alma” - Morro Bay, CA
Posted by: saopaulo1
N 35° 22.232 W 120° 51.325
10S E 694825 N 3916245
Tug Boat “Alma” at the Morro Bay Maritime Museum.
Waymark Code: WM140J5
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 03/23/2021
Views: 2
"The Alma was built in San Francisco by the Beviacqua Brothers Genoa Boat Works near Fisherman’s Wharf in 1927. She was typical of the small wooden tugs and utility craft that worked in harbors along the west coast in the first half of the 20th century. The Alma was traditionally built of sawn oak frames and carvel planked in Cedar.
The Alma’s significant action in history came on the morning of December 23, 1941 when she dashed out from her mooring at the Cayucos Pier to search for survivors of the Union Oil tanker Montebello. The 440’ ship had been attacked and sunk by a Japanese submarine approximately six miles offshore, north of Cambria, California where she lies today on the bottom in 880' of water. The Alma picked up two of the tanker’s lifeboats and carried them to safety at the Cayucos Pier. Another lifeboat was picked up by a companion tug and the fourth, containing the ship’s captain, went ashore near Cambria.
In 1995 the Alma was donated by the Kelsey Family, the former owners of Sylvester’s Tug Service. The Kelsey family now operates the Kelsey See Canyon Vineyards near Avila Beach. The Alma is on permanent display at the museum so come on by and get up close to an artifact involved in local WWII action." (
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