There is a tunnel under 12th Street through which tidal waters enter and leave Lake Merritt. Consisting now of four large culverts, it is located right below the highrise building at 1200 Lakeshore Avenue. On the Lake side, these culverts are large enough for a boat to enter, but half way through, under the street, they divide into eight, smaller pipes which are wide enough for a canoe, but not the kind of paddle boats they rent at the Boating Center.

A log barrier usually prevents boats from entering the tunnel, but fishermen sometimes cut the cable, allowing the boom to drift away from the entrance to the culverts.

One day when the barrier was broken, two adults and a child in a paddle boat were pulled into the tunnel by strong out-going tides. Half way through they became stuck. It was pitch black. Trapped and fearing they would be drowned if the water level rose, they called 911 on a cell phone. Within minutes a dozen or more emergency vehicles were on the bridge. Red, yellow and blue lights flashed as frantic firemen looked down at the water and cried “What can we do?” “How can we get them out?”

Seeing the commotion, I walked over and asked if they had sent anyone down the tunnel. “What do you mean” he said. “Well its only about 2 feet deep in the tunnel” I said!! He was astonished (ignorance really IS Lake Merritt’s biggest problem).

In a short while a dock attendant from the boating center came over in a kayak and paddled down to the frightened boaters. A few minutes later they all came walking out and stood on the edge of the tunnel. Everyone cheered.