Sandy Beach Cover lies below the fort. The principal port of the settlement was 19 miles to the south at Port Rumiantsev (Bodega Bay), where there was a deep-water anchorage and a warehouse. Russian Navy and Russian-American Company ships frequently visited California ports, trading and conducting scientific studies. They stopped at Rumiantsev to load and offload goods and to get fresh water. Vessels from many other countries stopped there to trade as well. There was frequent travel and transport of goods between Sandy Beach and Port Rumiantsev in Russian launches, Native Alaskan "baldarkas" (kayaks), and "baidaras" (large, open skin boats used to carry cargo and up to 15 passengers).
In the cove area there were a number of buildings including sheds for boats, a forge and blacksmith shop, tannery, cooperage, a public bath, boat shop and shipways for building ships. Farm implements and launches were sold and traded to the Spanish and four Russian-American Company Ships—three brigs and a schooner—were the first built on the California coast. The shipyard was abandoned by 1825, but the Company continued to build smaller boats.
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