Forresst Capt. Clam Robertson is shown in a newspaper clipping piloting the Clam Taxi through the bay.
Long time residents of Morro Bay — and I mean looong time residents — will remember the Clam Taxi.
That was the 16-foot skiff that ferried folks back and forth to the Sandspit where they explored the closest, remote nature spot in SLO County, and dug in the sand for Pismo clams.
Last December, the last of those famous (infamous?) boat skippers, Forrest “Capt. Clam” Robertson died after a long illness.
Forrest was born in Oakdale, Calif., Nov. 26, 1946 to parents, Kenny and Mildred Robertson. He was raised by his grandparents, John and Olive Robertson, and had two sets of twin brothers and sisters, Danny and Diana, and Kevin and Karen.
Forrest and grandma Olive moved to Adelaide outside Paso Robles and he graduated from Paso Robles High, class of 1964.
Like many men of his generation, he started college — at Cuesta and Cal Poly — but his number came up and he got drafted.
Forrest spent his active service in the Navy Reserves in Japan. He continued in the reserves and retired as a Senior Chief Petty Officer (SCPO).
News photos shows folks disembarking on the Sandspit, with Capt. Clam manning the tiller, at the stern of the skiff.
He moved to Morro Bay, which offered him a chance to surf, fish and enjoy the waterfront life he wanted. He enjoyed many trips to Big Sur to nurture his deep love of nature.
He bought a fishing boat, Joker, one of several he owned over the years. Among them was The Hullabaloo, which sank coming back to port from a fishing trip off Avila. His dear friend Billy Tyler, who suffered from polio, was onboard that fateful trip. Both survived the ordeal (by the hair of their chins to hear them tell it), with another tale to tell. Bill Tyler was also a former Capt. Clam.
Forrest was running the Morro Bay Marina at what is now Marina Square, with a small motel, fuel dock and slips. He became Capt. Clam in 1972 when he took over that service, which had been operating in the harbor for decades.
He met his future bride Terry in 1975, and they were married on Valentine’s Day in 1977. A daughter, Glenda, arrived in 1979 and son, Matthew in 1980. Both were raised in Morro Bay.
Forrest was written up several times in local papers and out-of-town papers too, for his service to the waterfront community and highlighting the adventure of spending a day on the Spit.
But all good things must end, and the Clam Taxi gig ended in 1982 when the lease site was sold and the new owner didn’t want to deal with Coast Guard licensing. Marina Square was built in the early 1990s.
He put his drafting skills to work and joined TRW, before hiring on at Caltrans, with a little assistance from his friend Billy Tyler. Forrest worked at Caltrans until retirement in 2012.
Forrest loved his job and everyone he ever worked with over the years. After retiring, he spent many a day on the family sailboat moored in the harbor and greatly enjoyed the monthly Fishermen’s Barbecues at the Maritime Museum, where he met up with all the old timers from the waterfront swapping stories about the good ol’ days. He jokingly called them, “The Liar’s Club.”
Forrest loved to go camping at Refugio Beach and Ragged Point and took many adventures to Salmon Creek and The Stairs. He and Terry had planned to renew their vows for their 50th Anniversary but Forrest died a 3-years shy.
He spent much time in his beloved “Shack,” a man cave in the garage where he listened to music, watched TV, read from his laptop and was surrounded by his collected life’s treasures.
He never missed the Cayucos Polar Bear Dip on New Year’s Day or the Cayucos Independence Day Parade.
In 2017 he began a valiant fight against Waldenstrom’s Syndrome with chemotherapy. Though the fight changed their lives, Terry said Forrest never lost his sense of humor and his love of storytelling. His favorite quip was, “Don’t let the facts get in the way of a good story.”
A memorial service was held for Capt. Clam last January aboard The Chablis.
Terry summed up her feelings, “So many memories in 50 years of love and life together. Nothing is the same without him. He’ll always be the Captain of my heart.”
So we officially say Bon Voyage to Capt. Clam, another of the unforgettable characters from Morro Bay’s Waterfront.
— Neil Farrell
