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Yes, you are quite right Punto!
In the days I when I trotted about the bay for fun I had a friend who lived in Mill Valley and I wanted to collect him and his wife from close to their home. I had noticed a pad near the freeway so I dropped in (I think they were called Commodore or something - they had red helicopters) and asked if I could use their pad.
After much grumbling by the owner about visiting aircraft and additional movements I shoved a wad of bills in his hand and which action had the effecting of transforming his countenance from a furrow of frowns to a broad smile followed immediately by "when will you be landing?"
There was a delightful chap employed at the Mill Valley operation, 'Rusty', who flew the KGO radio ship. He became a good friend and on one of my visits I dropped into the Mill Valley pad and took him for a spin. He loved the Ecureuil so much that he came back to Oakland with me where he met the AstroCopters CP who ended-up offering him a job! I believe he flew with them for several years.
To bring the conversation full circle, the sea plane op was, as far as I recall, situated almost directly behind the Mill Valley helipad.
In addition to a night flight and a seaplane ride the other thing I would recommend (especially during the summer months) is a 'sparrow-fart' sortie on one of those days when the classic San Francisco fog blankets the bay. Stunningly beautiful!
Sav