Traveling anywhere in Sonoma County was risky during and after the storm
so we stayed coast side. With the reports of 20' waves I couldn't stay
cooped up in the house.
All of these photographs were taken at Duncan's Landing. Shooting here you and your camera can get drenched with one big wave.
I stood in the fierce wind and driving rain to get these shots.
Water runoff from the hills create new waterfalls everywhere along the coast.
Please be mindful of the slick wet roads. Watch for falling limbs, downed trees and flooded roads.
April 8, 2014
Since 2010, the Monterey Bay Shores Eco-Resort has been fighting the California Coastal Commission in court over their decision to decline this mega-resort a permit to build.
The stated mission of the Coastal Commission is to:
"Protect, conserve, restore, and enhance environmental and human-based
resources of the California coast and ocean for environmentally sustainable
and prudent use by current and future generations."
This issue is before the Commission once again and the public has an opportunity to support the California Coastal Commission in upholding the spirit of the Coastal Act and living up to their stated mission.
Bodega Head, Bodega Bay, CA
Please join me in writing an email urging the California Coastal Commission to vote to DECLINEthe Coastal Development Permit for the Monterey Bay Shores Eco-Resort. You are welcome to use my letter as a template. I contacted the Commission and was told all communication regarding this issue should be sent via email to: montereybayshoresresort@coastal.ca.gov
(I previously posted an email address with 'shore', it should be as now posted above. I apologize for posting the incorrect address.) Thank you so much for taking the time to write!
April 8, 2014
Mr. Steve Kinsey Supervisor & Chair & Commissioners California Coastal Commission Central Coast District Office 725 Front Street, Suite 300 Santa Cruz, CA 95060-4508
RE: DECLINE Coastal Development Permit to the Monterey Bay Shores Eco-Resort
Dear Chairman Kinsey and Commissioners:
I'm writing as a concerned citizen, a coastal dweller and a beach advocate. I walk the beach everyday and pick up trash left behind. The worst months are the summer/fall tourist season when beaches are littered with plastic bottles, plastic bags and cheap plastic beach toys. Building a resort along any coastal shoreline is an Eco-disaster waiting to happen. Our oceans are overburdened and suffocating with garbage washed out to sea. Adding more is unthinkable.
This project will add to the burden of park services to clean up the trash on the beaches. From my years of experience, much of the beach trash will end up in the ocean and in the stomachs of birds and ocean dwellers and the humans who eat fish. It will harm and even destroy sensitive nesting habitat of the endangered snowy plover. Construction of this mass resort will erode sensitive dunes and disrupt life of nesting birds and other marine wildlife
At a time in history when our oceans are barely surviving because of the impact of humans, the Monterey Bay Shores Resort project is irresponsible . . . there is nothing at all ecological about this project. Building any resort along our coastline is irresponsible. This is "green-washing" at it's worst.
I fully supported your 2010 decision to deny the Monterey Bay Shores Eco-Resort a permit to build. I continue to support your original ruling and urge you to decline the Monterey Bay Shores Resort a Coastal Development Permit for this project.
Thank you for taking the time to read my concerns.
Bottlenose dolphin ~ Doran Beach, Bodega Bay, CA ~ Darris Nelson
Two women vacationing in Bodega Bay pointed out a pod of Bottlenose dolphins that were frolicking and fishing about seventy five yards offshore.
Susan from Texas & Anna-Alise from NV
It was overcast and the light was getting dim. Although the photos aren't the greatest, they do give you a sense of my experience. If you're patient you'll actually get a good sighting and action on the video.
The dolphins seemed to be fishing in two groups. I believe there was a total of six dolphins in the podpossibly more.
I watched and filmed from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. At about 5:30 my right contact dried up and folded in my eye and rolled back someplace that I wasn't able to find. I kept shooting hoping I was getting some worthwhile images. I called my husband at about 6:00 p.m. because I had a two mile walk ahead of me and I couldn't see my hand in front of my face! Besides, I knew he wouldn't want to miss this rare event.
Someday I might take the time to edit my photos and video but in the meantime they're straight out of my Canon SX 30 point and shoot.
There are only a handful of films that I've seen in my life that have moved and inspired me. Having only viewed the trailer, I am certain 'Midway' will be one of those movies I will never forget . . .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Michael Fishbach narrates his encounter with a humpback whale entangled in a fishing net. This well done video captures the final release of the whale who graced it's saviors with quite a show of breaching and tail slapping! Fishbach and Gershon Cohen founded The Great Whale Conservancy to help and protect whales.
The Great Whale Conservancy (GWC) is a joint program of two premier projects of the Earth Island Institute: the International Marine Mammal Project and the Campaign to Safeguard America’s Waters. Their focus is "to protect blue whales along the Californa coast from ship-strike caused injuries and death."The blue whale is the largest animal species to have ever inhabited the Earth. The global population prior to human predation has been estimated at 350,000 individuals. Today that number is ~10,000. For more information click on The Great Whale Conservancy (GWC).
Thank you to sister Kimberly for sending this my way . . . xxoo
The Festival will be held at the Bodega Marine Lab over Memorial Day weekend, May 28th and 29th. Tickets start at $20 and there are only 100 seats per screening so don't hesitate to order as I'm sure they'll sell out fast. The films will be presented in High Definition, fully digital format. I'll be posting a review of our experience.
I've hiked Bodega Head more times than I can remember and have always wished I could walk Horseshoe Cove. Horseshoe Cove is a marine sanctuary and research area for the Bodega Marine Laboratory. UC Davis Bodega Marine Reserve's 362 acres surrounds the research and educational facility know as the Bodega Marine Laboratory.
If you want a beautiful hike with panoramic ocean views and superior whale watching opportunities, head to Bodega Head. You can hike from the Head to the Bodega Marine Lab and take a tour on Friday's from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. For more information call (707) 875-2211.
