Sea gull terrorist . . .

 Gull slamming into the ocean . . .

 and grabbing a crab . . .

He did 'share' a leg of the poor creature with his tag-a-long friend. I'm vegan so the idea of anything eating a crab doesn't appeal to me. I choose not to intervene in nature 99% of the time but I have to admit this was hard to watch . . .

The beauty and bounty of Point Reyes Station . . .

Apple tree in the community garden . . .

Saturday farmer's market tucked in between Toby's Feed Barn and the community garden . . .

Quail eggs from Little Wing Farm

Fresh picked vegetables

Beautiful people . . .

 

Beautiful music . . .

Really lovely people . . .

Donna's Tamales are fresh and delicious! They even have a great vegan selection. Vegan coconut milk tapioca and I was a happy mama!

We spent time enjoying the market, talked with the vendors and had lunch then headed out to my old stomping grounds . . .

Limantour Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore

 Where we, along with dozens of beach-goers watched a pod of bottle-nose dolphins cruise the shoreline for about a half and hour.

Not sure if this is the same pod I photographed in 2012. I'll need to see if I can match the notches to find out if 'Smootch' is one of this group. More images of these dolphins to come on another post.

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 DECLINE the 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

EMAIL: montereybayshoreresort@coastal.ca.gov

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.

With appreciation,


Darris B. Nelson

cc: Jana Zimmer, Vice-Chair ~ zimmerccc@gmail.com
      Carole Groom, Supervisor ~ cgroom@smcgov.org
      Gregory Cox, Supervisor ~ Gregcoastal@sdcounty.ca.gov
      Martha McClure, Supervisor ~ mmcclureccc@co.del-norte.ca.us

Beach trash (including cooler) found on where the Estero Americano meets the Pacific Ocean

Marine Mammal Center release June 2012 at Scotty's Beach

Great Blue Heron

Thank you to Surfrider for bringing this issue to our attention. For more information and to join in their email campaign go to the site: http://action.surfrider.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=9620
    

Autumn equinox at the beach . . .

Squid egg sac

Watercolor sunset

Teaching opportunity

I've watched this immature California gull pester it's mother for food for days now. The common tactic of the mother gulls is to present the food and let the offspring figure it out then ignore further pleas for a meal (my take of course). This mother gull seemed to be more patient than any other I've witnessed. She drug the crab beyond the waters edge and presented it to her offspring several times. Her 'child' attempted to eat for a moment and then gave up crying and begging. It's mother then ripped a leg off the crab and presented it; same crying and begging.  Often times I'll see the mother gull get bored or disgusted with the whole thing and fly off, leaving it's frantic offspring to figure it out. This mother persisted in her attempt to get the whiny bird to eat on his own. She repeatedly fended off mature gulls that swooped in to grab the prize. During one of these grab attempts, the ocean lapped up and pushed the whole crab (minus 1 leg) right to the feet of another waiting gull. The opportunistic bird promptly grabbed the crustacean and took flight. It was only then that the mother flew a short distance away leaving her offspring crying in helpless despair. 

As I watched this drama unfold it brought to mind my own parenting dilemma . . . when to assist and when to let your child fail and hopefully learn, seems to be a never-ending conundrum . . .

Summer solstice . . .

Summer solstice officially began at 10:04 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time June 20th this year. Robert Bigelow at Clark Planetarium writes, "While the solstice is commonly called the longest day of the year, it is not the date of earliest sunrise or latest sunset. The earliest sunrise occurs about a week before the solstice and the latest sunset about a week after. This results from a combination of Earth’s changing speed as it orbits the Sun and the tilt of its axis."

Kenai Penninsula, Alaska June 2003 . . .

2003 Net setting for salmon feast ~ Kasilof, Alaska

Removing salmon from the net

Horrified by the carnage, my 7 year-old son looks away as salmon are removed and clubbed

Cousin Lauri filets salmon for salmon sushi

2003 Summer solstice party ~ drumming circle

Fire finally dying down at about 4 a.m.

Rapidly receding glacier

Cousin Lauri and my son ~ Summer 2003

Bunkhouse accommodations ~ Hesketh Island on Kachemak Bay, Alaska

 

Winding down by the fire ~ Hesketh Island

Ten days of Alaskan adventure with my cousin Lauri and her life partner, Greg. Memories that I will cherish for a lifetime.

Wish we were there  .  .  .

Note: If you've always wanted to experience wild Alaska at it's finest, check out Porter's Alaskan Adventures.

These photos were taken with a 2 mega-pixel, point and shoot 10 years ago. I suppose I shouldn't complain about my little upgrade anymore.

To leave a comment click on 'comments' or 'no comment' below. Thank you!

Hands Across the Sand in Bodega Bay

Please join us in 'Hands Across the Sand' event on Doran Beach in Bodega Bay, Saturday, August 4, 2012. Meet at 12:00 p.m. (noon) at the whale statue. We will join hands at 12:15 p.m.

  

Doran Beach

"Hands Across the Sand has been a global success with thousands of events in all 50 states and over 40 countries worldwide, from New Zealand to Hawaii. Joining hands is a powerful way to say NO to offshore drilling and YES to clean energy!"

Kelp message on Doran Beach

Salmon Creek Art Walk 2012

Salmon Creek Art Walk open 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Saturday, May 5th and Sunday, May 6th. 

Darris Nelson 2012, photographer

Darris Nelson 2012, photographer

Darris Nelson 2012, photographer

 

Salmon Creek Art Walk directions: From San Francisco, take Hwy 101 North to Petaluma. At Petaluma take the Washington St Exit. Turn left on Washington St. and continue all the way to Bodega Bay (The street name will change several times but will eventually turn into Hwy 1.) Hwy 1 will take you all the way to Bodega Bay! Don't turn off of Hwy 1. They are one mile North of Bodega Bay. Look for their signs.

Sand Castles and Kites event at Doran Beach ~ May 5th 11:00 until 4:00 at Doran Beach, 201 Doran Beach Road, Bodega Bay. 

Tom Reynolds 2012, photographer

  

Darris Nelson 2012, photographer

Darris Nelson 2012, photographer

Darris Nelson 2012, photographer

Darris Nelson 2012, photographer

It's a beautiful, calm day . . . come out enjoy the beach!