Shifting Plates
Aleta George writes about the nature, history, and culture of California.
Monday, April 11, 2022
Jack London sails the bay aboard the Roamer
Thursday, February 17, 2022
Sturdy Sturgeon
A sturgeon's toothless, telescoping mouth sucks up clams, crabs and shrimp like a vacuum. Wikimedia Commons. |
White sturgeon have been cruising San Francisco Bay’s murky bottom for thousands of years, and the species has been around since before T-Rex.
Scientists believe that the fish may live to be over 100 years old. For this article I asked the question: What is the life expectancy of white sturgeon in the San Francisco Bay?
Read "Sturdy Sturgeon" in Estuary News to learn more about this fascinating fish.
Sunday, February 6, 2022
Suisun City is No Island
The daily waterfront walk |
Suisun City, a small town about an hour northeast of San Francisco, has always had the waterfront and nearby wetlands at its heart. But that which is a big plus for trade and tourism now places the city in the path of sea-level rise.
In this article I delve into the challenges and opportunities of sea-level rise in my hometown.
The Magic of Winter Light
Turning In, Sergio Lopez |
Winter light is less assertive than its summer counterpart. Hues are softer, and leafy shadows tat ephemeral quilts on the wall. More than a visual phenomenon, this subdued light affects all living things including poets, plants, and landscape painters.
Tuesday, November 30, 2021
On the Bay: DFW 150 Years on Patrol, and Work Still Dangerous
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Photo courtesy of the CDFW |
This year marks the sesquicentennial of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Patrolling the San Francisco Bay has always been dangerous work, and continues to be risky for those protecting the natural resources of the bay today.
Thursday, October 28, 2021
Jack London's Wheel?
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The Roamer wheel |
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The family wheel |
Monday, August 30, 2021
Walking the entire San Francisco Bay Trail
I love hoofing any section of the San Francisco Bay Trail. Whether in Pinole, Novato, or Burlingame, it is a treat to experience the diversity of the trail and the bay.
A small group of women, average age sixty, recently walked the entire thing, including the finished and unfinished portions of the planned 500-mile trail. It took them four years, and they did it by walking the segments contiguously one Sunday a month.
I first walked with them at their halfway point when I covered their adventure for Estuary News. I met them as a journalist and continued walking with them as a friend.
And now they have finished! You can read about their accomplishment in my article for the Bay Area Monitor.