Tag Archives: Mel Smith

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Yesterday, Saturday, was Coastal Clean-up day so Rick and I met Linda Bostwick and Mel Smith at the northern end of Manchester State Beach. The fog was just off the coast and the air was cool, perfect for scouring the beach and lagoon for trash.

Here's the path from Highway One. The woods contain walk-in campsites.

Below Linda Bostwick with her poodle, Devi, stand in one of the campsites.

As we walked further into the park we saw beautiful grasses and sedges. A group of Cattails waved in the breezes. The Point Arena Lighthouse stands to the far left.

Below is a beautiful, small lagoon. Tomorrow I will show you two Sandpipers who were fishing in it.

And here is the result of our labors. Rick, Mel and Linda with the debris we picked up. Two items were left on the beach because they were too heavy - a small refrigerator and a small but heavy tire. These could be precursors of the tsunami debris that will  hitting our coast in the months to come.

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The fishing fleet has been busy just north of the border of Sonoma County and Mendocino County. Rick and I can see many boats fishing for Salmon from our home in Anchor Bay. Yesterday Mel Smith purchased one for us from the pier at Point Arena Harbor. Yes, we had fresh salmon, caught in the pristine waters off the Coast, for dinner last night. The cost? $8.00 a pound. The fish Mel got for us was 13.5 pounds. Lots of salmon fillets are now in our freezer.

And today is the last day for Abalone diving. The season is closed for the month of July. The conditions today look ideal, as the Pacific Ocean is very calm. Recently Jack Likins and Ken Bailey went out. The result was this cache of big Abalones and a very nice Lingcod.

They shared these spoils at a birthday party for Ken's wife, Wendy Bailey. I can personally attest to the delicious fish tacos made with the Lingcod and the exquisite Abalone.

Thanks to Jack and Ken for allowing me to share this photo with you here.

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Linda Bostwick and Mel Smith were hiking at Schooner Gulch State Beach. They couldn't believe their eyes when they saw three Oregonian Aquatic Garter Snakes in the creek. And one of them was eating a fairly large fish.

Linda and Mel didn't know this creek had fish in it, much less these large garter snakes. One was floating, looking like a branch. Good camouflage for surprising an unwary fish.

Thanks to Linda for allowing me to share her photo with you here.

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Yesterday was a day full of happiness. One of the main reasons is that Al - or Alice, we don't really know - returned to the waters off of the Point Arena Pier for its 19 season. The Laysan Albatross arrived around 1 pm yesterday, Dec. 5th, and the news quickly spread. Al was late arriving this year so we were worried. But our worries were in vain, as this unique bird with a fondness for surfers has blessed us once again with its presence.

Mel Smith took this photograph of Al and I thank him for allowing me to share it with you here.

As if Al's arrival wasn't enough, we had a beautiful green flash last night. And a pod of Gray Whales was seen off Gualala yesterday headed south. Lots of exciting sightings here on the Mendonoma Coast!

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On Friday a Sandhill Crane was seen by Mel Smith just off Highway One by the Garcia River flats. Last year about this time two Sandhill Cranes danced in the air in front of my Anchor Bay home. I don't think people would have believed me, as I'm not the most experienced birder, except I got several pictures. Sandhill Cranes are rare visitors to the coast.

I felt very fortunate to see and hear them - a wonderful gift from Mother Nature!