Supreme Court Turns Down Drakes Bay Oyster Co. Appeal

Tomorrow may be the last time that we'll see oyster farming during our annual Bull Point Hike.

On Monday, June 30th, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the appeal of Drakes Bay Oyster Company in its efforts to overturn the decision of the Department of the Interior not to renew the company's lease at Point Reyes National Seashore.

Video clips in this report by the Marin I-J show DBOC owner, Kevin Lunny and his lawyer vowing to continue his fight to stay in business, although neither clearly stated what steps could be taken to require the federal goverment to permit the oyster operation to continue in the Seashore.

Bull Point Hike (7/1) Preview

This week we head through Inverness to hike on the ocean side of the Point Reyes National Seashore. Here's Wendy's description for this hike: "A beautiful but soggy (in places) walk timed to see the Coast Lilly blooming in its only site in Marin!

"Other endangered flowers we've seen other years include the Swamp Harebell, Large Flowered Lianthus, and Point Reyes Checkerbloom. We may also see Yellow-Eyed Grass, Tinker's Penny, White-Flowered Bog Orchid, and Hooker’s Evening Primrose. Some off-trail walking but little elevation gain." (Click here for the recap of our Bull Point hike on July 7, 2009.).

Directions to the trailhead: Take Sir Francis Drake Boulevard west to Olema. Turn right on Highway 1, then make an immediate left onto Bear Valley Road. Continue past the road to Park Headquarters (stop here for a restroom break; there are no porta-potties at the trailhead) and go left when you hit Sir Francis Drake again.

Go through Inverness. Go left at the "Y" (right takes you out to Pierce Point) and pass MCI and RCA stations on your right. The Bull Point parking lot will be on your left.

(Click here for a MapQuest map of the trailhead location and to get driving directions and times from your location.)

Carpool leaves St. Rita at 8:50 a.m.

Weather forecast: As of Friday, June 27th, the National Weather Service forecast for the hike was mostly sunny, with a high near 61.. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike: Hike "H11 Bull Point and South Beach Trails" in the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, shows this as 4.0 mile out and back hike. Tracy Salcedo-Chourre's book, Exploring Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area, pegs it at 3.6 miles as does the park's North District Hiking Map.

The Google Earth image below shows the area where we'll be hiking. (Click on the image to open a larger version in your Web browser).

Dick Jordan's "A Range of Light Spring" Airs Tonight on MarinTV.

If you live in Marin and are a Comcast cable subscriber, you can watch, "A Range of Light Spring," the third in Dick Jordan's series "A Sense of Place" TV "shorts," tonight, Wednesday, June 25th at 7:00 pm, or on Sunday, June 29th at 6:30 pm on channel 26.

The program is based on his trip to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in May. It will be available for viewing on YouTube on June 30th.

Dick's blog post on the parks ran yesterday on his Website, Tales Told From The Road.

You'll find his photo essay, "Sierra Spring: May in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks" on Exposure.co.

Bear Valley to Arch Rock Hike (6/24) Preview

We head out to Point Reyes National Seashore again for our weekly outing. (Click here for photos from a past year's hike.)

 
Here’s Wendy’s brief description of the trek:  “This is longer than our usual hike (about 8 miles), but it's easy walking with fire road much of the way and not much elevation gain. Be prepared to get back later than 1:45 pm.”

Directions to trailhead: Take Sir Francis Drake Boulevard west from Fairfax. Turn right at Olema and make an immediate left onto Bear Valley Road. From Bear Valley Road. turn left to the Visitor’s Center.

(Click on the black #1 on this MapQuest map for driving directions and time from your location.)

Time: 50 minutes from College of Marin.

Carpoolers can meet at St. Rita’s Church in Fairfax at 9:10 a.m.

Restrooms at trailhead, outhouse at Divide Meadow.

Weather forecast: As of Thursday, June 19th, the National Weather Service forecast for the time of the hike was mostly sunny, with a high near 69. (Click here for an updated forecast. You can also check the real-time weather at the Visitor Center).

More on this hike:  Hike “F4 Bear Valley Trail to Arch Rock” in the Martins’ book, Hiking Marin, shows the route from we’ll take.  (You can find the Bear Valley to Divide Meadow Trail on the park’s South District Trail Map).

Abbott's Lagoon Hike (6/17) Preview

This week we continue our summer hiking strategy of staying near the coast with another trip to Point Reyes National Seashore.

Here's Wendy's description for this outing: "On this lovely level walk we should see Yellow Sand Verbena, Dune Primrose, Giant Coastal Hedge Nettle, Cogweb Thistle, Heliotrope, endangered Point Reyes Checkerbloom and maybe the Endangered Beach Layia! We'll also check out birds on the lagoon and ocean. Brush rabbits and muskrats are possible. Learn about the  endangered Snow Plovers that nest on this beach. Lunch on the beach. "  (Click here for a recap of the June 2009 hike).

Directions to the trailhead: Take Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. Turn right at Olema and make an immediate left onto Bear Valley Road. (Stop at the park visitor center at Bear Valley to use the restrooms if you don't want to wait to use the pit toilet at the trailhead).

Continue until you pick up Sir Francis Drake again. Go through Inverness.

After you top Inverness Ridge and head down the other side, the road splits: Going left takes you the wrong way and you'll head out to Drake's Beach and the lighthouse. You want to bear to the right (Wendy says "Go straight") onto Pierce Point Road. Pass Tomales Bay State Park. The parking area for Abbott's Lagoon will be on your left. (Click here for a MapQuest Map that will show the location of the trailhead; click on #1 for driving directions and time.)

Carpool from St. Rita at 8:45 am. Restrooms at trailhead.

Weather forecast: As of Tuesday, June 10th, the National Weather Service forecast was patchy fog before 11am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 60.. (Click here for an updated NWS forecast. For real time weather conditions, updated every 10 minutes, at the RCA field just south of Abbott's Lagoon, click here).

More on this hike: "G16 -Beach and Lagoon Trails" from the Martin's book, Hiking Marin, shows the trails in this part of the seashore, as does Tracy Salcedo-Chourre's Exploring Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Both books have a 3.0 mile hike at Abbott's Lagoon, although our route could be different since you can roam off-trail rather far and wide, up and down the beach, and around the upland areas. (Click here to view and print the seashore's North District Hiking Map which shows the location of the roads, trailhead, and trails).

The following Google Earth image shows the area where we'll be hiking. (Click on the image to open a larger version in your Web browser).

NO HIKE - JUNE 10

Just a reminder that there will be no hike on Tuesday, June 10th.

We'll resume our summer treks on June 17th at Abbott's Lagoon in Point Reyes National Seashore.