Friday May 15, 2020

Happy Friday! Congratulations, we made it thru another week of shelter-in-place.

This morning brought forth what looks to be an incredibly beautiful day. The sun is shining and the clouds have parted bringing back blue sky’s and the deep blue colored ocean water. It’s a picture postcard kinda day. A great day for fishing which was suggested by all the pickup trucks with boat trailers parked in the Seascape and Trinadad State Beach parking lots. Hopefully a successful venture for all.

Today also brings a reminder of humankind’s footprint on the landscape. The waters surrounding Trinidad are a closely monitored part of the Northern California coastline due to its designation as an Area of Special Biological Significance (ASBS). This is the highest water quality standard in the state of California. In 2017, utilizing the Antiquities Act, President Obama designated the federally owned portion of Trinidad Head and the surrounding offshore rocks and islands as part of the already established California Coastal Monument. In its entirety the Monument includes approximately 20,000 off-shore rocks and rock islands that span the length of the California coast. Somewhat like our National Park System, only governed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) instead. The BLM works in partnership with the Trinidad Rancheria and the City to preserve the area and provide public access. For that I am grateful. I can’t imagine the level of development that would occur if the protections were not in place.

When Baxter and I got down the hill to view the beach before climbing the headland we found a warning sign (see below). It took me by surprise only because it’s the first time I’ve seen such a sign posted here. Maybe I’ve been a sleep at the wheel. Either way this is a reminder that there is a cost when humans interact with nature. #iluvtowalk #walkingmakesmehappy #baxteronthego