Point Reyes Weekend

You Mon Tsang August 29th, 2010

Want to be inspired by other people’s sand sculptures and sand castles?  Better yet, want to give it a try yourself?

Every year on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend, the National Park Service hosts at Drake Beach a Sand Sculpture Contest.  It is really fun.  If you want to give it a go, I would advise that you bring tools to (1) move sand, (2) move water and (3) finely tune sand.

Facts for 2010:

• Event occurs on Sunday, Sept 5, 2010.
• Anyone can enter.
• Prizes awarded in each of several age and group catagories.
• Free to participants and spectators.
• Registration begins at 9:00 am at the Ken Patrick Visitor Center.
• Judging begins at 12:00 pm.
• Prizes awarded at 3:30 pm.

Categories include: Children (14 and under), Families, Adult Individuals, and Adult Groups. Three prizes will be awarded in each of those categories, along with prizes for the sculpture with the most recycled plastic included.

Photos of past winners at the National Park Service web site:

• Beach , Kids , Summer
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You Mon Tsang August 17th, 2010

Update: 8/17/2010 from the NPS: Late summer is all about elk! Park volunteers have reported a variety of activities – bugling, thrashing around with antlers – the annual mating rituals aka the rut is in full swing at Tomales Point. They are there on weekends with binoculars and spotting scopes to assist with viewing. Marin County Open Space rangers will lead a hike at Tomales Point on August 25th from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.

The tule elk is a subspecies of elk that is unique to California. Nearly hunted to extinction during the Gold Rush, the tule elk received federal protection in 1971. Pierce Point, the north point of the Point Reyes peninsula, is now a 2,600 acre reserve for the tule elk. In the fall, it is a warm, beautiful hike with the opportunity to see the elk rut season. You are likely to hear bull elks bugle, spar and try to form their harems of females.

Some facts from the National Park Service:

Female elk are sexually mature by two years of age, although they may be able to breed as yearlings. Nearly all female elk will reproduce during their lifetime. A female is likely to have six to ten calves in her lifetime. Males are sexually mature at age two, but usually aren?t able to breed until they are strong enough to compete with other bulls to defend a harem of cows. Half the male population will remain bachelors; most breeding is accomplished by ten percent of the male population.

Videos by the NPS:

This video was created by the National Park Service’s Pacific Coast Science and Learning Center as part of its 2004 “Science Behind the Scenery” DVD.


Tule Elk: California’s Legacy of Wildness chronicles the fascinating and inspirational story of the tule elk (Cervus canadensis nannodes) which are native to California and can be viewed at the Tomales Point Tule Elk Reserve. Since pre-historic times, large herds of tule elk roamed California’s central valley and coastal plains. Unfortunately, they were hunted to near-extinction by the late 19th century. Tule Elk examines how the dramatic rebound of the tule elk population at Point Reyes National Seashore and in California at large demonstrates the success of threatened species protections and conservation laws.
Continue Reading »

• Nature , Tule Elk
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You Mon Tsang July 14th, 2010

Wonderful time to be outside; here’s the latest from the National Park Service on Point Reyes:

The treasure of the day being turned into Bear Valley Visitor center is shed snake skins, mostly from gopher snakes. Unlike other critters, snakes shed their whole skin in one continuous piece; it helps remove bacteria and parasites. They are temporarily blind and vulnerable afterwards; rattlesnakes get a new rattle piece each time they shed.

The Northern Spotted Owl nesting season is wrapping up; 30 nesting sites were monitored this year; the majority of sites were occupied by adults but only ten of the nest successfully fledged young owls. The late rainy season may have influenced the numbers; one nest may have failed due to interactions with a male barred owl.

Tule elk breeding season ‘the rut’ is warming up! Volunteer docents are at the elk range on weekends with spotting scopes to help find elk and identify behaviors. Early morning visitors may be rewarded with the bugling sound of males through the fog. Coyotes have been ‘singing’ behind Kule Loklo in the mornings recently.

The 30th Annual Big Time Festival will be held Saturday, July 17 at Kule Loklo, the Coast Miwok Exhibit near Bear Valley Visitor Center. Traditional dancers, vendors and a great day in the sun! No dogs or alcohol permitted.

• Summer , Wildlife
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You Mon Tsang June 24th, 2010

The July 4th weekend is a great time to come to the Point Reyes area.  The Point Reyes weather is generally more comfortable than the rest of the Bay Area.  The food in the area is fresh as the local farms are producing their bounty.  And, if you are interested, there are many local events that give you a flavor of the different towns in the area.

• Bolinas-Stinson Beach Tug-of-War: Every Fourth of July, the towns of Stinson and Bolinas have a tug of war over the channel that separates the two towns.
• Woodacre 4th of July Parade and Celebration
• Inverness Fourth of July Party
• Bolinas Parade and Summer Fair
• Point Reyes Farmers Market is underway

For more details, head over to the Point Reyes calendar.

harder! Pull! Originally uploaded by Luiza

• Summer
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You Mon Tsang June 17th, 2010

Photographer Alex Lim uses Point Reyes as a backdrop.  Take a look if you want to be reminded on how gorgeous Point Reyes is.

• Video
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You Mon Tsang June 1st, 2010

See photos of the 2006 Western Weekend,  the 2008 Western Weekend and this year’s!

Photo by artolog.

• Local Scene
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You Mon Tsang May 22nd, 2010

Open Studios is here again. Combine a trip to the beach with a visit to one of the many local studios in the area. Some information from the official web site.

Point Reyes Open Studios (PROS) invites art lovers from around the Bay Area to tour the studios of nineteen West Marin artists Memorial Day weekend, May 29, 30 and 31. Artists will be showing their work in their studios and homes from Saturday through Monday, 11 AM to 5 PM each day. …

Visitors will be able to meet the artists and see new original work, as well as explore the studios and workshops in which the art is created. Several artists plan demonstrations of their complex craft techniques, and at least one studio will allow visitors to pull their own keepsake prints. …

Visitors can pick up a free brochure/map at Toby’s Feed Barn, The Station House Cafe and many other local shops and inns. The tour’s street signs make artists’ studios easy to find.

painting by Nancy Stein

• Art , Summer
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You Mon Tsang March 24th, 2010

The latest from the National Park Service:

The truest sign of spring at Bear Valley is the return of the gopher eating Great Blue Heron wandering the fields behind the visitor center!

Wildflowers are here: fields of deep purple blue iris at Chimney Rock and the Estero Trail; yellow bush lupine beginning at the Lighthouse and Chimney rock. Poppies at Abbotts Lagoon; the spell of warm weather kickstarted the bloom this past week.  A favorite flowering shrub along the Estero Trail and Levee Road – Twinberry – right now it has two/twin tubular scarlet flowers tipped with lemon yellow that will become two dark berries with scarlet fringes.

At last, regular whale sightings from the Headlands; 5-6 per hour over the weekend before high winds returned on Monday.  They appear to be the second ‘pulse’ of travelers, adults and juveniles without calves;  the third pulse of mothers and calves have not been seen yet.

Northern elephant seals continue to withdraw as males heads and juveniles head north, the females are mostly gone south.

• NPS , Spring
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You Mon Tsang March 10th, 2010

Here’s the latest happenings inside the Park:

Where are the Whales? Speculation continues that whales stayed feeding longer in the Arctic seas and delayed the annual migration south – delaying the return north. Sightings at the lighthouse continue to be sparse; high spring winds also contribute to limited opportunities to view whales.

Wildflowers blooming, plenty of fragrant creamy yellow wallflowers along the Lighthouse; daffodils at the old Glen Ranch/Hostel area. Brilliant Douglas iris are appearing in patches along Sir Francis Drake Highway. Other signs of spring, male deer sprouting velvet covered antlers.

Mark your calendars, on Thursday, March 11 at noon – park intern from the Republic of Soviet Georgia sister park Kolkheti National Park will present a show on this beautiful sea coast area. Free and open to the public.

Lovely new watercolors of park landscapes by Ayris Hatton are on display at the Bear Valley Visitor center through March and April.

Photo courtesy of Jun Belen

• Spring , Wildflowers
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You Mon Tsang February 24th, 2010

The latest from the National Park Service:

The annual seal protection measures begin on Monday, March 1st as harbor seal pupping begins. Drakes Estero closes to boating as does South Blue Gums Beach on Tomales Bay. Harbor seals, silvery in color and much smaller than elephant seals, will begin returning to the protected coves along Drakes Estero and in Tomales Bay to deliver and nurse pups. The parents may leave the pup ashore for short periods of time while they catch a meal in the water – be sure to give all seals on land a wide berth to allow them to rest during this critical periods of their life cycle.

Elephant seals continue to depart the Headlands with plenty of activity between males after the females and pups turning up on Limantour Beach and Drakes Beach. Many of the young seals are molting and their paler old coat will appear torn up. This raggedy appearance is normal and they are conserving energy by lying on the beach as their new fur grows.

• Elephant Seals
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