At 6:50 AM PDT, August 17, we were awakened with a jolt. A magnitude 4.0 earthquake with its epicenter along the Hayward Fault about a mile or so away from us was our alarm clock that morning. (For those interested in knowing more, check out this
USGS summary.)
Our house showed no trace of damage at all, and although others in the area felt it a bit more, there were no reports of injury or major damage from closer to the epicenter.
On the last Sunday in August, Erick and I took a guided nature walk at Crab Cove on Alameda, an island just west of Oakland. It was an interesting two hours - an example of how a nature preserve can be established close to residential and industrial areas.
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| We added another of the fine Eaat Bay parks to our list of places we've explored. |
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| The public beach at Robert W Crown marine preserve |
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| The mud flats with some snowy egrets fishing at the edges |
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The mascot of a local school we passed walking from
one part of the nature area to another |
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| Our group pauses to look at wild fennel, an invasive that seems to be able to grow anywhere |
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For my family in Pittsburgh. This is Willie Stargell Field at Encinal HS, the school he attended.
Stargell was a star player for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1962-1982. |
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| We arrive at the part of the Bay Trail closest to Ferry Point |
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| The sea wall visible in the center - the tour didn't include walking out there |
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| Morgan, our nature guide |
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| A view across the Bay to San Francisco |
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Morgan showed us a Harbor Seal pelt. The seals weren't out sunning
themselves, but one briefly popped its head up to check us out. |
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The old pier where the seals like to hang out
Cormorants can be seen hanging out near the end of the pier.
A kayak and a sail boat are in the upper left. |
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The naval base on Alameda closed in 1997, but the aircraft carrier USS Hornet
(a bit right of center in the photo) is still there as museum ship.
It was the ship that picked up the Apollo 11 crew when they returned from their moon mission in 1969. |
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| A trail kiosk explaining how Alameda became an island |
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We frequently see - and hear - ravens around our house, but they never seem to stop in a spot where
I can get a photo. But there are a pair in the center of this picture from our nature walk.
That will have to do for now. |
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On the way back to the Crab Cove Visitor Center,
I spotted these Hydrangeas in a color I'd never seen before. |
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| At the aquarium in the Visitor Center, a crab digging into its lunch |
All the Crab Cove photos where taken with my iPhone 5c.
On the domestic scene: we've added some new plants to the balconies and are awaiting the ripening of the Brown Berry cherry tomatoes we planted.
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| Impatiens doing well on the balcony outside my work room |
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Passion Flower vine - pink
on the balcony outside the living room |
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| Passion Flower vine - purple |
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| Waiting for those Brown Berry cherry tomatoes to ripen |
On a walk around the neighborhood, we spotted a very tall Agave in bloom, and some delightful pink lilies called "Naked Ladies".
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| The Agave from a distance |
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| The Agave blooms - Zoom lens |
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| Naked Ladies in captivity |
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Close up showing the bare stems
No leaves on the lilies when they bloom, hence their name. |
Using my SH-1 zoom, I caught Erick on a run along a switchback about a mile across the canyon. See if you can spot him in any of the photos.
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| Hint - look near the blue water tower |
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| Hint - he's about half way along the lowest trail |
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| Hint - look for the turn, lower right |
We've been getting some interesting cloud formations lately, and the moon on a clear night always fascinates me.
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| Bay side |
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| My best zoom yet of an almost full moon |
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Moon in the early evening
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