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online registrations for classes. If you would
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you will see a "Register Now"
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of each seminar description. Just click
on it to register. A minimal processing
fee will be charged.
You can also call us to register for classes at 415.663.1200 ext. 373 or download and print a registration form that you can mail or fax to us.
Michael Ellis & Point Reyes Outdoors
Saturday, June 22 • 10AM – 2PM • $115 ($100 Members)
Tomales bay is a 6,800-acre estuary located just east of Point Reyes National Seashore, and one of Michael’s favorite places to explore! It is twelve miles long and relatively shallow, occupying the seaward end of a right valley created by the San Andreas Fault. Its clean water supports productive eelgrass beds, which provide a nursery habitat for many species of fish and invertebrates. The pristine waters of the bay also support harbor seals, shorebirds, and cormorants. Osprey, kingfishers, loons, grebes and pelicans (both brown and white) are plentiful. Our departure location will provide easy access to some of the premier kayaking areas of the bay. Kayak rental included.
David Wimpfheimer & Blue Waters Kayaking
Saturday, July 6 • 9:30AM – 3:30PM • $130 ($120 Members)
Spend the day kayaking around the 7,847-acre Drakes Estero, one of California’s most pristine estuaries and home to some of the healthiest marine life in the region. The eelgrass beds can be easily seen from our kayaks, enabling us to view the ways in which they provide shelter for the countless invertebrates that form the basis of the complex food chain that makes this ecosystem so diverse and exciting. As we paddle, we’ll be on the lookout for wildlife on the surrounding hillsides, and watch the water for bay rays and leopard sharks. The bird life in the area is also not to be missed, and we’ll be treated to views of shorebirds feeding in the rich mud and water birds feeding on schools of herring, anchovies and sardines. Kayak rental included.
Frank Binney & Blue Waters Kayaking
Saturday, August 24 • 9AM – 3PM • $130 ($120 Members)
Come paddle through tidal channels to wilderness beaches to discover some of the fascinating marine, terrestrial and avian wildlife of the remote reaches of Tomales Bay. This remarkable kayaking adventure tour will be led by accomplished naturalist and Tule Elk expert Frank Binney. Out on the water it’s common to see Harbor seals, Bat rays, Leopard sharks, Osprey, White Pelicans and the occasional River Otter and California Sea Lion. When we reach a remote beach on the Pierce Point peninsula we’ll set up a spotting scope to view the Tule Elk herd at the height of the annual mating season. Typical mating behaviors include males gathering the females into harems and protecting the harems by chasing off other males. We might also see “satellite” elk bulls sparring to establish hierarchy. Join the adventure with Frank and see these magnificent animals in their full glory! Kayak rental included.
Just 50 miles northwest of the busy streets of San Francisco and 20 miles offshore of the historic Point Reyes Lighthouse, an ocean metropolis bustles with life. At the edge of the continental shelf, the rocky submarine peaks of Cordell Bank rise from the floor of the Pacific Ocean to within 115 feet of the surface. This ocean “hotspot” supports a diverse community of life above and below the surface. Participate in an all day ocean wildlife viewing adventure. Learn how to identify pelagic seabirds. Find out why and how marine mammals and seabirds come from so far away to feed in this region, and what marine scientists are learning from their research. Discover why this region has one of the largest concentrations of blue whales in the world and is a destination for numerous seabirds. As we cruise out to the Bank, we may encounter pods of Pacific white-sided dolphins, Dall’s porpoise, seals and numerous seabirds. We’ll enjoy and learn about whatever the ocean offers that day, be it seabirds, marine mammals, blue sharks, jellies, or more! Please note that this is an open-ocean excursion and the condition of the sea may be rough.
Doreen Gurrola & Jennifer Stock
Sunday, August 25 • 6:45AM – 5PM • $150 ($140 Members)
Carol Keiper & Jennifer Stock
Sunday, September 8 • 6:45AM - 5PM • $150 ($140 Members)
Cathleen Cannon & Blue Waters Kayaking
Saturday, September 7 • 6:30PM - 10PM • $115 ($100 Members)
Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by a living organism. On dark nights on Tomales Bay, bluish flickers are visible in the water column, which come from blooms of bioluminescent dinoflagellates. Dinoflagellates bridge the boundaries between plant and animal, because they both photosynthesize (plant) and locomote (animal). These little creatures emit short flashes of light when disturbed and can put on quite a show for kayakers. Seasonal schools of sardines and anchovies create a phosphorescent trail in the water, which can be amplified when being chased by seals or Night herons. Experience all this glowing activity at night with famed naturalist Cathleen Cannon for an out of this world adventure! Kayak rental included.
This class is full, please call 415-663-1200 x373 to be added to the waitlist.
ALSO SEE
We offer gift certificates for specific classes or the dollar amount of your choice. Email or call 415.663.1200 ext. 373 and we can create a certificate for you to give as a gift.
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This page last modified May 17, 2013.
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