The Watery Farewell
Since February, the fourth-graders learned all about steelhead as they watched their own grow up in a glass fish tank on a painted metal bookshelf. They learned how to formulate sustainability models and identify helpful and harmful environmental factors to a steelhead’s life. They listened to Native American legends and wrote essays about steelhead. They even calculated exactly what day their eyed-eggs would hatch into steelhead. (Unfortunately they calculated wrong, because the eggs hatched two days after predicted. None of the fourth-graders’ egos were all that hurt.)
Along with learning all about steelhead, the fourth graders learned that this year was one of the most devastating in history for salmon populations on the West Coast. The DFG says a healthy returning salmon population is 150,000. Yet only a third of that number, 54,000 salmon, are expected to return downstream this fall. So the kids found out that California ocean salmon seasons have officially been closed for the remainder of 2008, and why.
One by one, the very knowledgeable and enlightened fourth-graders said the final goodbye to their baby steelhead out on the riverbanks last Monday morning.
They stood in a single file line as the teacher’s aid asked each of them what they wanted to say. The first kid was over it — he just said “Pass.” The next few copied each other and all said “see ya.” A Spanish-speaking boy told his steelhead, “Adios, amigo.” One diplomatic little boy with glasses toward the end of the line said to his fish, “Goodbye, and good luck with your life.”
The fourth-graders took the baby steelhead from the Ace Hardware bucket into clear plastic cups, then gently lowered the cups into the riverbank. The steelhead languidly swam out of the plastic cups into the softly rippled Mad River. Then the kids watched as the fish swam out of eyesight. But it wasn’t goodbye forever. In three more years the steelhead will return as fully-grown adults. The kids will be seventh-graders.
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on the cover
Railroad!
Proposed lines ‘set rich blood a-tingling’ in early 1900s
Some Other Proposed North Coast Railroads
Choo-choo Fantasies
Exposing this east-west rail nonsense
seven-o-heaven
Undeterred Will
Will chides Andrew for lack of attention to detail and makes plans for his inevitable victory.
Recent short stories
June 11, 2009
Eye of the Beholder
June 11, 2009
Double Down
May 21, 2009
Pearls and Swine
Hank Sims
Today
44th Annual Kinetic Grand Championship Race
STAFF PICK / events, art, outdoors, sports, for kids, free / 9 a.m.-6 p.m. A 3-day, 42-mile kinetic sculpture race over land, sand, mud and water! LeMans start at the Noon Whistle on the Arcata Plaza. Follow the race through Manila, Eureka and into Ferndale on Memorial Day for the Glorious Finish. kineticgrandchampionship.com. 889-3024.
Flow 2012 Fashion Show
STAFF PICK / events / 8 p.m. Arcata Theatre Lounge, 1036 G St. Student designed and produced clothing. Fundraiser for Arcata Arts Institute. $35/$25 students. artsinstitute.net. 822-1220.
Woodside Preschool's Rummage/Bake Sale
events / 8 a.m.-noon. Woodside Preschool, 900 Hodgson St, Eureka. www.woodsidepreschool.com. 445-9132.
Lanphere Dunes Restoration
STAFF PICK / outdoors / 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Meet at Pacific Union School. Help remove non-native invasives at the Lanphere Dunes Unit of the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Tools and gloves provided, wear work clothes and bring water. Carpool to the protected site. 444-1397.
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