Outdoors
Monday, June 11, 2018
Crabs Cap off Superlative Week with Massive Shutout
Posted By Thomas Oliver on Mon, Jun 11, 2018 at 4:39 PM
Since a crushing shutout on June 3 against the Corvallis Knights, the Crabs have scored 60 runs and ripped off five consecutive wins.
On the heels of pouring a 15-run deluge on and eking out a 4-3 victory in the 12th Friday night, inning against the San Francisco Seals, the Crabbies welcomed the Valley Bears of Fresno to Arcata Ball Park for a three-game weekender. I was unable to attend Friday night but by all accounts it was an unfriendly introduction as the Crabs cruised to an 11-1 victory and the game ended after the seventh inning due to an agreed upon 10-run rule — that would be the only run the Bears scored all weekend. Not a single Crab struck out and Crabs pitcher Alex Pham had a stellar second appearance on the mound. He threw all seven innings, allowing only four hits and no walks and striking out a staggering 15 batters. The University of San Francisco freshman is looking to be a real asset.
Tuesday, June 5, 2018
A Halo Over Fortuna
Posted By Kym Kemp on Tue, Jun 5, 2018 at 5:06 PM
Fortuna received an especially spectacular sky show – a solar halo – this afternoon (June 5).
A solar halo is “caused by high, thin cirrus clouds drifting high above your head,” according to EarthSky, a science news site. “Tiny ice crystals in Earth’s atmosphere create the halos. They do it by refracting and reflecting the light. … (L)ike rainbows, halos around the sun – or moon – are personal. Everyone sees their own particular halo, made by their own particular ice crystals, which are different from the ice crystals making the halo of the person standing next to you.”
Did you ever capture a photo of a solar or lunar halo?
Editor's note: This report first appeared on www.kymkemp.com and is reposted here with permission.
A solar halo is “caused by high, thin cirrus clouds drifting high above your head,” according to EarthSky, a science news site. “Tiny ice crystals in Earth’s atmosphere create the halos. They do it by refracting and reflecting the light. … (L)ike rainbows, halos around the sun – or moon – are personal. Everyone sees their own particular halo, made by their own particular ice crystals, which are different from the ice crystals making the halo of the person standing next to you.”
Did you ever capture a photo of a solar or lunar halo?
Editor's note: This report first appeared on www.kymkemp.com and is reposted here with permission.
Thursday, May 31, 2018
State Senate Unanimously Passes 'Great Redwood Trail' Bill
Posted By Thadeus Greenson on Thu, May 31, 2018 at 1:09 PM
The Great Redwood Trail is one step closer to reality.
A bill by North Coast state Sen. Mike McGuire to dissolve the North Coast Railroad Authority and transform the defunct railway from Willits to Arcata into a multi-use trail nabbed a unanimous 36-0 vote on the Senate floor last night.
“There is tremendous support for this trail project both in the state Legislature and on the North Coast and we couldn’t be more grateful for the support thus far,” McGuire said in a press release. “However, there is still major work to do and we know that anything that makes a big difference is never easy. We need to resolve the significant financial debt that NCRA has racked up over the years as our first step.”
The press release goes on to note that the bill has strong support from environmental groups, including the League of Conservation Voters, the Sierra Club, Trout Unlimited and “dozens more.” It also touts the trail’s potential economic impact to the North Coast.
Senate Bill 1029 will now head to the state Assembly for consideration. See the full press release from McGuire’s office copied below.
A bill by North Coast state Sen. Mike McGuire to dissolve the North Coast Railroad Authority and transform the defunct railway from Willits to Arcata into a multi-use trail nabbed a unanimous 36-0 vote on the Senate floor last night.
“There is tremendous support for this trail project both in the state Legislature and on the North Coast and we couldn’t be more grateful for the support thus far,” McGuire said in a press release. “However, there is still major work to do and we know that anything that makes a big difference is never easy. We need to resolve the significant financial debt that NCRA has racked up over the years as our first step.”
The press release goes on to note that the bill has strong support from environmental groups, including the League of Conservation Voters, the Sierra Club, Trout Unlimited and “dozens more.” It also touts the trail’s potential economic impact to the North Coast.
Senate Bill 1029 will now head to the state Assembly for consideration. See the full press release from McGuire’s office copied below.
Saturday, May 19, 2018
Amid Kelp and Abalone Die-offs, State Raises Urchin Limits
Posted By Thadeus Greenson on Sat, May 19, 2018 at 1:56 PM
The California Fish and Game Commission adopted emergency regulations this week aimed at reducing purple sea urchin populations off the North Coast.
The urchin populations have exploded in recent years, part of what marine biologists call a “perfect storm” of factors contributing to the collapse of northern California kelp forests and the widespread starvation of the region’s red abalone (“Plight of the Abalone,” March 8, 2018.)
Purple sea urchins generally fall under the commission’s “general invertebrate bag limit” of 35 a day for SCUBA and skin divers off the Mendocino and Sonoma county coasts, but the new emergency regulations allow a daily bag limit of 20 gallons with no limit on how many urchins can be possessed.
Monday, April 30, 2018
Mountain Lion Sightings, Pet Attacks Prompt Warning in Rio Dell
Posted By Kimberly Wear on Mon, Apr 30, 2018 at 11:05 AM
Rio Dell officials are warning residents to keep their children and pets indoors following a series of mountain lion sightings near ravines frequented by children along the river bar and in neighborhoods along Riverside and Eeloa avenues on the east side of U.S. Highway 101.
The city warns that the sightings have taken place during the day and there have been to two reports of dogs being attacked, one of which died as a result. According to the release, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife has been notified.
The city warns that the sightings have taken place during the day and there have been to two reports of dogs being attacked, one of which died as a result. According to the release, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife has been notified.
Monday, April 23, 2018
Cruise Ships Coming to Humboldt Bay
Posted By Linda Stansberry on Mon, Apr 23, 2018 at 2:22 PM
The city of Eureka announced today that fledgling efforts to bring cruise ships to Humboldt Bay have been successful, with the first such ship arriving Monday, May 21.
According to its press release, the city, in association with the Humboldt Bay Harbor District, formed a partnership with Eureka Main Street, the Eureka Visitor Center and former city council candidate Chet Albin "to strategically recruit cruise ships to Humboldt Bay."
The team — dubbed the Humboldt Bay Cruise Ship Partnership — has been on the road a lot, visiting Astoria, Oregon, to witness its thriving cruise ship tourism and traveling to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to talk up Humboldt Bay to attendees at an international cruise ship trade show. They also have plans to go to Seattle later this year.
According to its press release, the city, in association with the Humboldt Bay Harbor District, formed a partnership with Eureka Main Street, the Eureka Visitor Center and former city council candidate Chet Albin "to strategically recruit cruise ships to Humboldt Bay."
The team — dubbed the Humboldt Bay Cruise Ship Partnership — has been on the road a lot, visiting Astoria, Oregon, to witness its thriving cruise ship tourism and traveling to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to talk up Humboldt Bay to attendees at an international cruise ship trade show. They also have plans to go to Seattle later this year.
Sunday, April 22, 2018
8 Year Old Found Dead After Being Swept Out to Sea
Posted By Thadeus Greenson on Sun, Apr 22, 2018 at 12:59 PM
The U.S. Coast Guard has recovered the body of an 8-year-old girl who was swept out to sea near Big Lagoon yesterday afternoon.
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office reports that the girl was swept into the ocean while jumping into waves on the ocean side of the lagoon at about 3:15 p.m. yesterday. Sheriff’s deputies joined personnel from CalFire, the Bureau of Land Management, the Orick Fire Department, state parks and the U.S. Coast Guard in the search.
The girl was found at about 4 p.m., about 1 mile south of where she’d entered the water. She was flown to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The case remains under investigation.
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office reports that the girl was swept into the ocean while jumping into waves on the ocean side of the lagoon at about 3:15 p.m. yesterday. Sheriff’s deputies joined personnel from CalFire, the Bureau of Land Management, the Orick Fire Department, state parks and the U.S. Coast Guard in the search.
The girl was found at about 4 p.m., about 1 mile south of where she’d entered the water. She was flown to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The case remains under investigation.
Wednesday, April 18, 2018
Stolen Succulents Replanted at Stone Lagoon
Posted By Kimberly Wear on Wed, Apr 18, 2018 at 2:46 PM
More than 1,000 succulents pilfered for sale overseas in by what the California Department of Fish and Wildlife described as an “international conspiracy” were returned to nature on Tuesday by a team of volunteers who planted them along the bluffs at Stone Lagoon.
Those plants were among some 2.300 taken from near Trinidad by a trio of men busted earlier this month by CDFW officers who seized more than 1,000 in boxes prepared for shipping and the remainder after serving search warrants at the suspects’ hotel room. See previous coverage here.
Those plants were among some 2.300 taken from near Trinidad by a trio of men busted earlier this month by CDFW officers who seized more than 1,000 in boxes prepared for shipping and the remainder after serving search warrants at the suspects’ hotel room. See previous coverage here.
Wednesday, February 21, 2018
More Brrrr in the Forecast This Week
Posted By Kimberly Wear on Wed, Feb 21, 2018 at 12:17 PM
That really cold weather thing is not over yet.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for Thursday, 4 a.m. to 4 p.m., for interior areas of Humboldt County above 2,000 feet, including Berry Summit.
Snow accumulation of 3 to 4 inches is possible, according to the advisory, creating hazardous travel conditions.
For those on the coast, there is a hard freeze watch (mid to upper 20s) being called for Thursday evening into Friday morning, but things could get a bit hairy before then with small hail expected Thursday afternoon that could cover roadways. To top it all off, strong north winds gusting at 35 mph are possible in “exposed location.”
Remember to bring in the animals and if you know someone who needs help, here’s more information on emergency weather shelters.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for Thursday, 4 a.m. to 4 p.m., for interior areas of Humboldt County above 2,000 feet, including Berry Summit.
Snow accumulation of 3 to 4 inches is possible, according to the advisory, creating hazardous travel conditions.
For those on the coast, there is a hard freeze watch (mid to upper 20s) being called for Thursday evening into Friday morning, but things could get a bit hairy before then with small hail expected Thursday afternoon that could cover roadways. To top it all off, strong north winds gusting at 35 mph are possible in “exposed location.”
Remember to bring in the animals and if you know someone who needs help, here’s more information on emergency weather shelters.
Friday, February 9, 2018
Trail Lovers Invited to Chime In About Bay Trail Progress
Posted By Linda Stansberry on Fri, Feb 9, 2018 at 2:17 PM
It's shaping up to be quite a month for trail advocates. If you're a biker, a hiker, a dog walker or stroller-pusher, you've probably already gotten out and enjoyed the completed portions of the Waterfront Trail, which currently stretches (in Eureka) from the Hikshari' Trail all the way along the waterfront to down behind Target, looping to meet the Open Door Community Health Center on Tydd Street.
A formal ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Eureka portion of the trail was held on Tuesday and Eureka Community Services (formerly Parks and Recreation) will be screening a documentary at the Wharfinger Building about the challenging and controversial process of putting a trail through the PalCo Marsh on Saturday evening. For some long read reporting on that process, check out last year's two-part coverage, found here and here.
And if you're hitting the trail from the north, you may have biked through the Arcata Marsh and along the west side of the Highway 101 safety corridor only to come face to face with a sign that says "End of Trail" just a little north of Bracut. For the time being, you'll have to fall back on hitting the shoulder of the Safety Corridor, which is nobody's idea of fun. For some backstory on the challenges of (safely) sharing the road, we recommend this 2015 series by Journal contributor and reluctant bike commuter Jennifer Savage.
How long will Eureka and Arcata remain unlinked? Well, that's a good question. The county is asking folks to get together at the end of the month to look at its current plans to pave the final 4.2 miles between the two trail systems. This meeting will satisfy the need for public comment on the plan's compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act. According to a press release, this will also be a chance for attendees to learn about "challenges and constraints" to the trail's completion, which might include the relatively narrow land on which they have to build the trail adjacent to the current railroad tracks, and accounting for the issue of sea level rise.
A formal ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Eureka portion of the trail was held on Tuesday and Eureka Community Services (formerly Parks and Recreation) will be screening a documentary at the Wharfinger Building about the challenging and controversial process of putting a trail through the PalCo Marsh on Saturday evening. For some long read reporting on that process, check out last year's two-part coverage, found here and here.
And if you're hitting the trail from the north, you may have biked through the Arcata Marsh and along the west side of the Highway 101 safety corridor only to come face to face with a sign that says "End of Trail" just a little north of Bracut. For the time being, you'll have to fall back on hitting the shoulder of the Safety Corridor, which is nobody's idea of fun. For some backstory on the challenges of (safely) sharing the road, we recommend this 2015 series by Journal contributor and reluctant bike commuter Jennifer Savage.
How long will Eureka and Arcata remain unlinked? Well, that's a good question. The county is asking folks to get together at the end of the month to look at its current plans to pave the final 4.2 miles between the two trail systems. This meeting will satisfy the need for public comment on the plan's compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act. According to a press release, this will also be a chance for attendees to learn about "challenges and constraints" to the trail's completion, which might include the relatively narrow land on which they have to build the trail adjacent to the current railroad tracks, and accounting for the issue of sea level rise.
