Farallons

Last Sunday was one of the most beautiful days I have ever had on the Pacific Ocean.  The sea was calm, barely a one foot swell even when the wind picked up later in the day.  We headed out to look for the Great White Sharks which are congregating near the Farallons at this time of year as they follow their favorite food, Sea Lions and elephant seals.

Calm Seas

We got skunked on the sharks but we did see a pod of Risso Dolphin (Grampus griseus).  The lack of shark activity gave me some free time to pull out a wide angle lens and play with the clouds.  Normally I am too focused on working the long lens as I chase images of the animals that live in this amazing area.  On our way home we found a weather buoy that had broken loose form it's anchorage and was drifting into the shipping lane.  A quick call to the Coast Guard found the contact info to report the errant buoy and it should be back where it belongs by now.

Pod of Risso Dolphin in front of the Farallon Islands

Farallon Islands also called the Devil's Teeth

An errant weather buoy

The Golden Gate welcomed us home

Alcatraz Island

Happy Birthday, Golden Gate Bridge!

On May 28, 1937 President Theodore Roosevelt pushed a button in Washington, DC signaling the official start of vehicle traffic over the Bridge at noon. Construction began on January 5, 1933 and cost more than $35 million ($1.3 million UNDER BUDGET).

The Mighty Task is Done

By Joseph P. Strauss, Chief Engineer
Golden Gate Bridge and Highway District

Written upon completion of the building of the Golden Gate Bridge in May 1937

At last the mighty task is done;
Resplendent in the western sun
The Bridge looms mountain high;
Its titan piers grip ocean floor,
Its great steel arms link shore with shore,
Its towers pierce the sky.

On its broad decks in rightful pride,
The world in swift parade shall ride,
Throughout all time to be;
Beneath, fleet ships from every port,
Vast landlocked bay, historic fort,
And dwarfing all--the sea.

To north, the Redwood Empire's gates;
'To south, a happy playground waits,
in Rapturous appeal;
Here nature, free since time began,
Yields to the restless moods of man,
Accepts his bonds of steel.

Launched midst a thousand hopes and fears,
Damned by a thousand hostile sneers,
Yet ne'er its course was stayed,
But ask of those who met the foe
Who stood alone when faith was low,
Ask them the price they paid.

Ask of the steel, each strut and wire,
Ask of the searching, purging fire,
That marked their natal hour;
Ask of the mind, the hand, the heart,
Ask of each single, stalwart part,
What gave it force and power.

An Honored cause and nobly fought
And that which they so bravely wrought,
Now glorifies their deed,
No selfish urge shall stain its life,
Nor envy, greed, intrigue, nor strife,
Nor false, ignoble creed.

High overhead its lights shall gleam,
Far, far below life's restless stream,
Unceasingly shall flow;
For this was spun its lithe fine form,
To fear not war, nor time, nor storm,
For Fate had meant it so.