I'm going to try to keep regular, updated blogs when I get the chance to visit areas I find interesting or beautiful. It's less a journal and more a shortened (very short in most cases) photo-essay I'm simply calling "Expedition." This first one was allowed me by the Muir Woods National Forest and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
My first visit was Muir Woods, just across the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. One of the earliest national monuments (just the 7th dedicated by President Teddy Roosevelt), the relatively small park (by National Monument Standards, anyway) encompasses the southern tip of the great Redwood tree range. The land was originally bought by businessman William Kent, who eventually donated close to 300 acres of the property to the federal government to thwart the plans of a water company to dam and flood the valley it calls home. Kent insisted that the park be named after none other than John Muir, the "Father" of the National Park System.
The redwoods here are small compared to their Oregon siblings but impressive nonetheless. The tallest living things on the planet, these gigantic trees can tower well over 300 ft. They are often so large, in fact, that their upper branches can often support miniature ecosystems of their own, including smaller bushes growing out of soil collected over time. The oldest of the trees have been around since before the New Testament. They can only survive in a few areas along the coast, relying on the morning fogs and light drizzle for the majority of their liquid needs. Because of their fast growth, resilient bark, and thick wood, societies around the world have relied on them for timber for decades. Strict regulations in the US prevent too much over-cutting in the present day, but 97% of the old-growth forests have been replaced with much smaller and re-cut, replanted varieties.
I only managed to visit one of the shorter trails of the forest for my first visit (it was a random trip, and none of us wore prepared attire, let alone my poor camera dealing with the damp conditions). Still, the majesty of these trees were not lost on us, and I fully intend to head back for a more in-depth visit in the future. National Geographic had actually had a great article on the giants late last year, so I was ready to see them for myself, even if only the very Southern tip of their range.
The next day, my girlfriend Abrah and I went for a trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, ranked by many as one of the top aquariums in the United States (it seems to go back and forth with Atlanta's). It holds over 600 species, 35,000 plants, a stingray petting zoo, and an attendance closing in on 2 million a year. The tickets were somewhat pricey at $30 a person, but the attractions were very impressive. The building itself was a former sardine cannery that had been bought and converted by none other than David Packard, co-founder of the Hewlett-Packard company. Many of the elements were designed and built by his forge in Big Sur, as he was an avid blacksmith.
One of these elements were wave machines atop a 350,000 gallon water tank. These wave machines enabled the MBA to become the first to grow California Giant Kelp in a controlled environment. Now, the tank houses not only the kelp, but all sorts of creatures within, including sharks, rays, and smaller fish.
On the other end is what i would consider the main exhibit. Behind one of the world's largest single-paned windows is a 1.2 million gallon tank filled with the deep sea creatures. The exhibit here constantly has animals being transferred in and out depending on what research needs done. Sure enough, on our visit it had everything from yellow- and blue-fin tuna to a hammerhead shark. Last year, for a few short months, they even had yet another Great White on display.
Among the cooler sections were the jellyfish displays. They had a large viewing area for a throng of red sea nettle jellyfish and several smaller tanks for a few different species. As you enter into the jellies area, you pass through a circular room circled by the anchovies the building once canned as a staple to the Monterey economy.
Overall, the experiences were very wild and only enhanced my desire to travel and take photos of these wonderful, natural locations. I hope you enjoy the few photos I have processed so far, but don't forget that these can never replace visiting such great areas in person!
Please visit my photo gallery page to see these in full resolution: My Photo Gallery
The National Park Service Website
The Monterey Bay Aquarium Website
Rushing Waves by =serphius on deviantART
Muir Woods Moss by =serphius on deviantART
Muir Woods by =serphius on deviantART
Under the Bay by =serphius on deviantART
Jelly 1 by =serphius on deviantART
Jelly 2 by =serphius on deviantART
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