Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Oso
Oso - they have a one-of-a-kind mix of rock and folk, check out their songs here: http://www.myspace.com/thebandoso
Starfish low tide
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
View from the Office
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| From Santa Barbara '09 |
Hard-to-beat view at the Coastal EcoVentures office, for the Spring quarter. I can see the latest campus point conditions, and if I peer around the corner, I can just see the Black Pearl bobbing happily in the anchorage, and right below, the joggers running along the bluff.
Too many people have beautiful views but keep the shades drawn because of the glare on the computer screen. The trick with windows and computers - keep them at 90 degrees from one another. Or perhaps it's just lucky orientation...
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Marine Layer dampens the fire
Funny story from a couple who were evacuated from their Painted Cave home.
I talked to them as they were hanging out in their rusty RV by the beach - said they're having a grand time (they're lucky to have a "mobile home" to escape to!). So the story is, they were at the full moon drum circle night before last, and asked the blind guy who does "divining" to bring in the marine layer and dampen the fire.
"What direction do you want the wind to come from?" the blind guy asked, and they responded, "No wind, just calm, damp air!" "Ah, ok." A few hours later, at 2am some cool moisture was felt in the breeze - "It arrived! The marine layer is here!" like some VIP guest to a classy dinner. Ironic enough, as most people detest the foggy grey layer that pervades Santa Barbara in the summer mornings; but everyone is welcoming it now. What would be of light if there was no dark??
"Yeah we went back to check on our house last night, there's parts of the freeway like a lunar landscape, just charred" the RV friend mentioned. I remember from Applied Ecology: big infrequent fires are catastrophic to the ecosystem, but small regular fires are actually great for biodiversity. "The Chumash used to do controlled burns all over the mountains, to protect the oaks from fungus, and get rid of underbrush so the medicinal plants can grow - and keep big fires like this from happening." Do we need a different approach, controlled burns instead of just one mantra, prevention? Can people handle that?
Well, the marine layer is here, thanks to the diviner, and the fire is now 40% contained, after burning ~80 homes, and costing $7MM. The blind guy should have been summoned earlier....
I talked to them as they were hanging out in their rusty RV by the beach - said they're having a grand time (they're lucky to have a "mobile home" to escape to!). So the story is, they were at the full moon drum circle night before last, and asked the blind guy who does "divining" to bring in the marine layer and dampen the fire.
"What direction do you want the wind to come from?" the blind guy asked, and they responded, "No wind, just calm, damp air!" "Ah, ok." A few hours later, at 2am some cool moisture was felt in the breeze - "It arrived! The marine layer is here!" like some VIP guest to a classy dinner. Ironic enough, as most people detest the foggy grey layer that pervades Santa Barbara in the summer mornings; but everyone is welcoming it now. What would be of light if there was no dark??
"Yeah we went back to check on our house last night, there's parts of the freeway like a lunar landscape, just charred" the RV friend mentioned. I remember from Applied Ecology: big infrequent fires are catastrophic to the ecosystem, but small regular fires are actually great for biodiversity. "The Chumash used to do controlled burns all over the mountains, to protect the oaks from fungus, and get rid of underbrush so the medicinal plants can grow - and keep big fires like this from happening." Do we need a different approach, controlled burns instead of just one mantra, prevention? Can people handle that?
Well, the marine layer is here, thanks to the diviner, and the fire is now 40% contained, after burning ~80 homes, and costing $7MM. The blind guy should have been summoned earlier....
Saturday, May 09, 2009
Ash on Water
Ash fell like snow Thursday night, after the Jesusita brought another evening of mayhem, and created dark swirls on the sea surface.
Last year, several months after the Zaca fire in the backcountry, a big wind kicked up the ash and deposited it on the coast - everyone thought there was another wildfire. But nay, it was just wind-blown ash from the last one.
The many lasting effects of fire: on hydrology (flooding), sedimentation (erosion), soil (nutrients) - which is one bright spot in this whole equation.
Last year, several months after the Zaca fire in the backcountry, a big wind kicked up the ash and deposited it on the coast - everyone thought there was another wildfire. But nay, it was just wind-blown ash from the last one.
The many lasting effects of fire: on hydrology (flooding), sedimentation (erosion), soil (nutrients) - which is one bright spot in this whole equation.
Friday, May 08, 2009
Volvo Ocean Race
In a different part of the world...
Great photos of the Volvo Ocean Race in China and Brazil (thanks Dylan!)
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/05/the_volvo_ocean_race.html
Great combination of modern racing technology and traditional adventure, sailing around the world with speed and endurance.
http://www.volvooceanrace.org/
Great photos of the Volvo Ocean Race in China and Brazil (thanks Dylan!)
http://www.boston.com/
Great combination of modern racing technology and traditional adventure, sailing around the world with speed and endurance.
http://www.volvooceanrace.org/
Jesusita fire grows and grows...
Everything that could go wrong seems to have gone wrong - the sundowner blowing down the mountains in gale force, the air was so warm I would've have slept with the windows open, had it not been ash making its way westward. I feel safe but useless at the same time.
Evacuation areas now increased all the way to Goleta - here is the County map.
Evacuation areas now increased all the way to Goleta - here is the County map.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Jesusita by night
Jesusita fire scatters around the foothills of Santa Barbara (source unknown)Some of the "evacuees" are friends at the Bren school, staying around at campus till late, where we can watch the fire from upwind, clear air free of ash, smoke, traffic jams, and chaos. Everyone is in a disjointed condition. I paddle back to the boat around 11pm, watching the spot fires lighting up the mountain, the moon is bright and full, everything is intense. Even my anchor has dragged because of the gale winds, which I'll have to re-set soon...
Resources:
UCSB website - http://www.ucsb.edu/campus-update/jesusita-fire.shtml
Santa Barbara County Web - http://www.countyofsb.org/ceo/dept0.aspx
KCSB 91.9 FM - www.kcsb.org
KEYT TV - www.keyt.com
KSBY TV - www.ksby.com
KCOY TV - www.kcoy.com
SB Independent - www.independent.com
Santa Barbara County Chapter of the Red Cross - http://www.sbredcross.org/
Resources:
UCSB website - http://www.ucsb.edu/campus-
Santa Barbara County Web - http://www.countyofsb.org/ceo/
KCSB 91.9 FM - www.kcsb.org
KEYT TV - www.keyt.com
KSBY TV - www.ksby.com
KCOY TV - www.kcoy.com
SB Independent - www.independent.com
Santa Barbara County Chapter of the Red Cross - http://www.sbredcross.org/
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Jesusita Fire
 |
| From Santa Barbara '09 |
Wildfire above the hills of Santa Barbara, just raged out of control this afternoon due to the 50mph+ winds and hot air. Houses are on fire.
Third fire in 12 months, even people downtown have evacuated twice this year. Incredible. In November '08 the Tea Fire burned above Montecito and in July '08 the Gap Fire above Goleta.
I watched the flames from the boat, sitting at anchor last night. Warm gusty winds, aircraft flying overhead to dump water, people losing sleep as they picked up their things and evacuated. Like my professor this morning, wondering if his 200 paintings would survive the next 24 hrs, or my project colleague, who packed everything into his Subaru last night.
I never expected that living on the boat would somehow be more secure than living in a home... but that is certainly the case right now.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Ecuador - Papagayo
Hostal Papagayo, not far from Cotopaxi, run by a young and helpful Israeli, with everything from cheap dorms to stylish rooms - but the food is always expensive (and delicious). A great jumping off point for climatizing in the local mountains.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Ecuador - Cotopaxi
The mountain's snowy peak was stark against the blue sky, when I first saw it. Cotopaxi had a fantastic appeal. We're already at 3000 meters, and Cotopaxi juts up to 5900 meters, like a proud throne. We camped at Laguna Limpiapunga across from the tallest active volcano.
The night was cold and a light drizzle came down. The cows, bulls, deers, and birds all migrate to the lagoon edge at dusk and seemed to crowd around us.
Earlier in the trip, we did go to Banos, the famous town that cradles the jungle/mountain boundary; and had quite a good time riding bikes through the "rota de las cascadas", but the camera broke.
Monday, September 29, 2008
After the Galapagos, Scott and I returned to Quito, and spent 12 days roaming the Andes and mountain towns. We started at Isinlivi, a little village on the "Quilotoa Loop", after a slightly harrowing bus ride.
The landscape was a patchwork of family farms on steep slopes. One gentleman escorted us to the river, and we had a picnic together. After some prying, he revealed worry about his kids' schooling - the uniforms were expensive, and the school was far away. We contributed to their education fund, as best we could.
The land was completely but sparsely occupied; the region made for better hostel hopping than camping, but after the Galapagos' strict regulations we were excited to sleep under the stars.
The landscape was a patchwork of family farms on steep slopes. One gentleman escorted us to the river, and we had a picnic together. After some prying, he revealed worry about his kids' schooling - the uniforms were expensive, and the school was far away. We contributed to their education fund, as best we could.
The land was completely but sparsely occupied; the region made for better hostel hopping than camping, but after the Galapagos' strict regulations we were excited to sleep under the stars.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Diving - Cousin's Rock
Cousin's Rock is north of Santa Cruz Island, 1.5 hours from Baltra. Super clear and vivid diving peering into the rocky shelves to uncover some gems.
Afterwards, we went to Bartholome Island, which has a famous vista, but nowhere near the underwater beauty at Cousin's Rock.
Afterwards, we went to Bartholome Island, which has a famous vista, but nowhere near the underwater beauty at Cousin's Rock.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Isla Isabella - Sea lions and Mangroves
An amazing wetland where we played with sealions for 25-30 minutes, in the middle of the mangroves.
World Heritage mangroves enroute to the Concha de las Perlas snorkeling lagoon.
Our accommodation at Isabella, at the end of the sandy road - the bar was on the beach, the bungalows were on the lagoon with pink flamingos.
The beach at Puerto Villamil in Isla Isabella, a short walk from "Bar do Beto".
Mural.
Artwork in a lady's house.
The trio: Scott, Kym, and I.
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