Where: Fitzgerald Marine Reserve
When: All year, when tides are low.
Who: Grade 3 and up
Cost: Free (as of Jan 2022)
This field trip was three years in the making! How, you ask? Well, back in 2019, group reservations (needed for groups larger than 15 people) for a docent-led tour of the reserve required calling in to a number and giving a variety of possible dates. These tours were understandably popular, in part of limited availability - they have to take place on days when low or negative tides occur during daylight hours. Consequently, dates with an exceptionally low tide might be booked up to a year in advance. At the beginning of the school year in September, we called in and were elated to get a reservation! The date we reserved was September 2020.
As we all know, everything shut down in March 2020, including outdoor recreation. The reserve was shut, and remained shut for two years. This time, when it reopened, there was a new booking system and we were ecstatic to reserve a day when the tide was negative, a few months away. It was a beautiful day and we gathered at the Visitor Center besides the parking lot.
First time visitors often explore the part of the reserve right next to the parking lot. That area does have tidepools and good views of the harbor seals, however, an alternate trail (Dardanelle) leads to a larger area of tide pools for exploration.
We followed the trail up to the lookout area, where the guide asked us to try and hear the sound of the seals. The result? Silence, because seals don't make noise unlike their noisy sealion cousins.
Following the trail, we came across cypress trees in neat rows - they had been planted by prior inhabitant Juergen Wienke as part of a plan to invite tourists taking the train between San Francisco and Santa Cruz. The hotel is gone, but the trees still bear hallmarks of planned development. Interestingly, the trees nearer the cliff were covered in yellow algae or lichen - the color comes from carotenes which masks the normal green color. The Friends of Fitzgerald Marine Reserve have an extensive list of plants which could be used for a scavenger hunt.
Going past the trees, we saw what looked like the remnant of a pillar. Apparently, the area was used for target practice during World War II, and a red flag on the tower indicated to other aircraft and boats that it was currently not safe to enter.
Going down the stairs, we saw the tidepools and already a few groups out exploring. A couple of hints from our guide: Come an hour before the lowest tide, so you can follow it out, and turn back when the time of lowest tide is reached (because the water will be coming in). Also, follow the inlets - most of the organisms can be found on the sides of these walls. Be patient! Careful walking (which is advisable since all walking surfaces are slick) and observation will reveal a plethora of life. The Friends of Fitzgerald Marine Reserve has an excellent guide of each tide zone and its inhabitants. A few photos of what we saw that day:
We were indeed blessed to be able to revisit Fitzgerald even if we had waited two years - it was worth the wait! Before the pandemic, there had been a die-off of sea stars so we could count sightings on one hand, but we were excited to keep stumbling across them this time (15-20). It's a testament to the resilience of life and, we hope, a sign of future vitality not just for sea stars but all across the reserve.
We are thankful for the Friends who publish educational resources which are great for pre or post visit, and their docents who make an already vivid place even more accessible with a dash of humor and a never ending sense of wonder.
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