Not your usual Oakland experience
There's never a dull moment in the Jack London District but yesterday was unusually interesting for this area. On my way to the ATM yesterday I first encountered numerous blocked streets and a film crew setting up. Not sure what they were shooting for but a camera on a truck bed was filming a brand spankin' new Volvo SUV with European plates careening around various corners. A couple in preppy winter clothes looked totally out of place being filmed crossing the street by my building. I'll have to start watching Volvo commercials more carefully.
As I passed by the Amtrak station an old Amtrak engine was pushing a Canadian National Railway coach into the station to join up with the Amtrak train. The CN Burrard looked like it had just come from the body shop, not a speck of dirt or scratch on it. A private party was boarding the car and boy did that look like fun. amazingly I haven't been able to find anything about it on the internet. I wonder how one goes about arranging something like that, it would certainly be a dream trip!
The infamous COSCO Busan was docked at the port yesterday unloading its
cargo. The 100 foot gash in it's hull was in plain view and truly enormous. A hulking cargo ship with a huge hole in it's side makes me once again wonder at the courage of the people who work on those ships everyday. The ruptured fuel tanks spilled 58,000 gallons of oil into San Francisco Bay, most of which seems to have traveled north and west out the Golden Gate. There was thick black sludge on the booms set out to protect Middle Harbor Park but no globs of oil floating in the water.
Being somewhat cold and rainy yesterday was a wonderful day to kayak in the Estuary. The water was calm, very few boats out and so quiet you would never think you were in the middle of a cosmopolitan area. The wildlife was out in abundance. Besides the regular cormorants and grebes we saw a flotilla of scoters, some scaup, a bufflehead, a kingfisher, two red tailed hawks, several great blue herons and a seal. On the way back to the kayak dock the rising fin of a harbor porpoise astonished us. As we sat in the middle of the estuary and watched the lost porpoise swam around our boats in circles for half an hour. Eventually we decided to wish the porpoise good journeys and headed our boats toward home. Back at the kayak shop it was said it's the first porpoise to be seen in the estuary in over 15 years and though he's lost he should find his way out again eventually.
A film crew, a fascinating train, a ship with a gash in it's side, lots of wildlife and a porpoise - I love living in Oakland!
As I passed by the Amtrak station an old Amtrak engine was pushing a Canadian National Railway coach into the station to join up with the Amtrak train. The CN Burrard looked like it had just come from the body shop, not a speck of dirt or scratch on it. A private party was boarding the car and boy did that look like fun. amazingly I haven't been able to find anything about it on the internet. I wonder how one goes about arranging something like that, it would certainly be a dream trip!The infamous COSCO Busan was docked at the port yesterday unloading its
cargo. The 100 foot gash in it's hull was in plain view and truly enormous. A hulking cargo ship with a huge hole in it's side makes me once again wonder at the courage of the people who work on those ships everyday. The ruptured fuel tanks spilled 58,000 gallons of oil into San Francisco Bay, most of which seems to have traveled north and west out the Golden Gate. There was thick black sludge on the booms set out to protect Middle Harbor Park but no globs of oil floating in the water. 
Being somewhat cold and rainy yesterday was a wonderful day to kayak in the Estuary. The water was calm, very few boats out and so quiet you would never think you were in the middle of a cosmopolitan area. The wildlife was out in abundance. Besides the regular cormorants and grebes we saw a flotilla of scoters, some scaup, a bufflehead, a kingfisher, two red tailed hawks, several great blue herons and a seal. On the way back to the kayak dock the rising fin of a harbor porpoise astonished us. As we sat in the middle of the estuary and watched the lost porpoise swam around our boats in circles for half an hour. Eventually we decided to wish the porpoise good journeys and headed our boats toward home. Back at the kayak shop it was said it's the first porpoise to be seen in the estuary in over 15 years and though he's lost he should find his way out again eventually. A film crew, a fascinating train, a ship with a gash in it's side, lots of wildlife and a porpoise - I love living in Oakland!
| 15:07
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home