Blading in Marin

Summer's finally here, and it's time to dust off those skates for some great cardio exercise on Marin's scenic paths. If you like to blade, you should check out Inline Skaters of Marin, a fun and diverse group of skaters who enjoy a lively ride through Marin ever week. We meet every Wednesday to skate in Larkspur or Tiburon, often going out for dinner afterwards. Our skate was recently featured in the Marin IJ.
Join us for some fun skating in the cool summer evenings!
Photo credit: IJ/Alan Dep

Leaving on a jet plane

This week a longtime guest to The Marine Mammal Center, a California sea lion named Seahawk , will fly cross-country to his new home at the Pittsburgh Aquarium. Seahawk had grown so accustomed to people that he was no longer safe in the wild; he would routinely enter populated areas and find himself at risk. Several efforts were made to relocate Seahawk to unpopulated areas, only to discover the seal immediately swam back to reunite with his human friends! While a friendly seal might look like fun for all, feeding or otherwise encouraging a seal separates the animal from its natural food and habitat. Eventually, the animal will lose the ability to live in the wild. I've worked with California sea lions and discovered how powerfully adapted they are to the extremes of marine life. We can best admire these wonderful creatures from a respectful distance, and preserve their home for future generations.

Since Seahawk could no longer survive in the wild, I'm happy he's found a permanent home at Pittsburgh's new aquarium.

Help a Seal

At The Marine Mammal Center, we rehabilitate sea mammals that are injured, sick, or separated from their mothers, such as the harbor seal pictured here. Cute little guy, isn't he? The tragedy is that many harbor seals are unintentionally seperated from their mothers when onlookers believe the seal is abandoned and intervene. When the animal is rescued this way, it's often impossible to return the seal to its mother, forcing us to provide long-term care until it can fend for itself in the wild. Baby harbor seal mortality is high in captivity, so please do not move a seal yourself--no matter how cute it may be. Please first call our hotline at 415.289.SEAL (7325). In Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties 831.633.6298. These Rescue Hotlines operate 24 hours a day.

Tiburon Mariposa Lily

This June, we're again treated to a perennial beauty on Ring Mountain: the rare and elusive Tiburon Mariposa Lily. This flower inhabits a distinct environmental niche, reserved to serpentine outcrops along the mountain's ridge. Where other plants cannot survive, this lily thrives, sending up multiple blooms amongst serpentine, rock sedum, a native onion and other wildflowers . Be sure to visit Ring Mountain to see a native Californian that blooms nowhere else! Click here for a great trail guide of Ring Mountain.


And welcome to our blog, written in appreciation of Marin's natural beauty, local color, and cultural events.