July 02, 2010

another visit to China Camp

NEWS FLASH -- I just found out I won this week's CaliberSF Friday Flickr contest!   I am entirely elated because I've been trying quite a while to accomplish this, so I guess persistence pays off. The Caliber Friday Flickr thing is a function of the CaliberSF group. CLICK if you'd like to see what I posted, and CLICK to visit the full CaliberSF site.



click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

This is the Sea Breeze, but I'm afraid her hull has seen better days.
She sits, timeless, on the shores of China Camp.

Oh, I've probably told you a million times or more about China Camp, the little historic Chinese shrimping village on San Pablo Bay -- the upper thumb of San Francisco Bay.



click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

Being so far from the Gulf it may seem like this placid line of Pelicans would be safe, but there are dangers right here in our own San Francisco Bay.

On November 7, 2007 the Cosco Busan grazed pilings that protect the Bay Bridge towers, ripping a gash in her side -- spilling 53,500 gallons of heavy fuel oil into the bay. Thousands of birds that didn't quickly die eventually succumbed to starvation, as their food sources had been killed off by the spill.



click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

Frank Quan is China Camp's lone remaining resident, and this new but authentically built Chinese Junk is the Grace Quan, named in honor of Frank Quan's salty and cigar smoking mother. I understand she was quite a character.



click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

Processing of the Bay Shrimp was was done in these artful buildings that are set close to the shoreline. There is a little museum (((China Camp is now a State Park))) and a funky dock to walk out on. A great place to get away from it all.



click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

Rust, oh rust... What can I say, other than it's such a beautiful thing.
It warms my heart and fills my soul. Good morning, sunshine...

CLICK if you'd like to see 30 China Camp photos on what I call my "big" site.


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Your comments are invited and welcome.

2 comments:

photowannabe said...

Rust does the same thing for me. Love the panorama of the pelicans.
Oil devestation is such a shame. Good reporting of the past spill.
You could have used the X on the rickety boat for ABC Wednesday. Its perfectly framed.
Have a great weekend Don.

Unknown said...

ah love the first picture, with the boat! Its beautiful!

 
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