July 22, 2010

China Camp, part 1 of 2


click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

While spooking around on the hillside out at China Camp on Tuesday this composition -- I think it's a pleasant one -- hit me squarely in the eyes.
For full "hit" effect, please use sound-effects-panel from yesterday.



click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

And of course, when I got home I had to tell Kitty all abut these cat-tails.



click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

China Camp is actually a State Park but on Tuesday it was just me, Frank Quan (((the last remaining resident of China Camp))), and these three women who were trying their best to figure out how to steer a rowboat.

In the center of the photo is the Grace Quan, a recently built but completely authentic Chinese Junk. The Grace Quan is named after Frank Quan's mother, who has been described as being full of piss and vinegar.



click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

Starting with the Gold Rush in 1849, masses of Chinese immigrants came to California willing to work for pennies doing the dirty and dangerous work of building the west.

Those Chinese who wanted to get into fishing or shrimping in America were severely restricted and regulated, but a large colony started to grow here starting in the 1860's. China Camp is on the western banks of the upper "thumb" of San Francisco Bay.



click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

And this is the home of Frank Quan, as mentioned, the last remaining resident of China Camp. Frank served in the military during WW2, but otherwise has lived here all his life. CLICK to see photo of Frank Quan

Frank still does a bit of netting for Bay Shrimp, but due to high salinity levels his catches keep getting smaller. Fresh water from the Sierras that would normally flush this part of the bay gets diverted for agriculture.


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Your comments are invited and welcome.

3 comments:

Emmy said...

You know...your pictures almost always make me think of Steinbeck novels :) Its nice to have a visual for the words on the pages; your pictures give the books new life for me! Thank you ^_^

AphotoAday said...

THANKS EMMY -- And I hope everybody is enjoying the sound-effects-panel from yesterday. I know I am... But seriously, thanks again, Emmy.

Tomate Farcie said...

Sight for sore eyes...

(my computer access is limited these days) and I would much rather see the pics in the size you meant them to be seen than on my little pocket unit ;)

 
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