San Francisco Ecological Disaster!

Our beloved Golden Gate Bridge world renowned symbol was not damaged, neither was the much less attractive yet equally important Bay Bridge which was hit by the 65,131 ton container ship Cosco Busan! At 8:30 am Wednesday November7th hard reality woke up my city. Year in and year out container ships navigate our fragile Bay, it is surprising it has taken this long for an accident to occur? At times blinding fog and ripping tides play lethal games with the huge ships full of oil trying to safely enter the Bay under one of the two main bridges. As this story unwinds the blame game is already in session! Many ardent fan’s of the always respected COASTGUARD are now implying their response time is about four hours short of a nice clean reaction/deploy/implementation sequence? Of course it is early in the blame game, in my mind lack of pre planning as in many dry run drills dealing with actual rip tide heavy fog conditions until all hands are squared away would have been my Marine Corps first step!

( As of 11/15/07 local COAST GUARD Commander relieved, major investigations underway.)

58,000 gallons of heavy fuel oil spilled into a natural Bay already extremely fragile from raw sewage, industrial waste and years of neglect as San Francisco’s population exploded the Bay and it’s resident fish, birds, mammals all suffered. By nightfall many local beaches closed, birds and resident mammals were covered in black goo... It is no secret San Francisco’s natural Bay has been desecrated by man ever since the first explorers landed. Indian tribes recorded so many birds and mammals of all kinds on the Bay one could almost walk across them to the Marin side. As of 2007 man’s nasty by products have choked what’s left of the Bay’s Natural Aqua Sphere and created a shadow of what it once was. Yes, groups are trying to reestablish wet land marsh and yes studies have been done in triplicate. Bottom line this terrible spill in my mind makes my California Coastline just as violated as the thick black slop that pass’s for water in the rivers and streams in underdeveloped countries like China and Africa , India, South America and many others who neglect the price of over population. No question the USA has been one of if not the worst maker and dispenser of pollution world wide period! Now my fellow fly fisher nature lovers, in my once cozy world on the edge of the mighty Pacific Ocean here comes the Judge!

Very Nasty Stuff Heavy bunker fuel oil does not break down, it’s what’s left over after gasoline refining! This awful man made refuge will create chaos for bottom dwelling organisms all the way up the food chain. If all this does not sound bad enough, it appears local Coast Guard has been found lacking in their response timing. At this point no estimate can be made on length of clean up as winds change many miles of California coastline could be effected. Our recovering, thriving Striped Bass will take a hit as they move down the coast late this year. Local surf casters and pier fishers will see and smell the first ugly signs, local crab season opens while party fishing boats get ready for this disaster to play out. Seals, Sea lions, all creatures will pay the cost for our ignorance, greed, over population and dependance on black crude at any cost! ( San Francisco Bay Beaches/sfgate.com/zbnm) If the words any cost trouble you? Consider this simple fact Pilgrims, if the tiny besieged country of Tibet had oil under it? My beloved Marine Corps would be all over that once peaceful Shangrala like ants on a dying Frog. Tears and heavy hearts watch ugly reality begin killing innocent creatures above and below the water.

It is believed our beleaguered Bay was already beyond redemption , as of November 7th 8am San Francisco Bay can now join another fabled California tourist Mecca. My old home Lake Tahoe suffering from recent fires and over building is losing lake water clarity once coveted! Water the new gold in California, water issues will define our future here in the land of milk and honey and world wide as this century unwinds fly fishers, nature lovers Wet Gold will rule!

Those interested in this quickly developing California wake up call via the web www.sfgate.com

Fair Weather Fly Fisher’s

Ok Cowgirls and Bronco busting wild wooly outdoors folk who only tip toe into their favorite rivers and streams when the Sun is glistening and azure waters are not too chilly! Guess what, late Fall early Winter can be a symphony of hot colors, sweet smells, no people... Of course sitting next to that cozy fire and petting Rex while the endless Flickering Baby Sitter drones on and your once svelte waistline is expanding faster then Brad & Angelina’s international foster family ( IFF!) may be best for you? Go on have another Brewski and let that happy go lucky neighbor guy who always seems to find time to drown bugs use your fly gear! Its Ok Poindexter just hand that dam fly rod thingy over and grab that big bag of MM’s, “Honey what was that Oprah was Bioocccching about today Sweet Plums? “

Tranquil Waters

In California rivers and streams close in November, fly fishing moves onto lakes and a few streams and rivers open all year. Lake fly fishing never caught my eye though many praise the virtue’s of placid lake bug work. Many large sections of the mighty Sacramento River are open all year and fine Rainbow’s are caught and released. Near world famed Yosemite National Park a small section at El Portel is open year round as are other waters. Waters can be found fellow long rod owners where you can dwell in perfect peace, commune with the natural order while your friends get just a bit wider and more middle aged by the fire...

“ Middle age slowly crawled into my favorite chair and now I can’t seem to remove my Derriere...”

- Mr. Wolf “ Wolf can do Haiku”

Royal Yellow Wolf