Yesterday (Saturday) was one of those near-perfect days in Humboldt County that makes me so happy and grateful to be living here.
It started out with a kayak excursion on Trinidad Bay. I joined a group of about 15 kayakers, all members of Explore Northcoast, a club devoted to paddling adventures. The air was clear and crisp, the water was calm, and in spite of the chill, I felt wonderfully warm and cozy as we paddled along the the rock gardens, through the passage at Prisoner’s Rock and out and around Pilot Rock. Along the way we paddled through kelp forests, stopped to watch tidepools on the Trinidad head and gazed from a respectful distance as a river otter chomped on a mussle while warming its fur in morning sun.
Because of an early start, I got home in time for a quick lunch, did a few chores (I did say it was a near-perfect day), took a nap and then headed for the Bayside Grange where I joined about 450 other people at a benefit for Don Wolski. Don is a beloved community member who has touched a lot lives through his participation in various local projects, including being one of the founders of the Redwood Technology Consortium. He is battling a brain tumor, and, in spite of two surgeries and lots of medication, seemed strong and happy last night, as people partied in his honor.
A lot of people know Don and his wife Maggie Gainer and many of them turned out to help Don, eat a great tamale dinner and enjoy music from a string of wonderful local bands. Many thanks to Larry Goldberg who worked like a demon to pull this off.
One kind of tech note: The event was web cast for anyone who wished they could be there but could not. It as a little bit of a duct taped operation that went down for a while when someone kicked the plug out of its socket by mistake and the router had to be rebooted. But it was clear lots of people were joining the party remotely and leaving messages in the chat function. It was high-tech Humboldt style.
The perfect weekend seemed to continue today as I went out for my run at dawn in another crystal clear monring. A bright half-moon still hung over the bay and the rising sun dusted the fog bank offshore in a soft rose color.