The Northcoast Environmental Center, Humboldt Surfrider and Humboldt Baykeeper invite you to Pelican Dreams, tonight’s featured Ocean Night film. In this intimate portrait of the iconic seabird species, filmmaker Judy Irving (The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill) follows “Gigi” – a very young (4 months old!) female Brown Pelican who landed on the Golden Gate Bridge one afternoon in August, 2008.

Gigi is brought to the International Bird Rescue in Fairfield, where future BirdAllyX/Humboldt Wildlife Care Center’s co-director Monte Merrick serves as her primary caregiver. Pelican Dreams also features Merrick’s wife, partner and fellow co-director Laura Corsiglia and uses footage shot in Crescent City harbor by Arcata’s own Ishan Vernallis.

The film is about wildness – How close can we get to a wild animal without taming or harming it? Why do we need wildness in our lives, and how can we protect it? – and is rated G with a run time of 80 minutes.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m., movies start at 7 p.m. (the evening also features short surf flicks) and is all ages. A $3 donation is requested at the door.  

Boxer, Feinstein Introduce Legislation to Expand the California Coastal National Monument

Yesterday, U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein introduced the California Coastal National Monument Expansion Act, “legislation that would provide lasting protection to six majestic sites along the California coast by including them in the California Coastal National Monument. This expansion of the National Monument would provide visitors with greater access to the coast, improve management of these areas, and highlight the historic, cultural, scientific and ecological significance of each of these public lands,” according to the press release.

Some of Humboldt’s most admired places are included:

  • Trinidad Head: “Rocky promontory and lighthouse with breathtaking views of CCNM sea stacks and Trinidad Harbor.”
  • Lost Coast Headlands:  “Former Soviet surveillance post with a variety of ecological habitats along the coastal bluffs south of the mouth of the Eel River.”
  • Lighthouse Ranch: “Former Coast Guard lighthouse site, later turned into a commune, this site offers exceptional panoramic views of the Eel River Delta, the South Spit of Humboldt Bay, and the Pacific Ocean.”

See The North Coast Marine Protected Areas

This is awesome. You can now explore California’s MPAs from the comfort of your computer. The California Google MPA Tour features detailed descriptions of each of the state marine protected areas, special closures, National Marine Sanctuaries and National Estuaries, with photos and videos, and links to local “things to do.”

For example: 

Castle Rock, located slightly more than a half mile offshore of Crescent City, rises 335 feet above sea level with a grassy slope, two large inlets, and cliffs that are important to this hot spot bird breeding location. The structurally diverse 14-acre island provides nesting habitat for 11 species of seabirds like the tufted puffin and common murre, as well as haul out locations for harbor seals, northern elephant seals, California sea lions and Stellar’s sea lions. 

Common Murre By Flicker user jiazi.

So much more to see! Again, here. Go here. Look at this. 

More MPA links:

Jennifer Savage serves as Coastal Programs Director for the Northcoast Environmental Center, chairs the Humboldt Surfrider Foundation and loves to visit her North Coast MPAs, online and on the beach.