Marina Bay, Richmond - Apr. 5, '11

Walking Distance: 3.75 mi. (estimate)
Walking Time: 1 hr., 30 min. (4:08 - 6:38 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Public parking lot, Shimada Friendship Park, Richmond, CA

The Marina Bay loop trail I walked late this afternoon included Shimada Friendship Park, Meeker Slough, Marina Bay, and Vincent Park. This paved, asphalt/cement trail (solid red line on Bay Trail map) is well suited for  walking, bird-watching, jogging, bicycling or dog-walking.


I started my walk at Shimada Friendship Park (located near Peninsula Dr. and Marina Bay Parkway). Richmond's sister city, is Shimada, Japan. (In Marina Bay, there were also tributes to Japanese American citizens and the challenges they faced during World War II.) When I arrived at the Park there was a group barbequeing and a few individuals fishing, and several other walkers, some with dogs. I walked east toward Meeker Slough and continued the loop back up toward Regatta Blvd. and eventually made my way over to Marina Bay.

On all sides of this loop facing the Bay, there were wonderful Bay views, and lots of birds. In particular, there were great views of Brooks Island (seen at the horizon line above flowers at right). Brooks Island, in San Francisco Bay off the coast of Richmond, is maintained as a preserve. Advanced permission is required to visit this island.

An extension of this loop took me out to a point that also formed the south entrance point of Marina Bay. At the end of this point was Vincent Park. I enjoyed taking pictures of a bumblebee collecting pollen, as well as watching a few happy dogs stroll by with their owners. Wide vistas of the harbor and boats in Marina Bay and the San Francisco Bay are visible from this park/point.

Wildlife Sightings:

14 little brown jobs (LBJs); 20 sea gulls; 24 ducks; 3 ground squirrels; 5 Western grebes; 1 hummingbird; 24 Canada geese; 4 willets; 3 bumblebees; 9 unidentified brownish shorebirds; 1 snowy egret; 32 coots; 1 tennis ball; 1 domestic cat; 4 crows; 2 horned grebes; 5 cormorants; 2 tiny little unidentified brownish shorebirds

Point Isabel, Richmond - April 3, '11

Walking Distance: 4.4 mi. (estimate)
Walking Time: 1 hr., 50 min. (2:41 - 4:31 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Isabel Street, near entrance of East Bay Municipal Utility District Wet Weather Treatment Plant, Richmond, CA

It was a beautiful sunny, Sunday afternoon with a slight breeze. Perfect day for a walk at Point Isabel and the companionship of lots of happy, happy dogs and their owners.

So far, Point Isabel Regional Shoreline Park wins the award for the largest off-leash dogpark area, and most dog-friendly place to walk a dog along San Francisco Bay. Due to time constraints, I wasn't able to stop at the "Sit and Stay Cafe" and Mudpuppys Tub and Scrub dogwash area next to the trail (#1 Isabel St.), out toward the end of the Point Isabel. (I hope to visit this area again later this month to take photos.) And, despite a large crowd today, I saw no dog poop on the trail -- just one or two forlorn looking tennis balls. Dog owners seemed to be obeying nearby signs and were picking up after their dogs and keeping them out of  habitat-protected areas, a comfort to shorebird and wildlife fans.

After walking both sides of the Pt. Isabel peninsula (which is divided roughly in the middle by a water channel), I continued north along the asphalt-paved bikepath/trail toward Eastshore State Park.

On a clear day, walkers, runners and cyclists on this walk may look across the Bay and see the San Francisco skyline, the Golden Gate Bridge, Brooks Island and Mt. Tamalpais.

I walked as far as Meeker Marsh, and a fork in the trail near a residential area, before turning around and walking back on this same paved trail to Central. I turned right on Central and walked back to Isabel Street.

Wildlife Sightings:
2 doves; 7 crows; 57 sea gulls; 42 unidentified brownish shorebirds (including 3 long bills); 43 small unidentified brownish shorebirds; 1 plover/killdeer; 7 willets; 1 black and yellow butterfly; 30 ducks; 2 snails; 1 hawk or turkey vulture; 3 snowy egrets; 7 Canada geese; 2 ground squirrels; 3 pigeons; 1 tennis ball; 7 Western grebes; 1 plover/killdeer; 5 coots

Albany Mudflats, Bikepath - Mar. 30, '11

Walking Distance: 3.9 mi. (estim.)
Walking Time: 1 hr., 23 min. (3:21 - 4:44 p.m.)
Start and End Point: 2-hour spot, Albany Waterfront Trail/Bay Trail public parking spot, Albany, CA

Today's walk was very straight-forward. I parked in the Albany Bulb area; but, unlike the Bulb, this paved, asphalt bike/pedestrian trail (shown as red line on map) was very formal, and was fenced in on both sides; so meandering on different trails was not an option. (Note: this didn't stop two people who were up to their knees in mud harvesting something in the mudflats. Shellfish? Biological samples? But, I digress.)

Instead, during an unseasonably warm spring afternoon, I made my way north, from Albany toward Richmond, with the Albany mudflats and Bay on one side, and Highway 580 (filled with rush hour traffic) on the other side. Across the Bay, in the distance, Mt. Tamalpais can be seen on a clear day.

Like the Bulb (where I walked yesterday), there were occasional bursts of spray painted art and slogans. "More Art and Less Cars" read a message left by one anonymous commentator. And, given the contrasting views on either side of the path, I guess I can understand that sentiment. "Justice 4 Oscar" exhorted another stenciled message.

After reaching the Costco (store) in Richmond, I turned around and walked back along the same path, being careful to look both ways to avoid being hit by an intense-looking bicyclist or two whizzing past.

Wildlife Sightings:

1 mockingbird; 9 little brown jobs (LBJs) + 2 finches; 3 hummingbirds; 5 dark, unidentified flying bugs (UFBs); 4 butterflies (1 orange and black, 1 yellow and black, 1 yellow, 1 white); 13 sea gulls; 1 black and red spider; 1 pillbug; 1 egret; 2 ducks

Albany Bulb - Mar. 29, '11

Walking Distance: 2.5 mi. (estimate)
Walking Time: 1 hr., 38 min. (5:47 - 7:25 p.m.)
Start and End Point: 2-hour parking spot, Albany Waterfront Trail, Albany, CA

The Albany bulb is an outcropping of land into the San Francisco Bay shaped like an exploding light bulb. And ideas and art, applied via spray paint cans on every available hunk of broken concrete, may leave you feeling you've landed on a different planet.

Something about wandering around the trails (not all shown) at the Bulb made me feel I'd just reentered a 1960s timewarp. I am estimating the mileage. This is not a place with formal trailmarkers. It was more like an informal subdivision, with some homeless encampments at the end of a few neatly packed, dirt cul-de-sacs.

That said, the Albany Bulb was very captivating in an odd way. There were lots of dogs and dog owners out for walks. A small beach not far from the parking lot, was occupied by happy-looking children, and pooches fetching balls and sticks in the water.

At the end of the trail/bulb there is a concrete structure that has been painted over in many colors and tags. Surrounded by a bit of green grass, ivy and some small wildflowers, it looked like a cross between a kid's fort and an adult art outpost. (Do children build forts or little hide-outs anymore? Or are they all cooped up inside?)

Hummingbirds buzzed around in the tops of tall bushes and medium sized scrub treetops, and a variety of water birds could be spotted from the rocky shores of this peninsula.

Thank you to Matt for walking the Bulb with me. We essentially walked a large infinity symbol (figure 8) shape, before heading back to the car. After walking the trails at the end of the bulb, shown as green park area (detailed paths/trails not shown) on the Bay Trail map, we walked toward the east end of Buchanan (rust, red colored line(s) on map), where we picked up a (packed-dirt/mud) informal loop trail. This path circled around a large, fenced off burrowing owl habitat restoration area, and had a view of the Albany mudflats on the northeast side and a view of houses on the hill to the east.

Wildlife Sightings: 

2 hummingbirds; 10 ducks; lots of dogs; 4 little brown jobs (LBJs); 2 red-winged blackbirds; 2 Avocets; 4 sea gulls; 2 Canada geese

Pt. Pinole, San Pablo - Mar. 25, '11

Walking Distance: 5.3 mi.

Walking Time: 2 hrs., 44 min. (3:47 - 6:31 p.m.)

Start and End Point: Atlas Road and Horizon Drive, San Pablo, CA

Atlas Road (solid red line at the bottom of the map shown) runs slightly downhill toward the Bay, ending at a business park at the bottom of a hill. Formal sidewalks pause after the railroad track crossing (at the end of Atlas Rd/ the red line, before where dotted lines appear).

I turned left at the Point Pinole Business Park and continued on Giant Highway (white line on map) for a short distance to find the entrance to Point Pinole Park, on the right, which is where the red line picks up again on the map. I walked this short stretch of Giant Highway in between the business park and the Park's entrance. Caution: Setbacks on this white line stretch were very narrow, so, travel with care if you're on foot or bicycle.

Across the street/highway, perched on a hill, were fairly new houses, near a golf course. A correctional facility was located on the right, just before the park.

It was great to return to Point Pinole Regional Shoreline Park. This was my second time walking at Point Pinole this month. I'd been there last week but darkness prevented me from hiking all the trails there. I returned to walk the rest of the Marsh Trail and to wander out to Cook Point. The variety of scenery in this park was impressive. In addition to acres of green grass and areas of towering eucalyptus, there were narrow strips of beaches festooned with shells; gobs of miner's lettuce (green vegetation shown at right); and little flowers of all colors.

It was raining for part of the time, but that didn't matter, as long as I could keep my camera dry. Wet weather (standing water on trails) had closed some of the trails to bicycle and equestrian traffic. I had to tip toe through some puddles, but if you didn't mind sacrificing some dryness for fields of bright green grass, some wildflowers, and beautiful scenery, a little rain was well worth the trouble.


I had a brief feeling that I was in Ireland at one point this afternoon. Little natural waterfalls and streams had sprung to life. Hawks, herons, egrets, hummingbirds, an owl, and other birds were out.  I could hear frogs in the distance, but couldn't see any.

Wildlife:

3 hawks; 1 great blue heron; 1 great egret; 7 red-winged blackbirds; 5 crows; 1 owl; 1 small falcon or hawk; 1 dove; 42 little brown jobs (LBJs); 3 bluebirds; 2 sea gulls; 2 dark snails; 4 hummingbirds; sounds of frogs, but no sightings