Coastal Cleanup on Tomales Bay

For a third year, we joined Coastal Cleanup on Tomales Bay. The event is coordinated by the Environmental Action Committee of West Marin, Hog Island Oyster Co., and Marconi Conference Center State Park, and in partnership with Marin Oyster Co., Tomales Bay Oyster Co., Starbird Mariculture, and Tomales Bay Sailing.

After two years of land-based cleanup, we ventured onto Tomales Bay this year. Sean from Tomales Bay Oyster Company took 8 of us out on his “green machine” oyster boat. The bay was glassy and the air was warm — a perfect day to be out on the bay. Sean dropped us off in several locations along the beach to pick up trash. Brett Miller, owner of Tomcat Catamaran Adventures also participated shuttling volunteers to beaches on his 22 foot Maine Cat 22.

We found very little trash on the bay which was great news. Sean mentioned that part of Tomales Bay Oyster Company’s stewardship of the bay includes monitoring for trash regularly and doing beach cleanups every couple of weeks. It seems to be working! We spotted a bat ray, leopard shark, Great Egret, and harbor seal.

We returned to the beautiful Marconi Conference grounds for a picnic lunch featuring delicious Tomales Bay Oyster Company’s gold nugget oysters and Hog Island’s sweetwater and barbecued oysters. Nature photographer extraordinaire, Carlos Porrata photographed the event.