Pacifica Riptide

Make a Cubby Bear Video to Help Pacifica Senior Center

I'm a volunteer at the Pacifica Senior Center monthly rummage sale and have a couple of vintage Chuck E. Cheese-type animatronics bears (see above) that I want to sell on Ebay to benefit the seniors. Do you know anyone who can take a 30-second video of these bears in motion, and upload it to YouTube (or even to these bears' Ebay auction page) so I can incorporate the video (or at least a Youtube link) in the item description? It would be nice to have someone do this for free, but I'm happy to give them a few dollars or, better, a percentage of the net sale price. If you can help, please email me at alanwald@comcast.net

Alan Wald

Keep Our Creeks Clean and Healthy

As the rain pours down, we celebrate our coastal creeks. Appropriately, someone distributed an anti-pollution flyer this weekend to households along San Pedro Creek in Linda Mar. The flyer describes how plastic six-pack rings, plastic shopping bags, and cigarette butts can choke and poison wildlife and fish. The solution? Reuse and recycle. Another problem for the creek is dog waste. Dog owners need to clean up after their pets to keep harmful bacteria out of the creek. Finally, don't wash your car at home, where detergent and chemicals go down the storm drain and right into the creek. Instead, take it to a car wash, where wash water is recycled and cleaning agents are kept out of the environment.

Coastsiders Against Gun Violence

On a cold, windy, and rainy Saturday night, some two dozen coastsiders held a candlelight vigil in remembrance of the many lives lost at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut the day before. The vigil at the corner of Linda Mar and Highway 1 in Pacifica was held in conjunction with MoveOn.org and other groups worldwide. Vigil participants recommended these groups working to stop violence:

Legal Community Against Violence

Brady Campaign Against Gun Violence

Mayors Against Illegal Guns

Pacifica Peace People

Pacifica's Secret: Falls in Full Force Following Floods

Recent rains brought out our hidden waterfall in all its glory. I braved the elements to share this photo with my fellow Riptiders. Not only are the falls Yosemite-like, but the creek mouth is probably 100 feet across! A few days later, all that will remain is the usual trickle of water, a few minor landslides, and a whole lot of trash.
 
Ian Butler

White Christmas @ Far North

M.S. Cousine, Quebec

Game Wardens Regret Killing Cougar Cubs in Half Moon Bay

Get Details Here

Riptide recommends the game wardens be sentenced to a year of cleaning out cat boxes at the humane society.

Christmas Bird Count: Golden-Crowned Sparrow

Last week Teresa and I participated in the Crystal Springs Christmas Bird Count. The area we covered was Elkus Ranch, up in the hills south of Half Moon Bay. Above is a male golden-crowned sparrow. The photo was taken in the fog with my point-and-shoot camera, so it is not of the best quality, but the bird's primary field mark is easily visible.

Paul Donahue

Wrapping Cloth: A Green Way to Gift-Wrap

Here's an eco-wrap idea. I was inspired by the amazing art form of Korean Wrapping Cloths. Buy holiday-themed yardage to wrap presents and reuse every year. Some of this fabric is way more beautiful than paper anyway. Too late for this year? Pop down to a Jo-Ann store after Christmas and buy it at half-price. You'll be ready for next year. Each year I get another assortment. Now I'm going to implement birthday cloth wraps. Encourage your giftee to pass on the wrap. Happy holidays.

Amelia Williams

Sunlight and Spindrift @ Linda Mar State Beach

After a downpour on December 22, sunlight shone briefly on the water. With high surf and a strong wind blowing off the land December 20, the spindrift off Linda Mar Beach was about the most spectacular I have seen there.

Paul Donahue

Alliance Gas Station Becomes Chevron Extra Mile

The Alliance gas station at Reina del Mar and Highway 1 is now a Chevron Extra Mile station (don't tell Alan Wald).