More about how I spent my fourth of July 2011. This time my photos of the events throughout the day as they unraveled. Just me and God Participating.
This day was enjoyable although I would always rather be with my daughter.
Distance between us in many miles and hours of travel did not make this possible. No invites to enjoy the fireworks celebrating our American culture and accomplishments. I set out on an adventure with myself and God walking beside me. This was a fabulous day and did not cost me any money.
The Humboldt BayKeeper is a wonderful gift to the community of Humboldt County and the Humboldt Bay Harbor. Docents will share history on the bay with a boat ride on the Humboldt BayKeeper at no cost as other boat tours have fees for the service. The idea is that you become so very interested in saving the Bay and its health and protecting its growth for generations to come with all the ecological importantance and the meaningful lucrative fishing and oyster beds that bring income and wealth to the fishermen of Humbodlt County. The importance of Humboldt Bay Harbor not only to local Humboldt County but to visitors too and the commerce that brings more opportunity to Humboldt County and the City of Eureka.
Humboldt Bay Harbor is a beautiful and resourceful harbor. I just love the harbor and its boats. On any given day with my camera I can catch a one of a kind photo if I am fast enough or my camera on my phone or digital is equiped and with cooperation of my devices to capture just the perfect picture to please me. Sometimes my memory is full and by the time I get a free space to take another picture the sail boat whimsically sailing by with a big red dropping sun setting behind it just misses my timing by minutes or seconds. I find that so frusterating and there is excitement in knowing on another given day I may be better equiped, and be able to gain that moment again in another setting and timing.
This fourth of July I set out for a 9:00 am Humboldt BayKeeper history boat ride a compliment of my docents. I enjoyed the Humboldt Bay Harbor for a 1.5 hour ride on the bay and took as many pictures as I could.
Then being quite a bit of while until the evening fireworks planned on the bay that I could watch from the Old Town Board Walk on the Humboldt Bay Harbor, I decided to go home for a some brunch. Took care of that dining experience and off to enjoy another adventure.
Low tide on the Bay...I thought it would still be lowtide when I got to the beach at Clam Beach, being it was still morning. NO, I missed the low tide and the tides had come in. I was disappointed I was too late for clam digging. This is a great place to find those long rectangle clams and many people come to gather them up. There may be 100 to 200 people out there on low tide and all gaining treasures of clams. I have yet to be there on the perfect time and low tide. I desire to have the experience and make my own spicy clam chowder. Instead, I enjoyed the dunes and a walk on the beach.
You can walk for miles and on and on on very soft fine white sand. Eventually going south on the beach I will find my way to the famous Hammond Coastal Trails and sandy beach in Mckinleyville. Going further north I will find my way to Trinidad the famous fishing historical fishing town. For fourth of July the day was mild and warm, and evenutally sunny too.
Then I adventured back to Eureka to the Old Town Boardwalk for a stroll to enjoy the rest of the afternoon. Alot of things happening in Eureka on this fourth of July day. In town, Old Town, there was live music, vendors, and street artists. I missed that they closed up by 4:30- 5:00 pm. The boardwalk was still a bit peacefull and most of the people out at that time were enjoying the fair along the harbor and the boardwalk with their family and children. I found my perfect bench in front of the new Boardwalk and Old Town Fisherie and near the new Madakat Ticket Booth to sit and wait for the fireworks to begin on the bay of Humbodlt Bay Harbor. Sail boats and other boats still enjoying the warm sunny afternoon and evening out on the bay made it a pleasure to watch and wait for time to pass until the fireworks began.
I finally had three people join me. I made new friends with those who sat down beside me for the eventful evening. One couple was visiting Eureka for an anniversary of their wedding and was from Oregon. Another gentleman was a Eureka, local community neighbor who I just met as he sat down to wait for the excitement to happen. It was 10 pm when the fireworks began. They were all so beautiful. It was fun to sit with these people I will never see again, but we shared "moments of AWH together as if we had known each other for ever.
One sad thing happened. Many people brought their dogs to the nights event and by 10pm, the boardwalk had many, many people. When the fireworks began a little cute pricey dog by the looks, went by flying at full speed in fear of the noise and all the people. Many people that did not think of their pets safety and the consequences of fourth of July and how it's impact on pets will be found their pets were missing and many lost. One pet was in the paper the next day found roaming on braodway the main road to the Highway 101 with raw paws from the long adventure running away and the heat of the pavement. Those things really make me feel bad.
Then a very good thing happened! Since then, my daughter brought to our home a little Datsun dog, a pure bred and his is absolutely adorable. I would never have gone out to look for this type of dog had I been in the position to go and pick out a dog for a pet to bring home. I like big dogs and I will always miss my Colby, a black labordore I once had when my little girl Tiffany was very young. However, once I set my eyes on this little house guest, 'Miiki", I was in love at first sight. He has brought a lot of love to our home. He is enjoyed so much by my brother, my father and especially me. He is a proud little dog, and when he goes for walks, he walks proud and wiggles the whole way. We have many cats. I have five, dad and brother have two. They are all same size as Miiki, and he gets along with them humerously. They are very accepting of others. Pets have something so special. Miiki joined us just a few days after fourth of July. He makes a meaningful difference.
Humboldt County is very beautiful. There are so many things to do. All things don't really cost much or at all. It is just the get up, get out, and go do it attitude you have to have.
Sometimes, we have to make things happen. They will just happen around us and we will miss out on precious moments. There is much to do if you want to be with alot of other people, or if you want to be just by yourself and God's wonderful creations.
Humboldt BayKeeper free Boat Ride with docents offerring the history of Humboldt Bay Harbor (Offerring this priviledge so we will become interested and support the Humboldt Bay Harbor ...a precious jewel to City of Eureka and Humboldt County.
The redwoods, the rivers, the mountains, the Humboldt Bay Harbor, the Humbodlt Bay Wildlife Refuge, water rafting, canooing, kayaking.
Clam Beach
Eureka's Old Town Board Walk along the beautiful Humboldt Bay Harbor and the Fourth of July festivities and Fireworks.
Finally, 10 pm Fireworks in the clear skys of Eureka on the boardwalk near the Humboldt Bay Harbor...a real treat. Clear Skys, Shining Bright Stars, and Beautiful Fireworks
Fourth of July 2011 and God Participating
