POINT LOBOS Volume 32 * Number 1 Spring * 2009 Point Lobos Association Route 1 Box 62, Carmel, CA 93923 831-625-1470 www.PointLobos.org Features Officers President Judd Perry 7 Monarchs of Point Lobos Vice President Lyle Brumfield Heidi Van Der Veer Secretary Brandi Katz 9 Whispers of the Image; Treasurer Sandy Hale Words in Plein Air Joselyn Ignacio Zimardi Directors and Kenneth Parker Joe/Pat Bova Lyle Brumfield Ed Clifton Steve Dennis Skip Flohr Gael Gallagher Sandy Hale John Hudson Departments Brandi Katz Glen McGowan 3 Message from the President Lynne Miles Joyce Olcese Judd Perry Carl Voss Paul Wineman 4 Annoucements 5 Under My Brim Docent Administrators Ranger Chuck Bancroft Joe & Pat Bova 6 Observations Sparky Starkweather Administrative Assistant 13 Quotes from the Docent Log Kristina Rosado edited by Stan Dryden CA State Parks Liason Chuck Bancroft Point Lobos Magazine Editorial Director Graphics Contributors Dida Kutz Chuck Bancroft UC Berkeley [email protected] Les Ellis Mark Farina queries welcome David Hibbard Kenneth Parker Tryntje Rapalje A. Steward Proofreader Suzie Wood Cover: Pinnacle Ridge by Kenneth Parker. Parker’s art can be seen at the Weston Gallery in Carmel-by-the-Sea and online at www.KennethParker.com. Point Lobos Magazine The mission of the Point Lobos Association is to support interpre- is printed on recycled paper tive and educational programs that enhance the visitor’s experience, and published four times per year by the Point Lobos Association. and to assist California State Parks in preserving Point Lobos State Reserve. Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. PDF versions available at www.PointLobos.org. Message from the President Judd Perry t the beginning of my third most respected Docents, was Ayear as your President, I given the coveted State Parks want to thank all of our Point “Golden Poppy Award” for Lobos Association members for his outstanding service to the back to their northern feeding their generous support over the Association and the Reserve. grounds from the warm birth- years for the work of the As- Following the Annual Meet- ing waters of Baja California, sociation and of the dedicated ing, the Board elected Associa- Mexico. Mothers and calves will and talented Docent volunteers. tion officers for the coming year. be close to shore to gain protec- Thanks also to those members They are: President, George tion from the marauding orcas who attended our 31st Annual (“Judd”) Perry; Vice President, (“killer whales”) who patrol our Membership Meeting on Janu- Robert (“Skip”) Flohr; Secre- coast during this period look- ary 10, 2009, and participated in tary, Brandi Katz; and Treasurer ing for wayward calves. There the election of directors of the Samuel (“Sandy”) Hale. I want will also be nesting cormorants Association. In addition to re- to thank each of them for the and black-capped night her- electing three At-Large Directors energy and dedication they ons at Bird Island, and harbor who are returning for succes- bring to the Association’s work. seals pupping on the beaches sive terms (Steve Dennis, John If you have not visited around Whalers Cove, Blue Hudson, and Joyce Olcese), you Point Lobos recently, now is Fish Cove, and other secluded elected one new Docent Direc- the perfect time to do it. With spots along the coast. If you tor, Gael Gallagher, to replace the January/February rains, we look closely, you might even retiring Director, Kerstin Jones. are expecting an abundance of be able to spot our great blue I want to welcome Gael to our spring wildflowers. Don’t wait herons nesting in the trees near Board and thank Kerstin for her until May, when most of them Coal Chute Point. It is a truly tireless efforts on behalf of the will be gone. It is in March and wonderful time to be at Point Association, not only as a Direc- April that they are at their glo- Lobos, so come soon and often. tor but also as our Treasurer for rious peak, so make it a point And finally, have your vis- the past three-and-a-half years. to enjoy them this year. If you ited our website lately? There Monterey District Superin- are not familiar with all of the is a large amount of valuable tendent Mat Fuzie addressed wildflowers of the Reserve, join information about the Re- the Annual Meeting and pre- a guided walk and let one of serve and the Association to be sented the Association with our talented and knowledgeable found there. We are also now California State Parks’ Leader- Docents do the identification. archiving past copies of the Point Lobos Magazine ship Award, in recognition of March, April, and early POINT LOBOS magazine, so is printed on recycled paper the Association’s contributions May is also the time when you you can review past articles and and published four times per year to Point Lobos State Reserve. In can personally witness one of by the Point Lobos Association. photographs. You can access Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. addition, Ed Clifton, a Director the longest mammal migra- the site at www.PointLobos.org. PDF versions available at and former President of the As- tions on earth, as the majestic I hope to see you soon at www.PointLobos.org. sociation as well as one of our gray whales make their way Point Lobos State Reserve. Point Lobos Magazine 3 Annoucements Under My Brim Ranger Chuck Bancroft ign your kids up for our upcoming SSummer Outdoor Program presented by State Park staff based out of Point Lobos State Reserve. Kids 9-15 years old will have the opportuni- ty to experience California State Parks in a day camp setting. Session dates: June 22 thru July 3, 9:30–2:30 July 13 thru July 24, 9:30–2:30 Tuition: $200.00 Photo courtesy Tryntje Rapalje/Koduckgirl via Flickr. Telephone: 831-624-9423 for more information or to reserve your child’s spot. Paintings of Point Lobos Reserve by Mark Farina at the Pacific Grove Art Center An exhibit of oil and watercolor paintings by local painter and art instructor Mark Farina will be on display at the Pacific Grove Art Center, April 10th through May 22, 2009. The show will be held in the Dyke Gallery and will consist of 25-30 works. Many of the smaller paintings have been painted on location in the Reserve. There will be an opening recep- tion on Friday, April 10, from 7 to 9 PM. Mark will be reading poems inspired by Point Lobos on Sat- urday, April 11 from 2-4 PM. See Mark’s websites for more de- tails and a look at the paintings in the show: www.mfarinaartstudio.com www. mfarinaartstudio.com/blog A portion of sales derived form this show will benefit the Point Lobos Association. The Pacific Grove Art Center is located at 568 Lighthouse Av- enue, downtown Pacific Grove, and is open Wednesday - Saturday 12- 5 PM and Sunday 1-4 PM. 4 Point Lobos Magazine Annoucements Under My Brim Ranger Chuck Bancroft was cattle graz- Don Escobar had other chil- ing. dren besides the two sons and 1839 – Don these and their grandchildren Marcelino Es- began to claim portions of the cobar on April land. Thus began a long com- 16 was granted plicated series of legal battles the Jose y Sur to determine ownership of the Chiquito Ran- property. cho. This was 1842 – January 16th. Dona et’s continue our look into the first valid Josefa Abrego deeded the land Lthe past history of Point grant confirmed by the Mexican to a group of soldiers from the Lobos and see what takes place government in 1840. The Ran- Monterey Presidio. The soldiers after Mexico wins its indepen- cho’s boundaries ran from the evidently paid nothing for it. dence from Spain in 1822. Carmel River in the north, the Why? Legend tells of a gam- 1833 – The Church has lost mountains on the east, and the bler who once lost the rancho at a great deal of her strength Palo Colorado Canyon in the cards. Perhaps this was a gam- politically and economically. south. It consisted of roughly bling debt of her husband. The Californios, seeing the vast two leagues of land. (One league 1844 – June 7th, the soldiers developed ranchos, passed laws is about 3.5 mi or 5.5 km. This of the Presidio (about ten in to secularize the missions and unit of measurement is no longer number) turned the Rancho open these lands to private de- in use.-Ed.) over to their supervising officer, velopment. Point Lobos, for the 1840 – Don Marcelino Esco- General Jose Castro. No other first time since North America bar’s Rancho San Jose y Sur Chiq- information is available about had become inhabited, came uito is confirmed by the Mexican this strange dealing. under private control. government. All subsequent title 1848 – The Treaty of Guada- 1834 – The first person of re- claims concerning Point Lobos lupe Hidalgo ended Mexican cord to legally own Point Lobos stem from this grant. This same rule of California and began a was Juan B. Alvarado, who on year, Juan and Agustin, Don period of California history as a July 30, was given a grant called Escobar’s two sons, seem to have territory of the United States. Rancho el Sur, which may have obtained possession of the Ranch. So, what takes place in included a portion of the lands No record or date of this transac- California, Monterey, and at in the vicinity of Point Lobos. tion was recorded. Point Lobos after the war with 1835 – Teodoro Gonzales 1841 – On August 26th, Dona United States and Mexico is applied for the rancho of Sur Josefa de Abrego, holding power ended? You’ll have to wait until Chiquito on September 2.