By: Ben Hodgson, Coastal Advocate Intern
It was a great summer day for a walk on Drakes Beach. On June 23rd, I joined a group of beach-loving volunteers for an MPA Watch training, a community science program that collects scientific data on specific regions of the California coast called Marine Protected Areas, or MPAs. Drakes Beach lies along a State Marine Reserve, a “no take” MPA, which means activities like fishing are banned to preserve the health of marine ecosystems. I grew up enjoying the beaches of West Marin, so I was excited to contribute to their conservation as part of the MPA Watch program!
We began with an informative presentation from Leslie Adler-Ivanbrook, EAC’s Program Director and the person who runs Marin’s MPA Watch program. We learned how volunteers help MPA Watch conserve our coasts by recording activities, like swimming or kayaking, which improves our understanding of how people use protected beaches and marine areas.
After the presentation, we headed down to the beach to learn how to collect survey data. We started with the first survey zone at Drakes Beach – using binoculars, we spotted a couple moored sailboats and a dinghy cruising along the Point Reyes Peninsula. We recorded those observations and began our walk down the beach.
As we walked towards the mouth of Drakes Estero, we didn’t see any other people – but we saw lots of wildlife! We caught a view of seals as they poked their heads above the waves. We saw small crabs scuttle across the beach and watched barnacles in the tide pools. We even saw a muskrat foraging on the beach!
When we reached the estero, we found a group of seals laying along the shoreline. After taking a few minutes to watch the pelicans dive into the water, we finished our survey and started back. Walking down the beach, we marveled at the beautiful colors of the washed-up sand dollars. We were startled by a low-flying gyrocopter that buzzed over our heads along the shoreline. And as we looked out at Drake’s Bay, we spotted harbor porpoises coasting through the waves. There’s a lot to see on Drake’s Beach!
Volunteering with MPA Watch is a great way to enjoy California’s beaches and contribute to their conservation. I had a great time at Drakes Beach and look forward to the next training!
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