I grew up marking the seasons by the change in temperatures, the falling, growing or absence of leaves and the rain, snow or melting of ice. Here in California I thought we had no real seasons at first because you could not count on summer to be warm or winter to be cold. Different things bloomed at different times but something was always blooming. After almost 20 years on the San Francisco Bay it dawned on me that I’ve come to mark the seasons by the animals and birds that come and go. That, too, has been a moving target with sometimes a winter crab season, sometimes a spring one and sometimes none at all, but for the most part I welcome the arrival of each season now by the arrival of critters. We just saw the first ball of herring arrive today. The whales will start to migrate north up the coast over the winter with a few stopping to enter the Bay momentarily and then we will see them again on their way south. Several bird species show up only in winter and I really look forward to the occasional mandarin duck with all its crazy colors. This guy below lives here year-round, however, and is getting to be so comfortable with us as his neighbor that he no longer flies away when I walk past!
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Published by captainheather
Heather Richard is a US Coast Guard licensed (100 ton) captain for hire on San Francisco Bay. Interested in classic schooners or racing catamarans? Teak or carbon fiber? A gentle cruise or a rip-roaring ride? Learn to sail lessons or private coaching? America's Cup spectating, sightseeing, whalewatching, crabbing or sipping wine on the Bay... Captain Heather can find you the right boat and the right experience. Almost every day is a fine day for sailing on San Francisco Bay, so call or email to discuss the possibilities!
Heather grew up on the East Coast and has been sailing since the age of 4. She raced competetively on the Boston University team while earning a BFA in sculpture, and worked on charter boats and in community boating programs in Boston. She also worked for the US Navy in Japan, Sail Carribean Voyages and the Saint Francis Yacht Club coaching young sailors.
She currently lives aboard with her three children in a maritime co-op. In the off season she can be found in her art studio and is active in her community volunteeering with youth programs and bringing waterfront access to underserved populations. She is working with a group of volunteers to start Sausalito's first community boating program at Cass Gidley Marina. Www.cassgidley.org
For the 2013 sailing season Heather was captain of the Schooner "Gas Light", in 2014 she added her own vessel "Carodon" to the charter fleet as well as sailing with the America's Cup Yacht USA 76 and Prosail 40 catamaran "Tomcat". She is able to book your ideal sailing experience on a variety of sailing vessels up to 50 passengers and also offers private coaching.
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