Chowder Day in Bodega Bay!

Yay, it's time once again for Chowder Day in Bodega Bay! The 7th annual day of scrumptious tastings will be held Saturday, February 6, 2010, 11am to 3pm.

Last year seven local restaurants served up free samples of their best chowder recipes and more than 500 participants voted on their favorites. It's a fun, delicious, warm thing to do on a chilly winter day at the coast. We went with a group of friends last year and had a blast. You can read more about it here.

To participate, go to the Bodega Bay Visitors Center at 850 Highway One between 11am to 3pm to pick up your pass and map to the generous restaurants serving the clam chowder and other tasty samplings. This year, a $5.00 donation is suggested to help fund the annual Independence Day Fireworks Over the Bay.

See you there!

Bodega Bay Coast Guard Rocks in Pacific Waves

Here's a cool video showing crew members of Coast Guard Station Bodega Bay training in the surf near Dillon Beach, just south of Bodega Bay.

Be careful, watching it can make you feel queasy! The Coast Guard crew aboard Motor Lifeboat 47257 was training in the Pacific Ocean during high surf on Jan. 13, 2010. Bodega Bay is one of 20 designated surf stations, whose crews specialize in conducting search and rescue missions in heavy weather and seas.

We've been getting slammed here on the coast with rain, gusty winds and high seas. Recent swells off of Bodega Bay were 23 feet and winds were 25 mph and gusting to 30 mph. Very exciting!

The video looks most dramatic if you view it in full screen.



U.S. Coast Guard video by Station Bodega Bay.

Please note, when leaving a comment, if you get an error message, just click to submit again and it should go through. Weird quirk with Blogger templates. Thank you!

Crab Feeds in Bodega Bay

Crab season is well underway and we have three fabulous crab feeds coming up in Bodega Bay!

Sunday, January 17, 2010, 2:00 p.m.
Bodega Bay Grange Annual Crab Cioppino Feed
Bodega Bay Grange
1370 Bodega Ave., Bodega Bay, CA
707-875-9414
Price: $40

From their website: "Held the 3rd Sunday of January, loyal flocks from all corners of the State descend on this seaside hamlet, made famous in the Hitchcock thriller The Birds. They pay $40 each for the enjoyment of this tradition that has carried on since 1953. Last year, the Grange served up 670 dinners in little more than six hours. The proceeds fund the Grange’s scholarship program and other operations."



Sunday, January 24, 2010, 5:00-7:00 p.m.
Bluewater Bistro Crab Feed
The Links at Bodega Harbour
21301 Heron Drive, Bodega Bay, CA
707-875-3513
Price: $33

The Bluewater Bistro has a gorgeous view and is the perfect place to have breakfast, lunch or dinner here in Bodega Bay. From their website: They "offer a perfect combination of seaside and wine country cuisine for both golfers and non-golfers alike; serving only the freshest ingredients possible, from Sonoma County beef, to fresh fish right off the boat."

I love this place and their Crab Feed menu looks delicious!
• Fresh Local Warm Crab • Caesar Salad • Penne Pasta with Marinara
• Sautéed Green Beans with Almonds • Double Layer Chocolate Cake

Bluewater BistroBluewaterBistro

Friday, January 29, 2010, 5:00-9:00 p.m.
Friday, February 5, 2010, 5:00-9:00 p.m.
The Tides Wharf Restaurant 18th Annual Crab Feeds
The Tides
800 Coast Highway One, Bodega Bay, CA
707-875-3652
Price: $39.95

From their website: "Made famous in the early 1960’s as the backdrop for scenes of Alfred Hitchcock’s film classic, The Birds, The Tides remains a popular destination for locals and travelers from around the world."

Menu:
• Chilled Dungeness Crab • Clam Chowder
• Pasta • Green Salad • French Bread
• Melted Butter • Cocktail Sauce



Locals and visitors alike love these annual crabs feeds and really get into them. Our neighbors kindly invited us to join the festivities at their pre-crab-feed-party but warned us they'll only serve light snacks. They said, "After all, we have some serious eating to do!" This photo from the Grange's website shows everyone having a blast last year.


Have fun and don't forget your bibs.

Storms Bring High Surf to Bodega Bay

Photo credit: Patrick Carney Photography. Salmon Creek Beach, looking north up the coast.

The recent storms have brought some high surf to the Sonoma Coast this week. Even Doran Beach, which is usually calm, has giant, dramatic waves right now. When they break, you can feel the boom in your chest. At high tide this morning, the beach was almost completely covered with white, frothy water.

Although it's beautiful, sunny and mild right now, we're expecting more rain and wind this weekend. Oh boy! As you can imagine, stormy weather is a huge draw for tourists who come to witness the spectacular surf at the coast.

The Press Democrat ran a great story by Bob Norberg in today's paper headlined, "Surf is high and more storms on the way."

Please note, when leaving a comment, if you get an error message, just click to submit again and it should go through. Weird quirk with Blogger templates. Thank you!

Baby Lambs Near Bodega Bay

One of the many beautiful things about living in Bodega Bay is the gorgeous drive to get here. And right now, there are hundreds of new lambs in the pastures along the way. I've been driving past the adorable babies for a few weeks and I think they've already doubled in size.



I recently drove out to take some photos. When I climbed out of the car, the first thing I noticed was the sound. There was a chorus of bleating coming from flocks scattered throughout the meadows that line Valley Ford Road. Baa, maa, BAAH, bleah, beeee, baaaa. I had no idea they were so vocal.





They didn't seem to mind my presence and went about their business, which mostly consisted of grazing, then settling down for a rest. The lambs were more active, prancing around in the morning sunshine and dewy grass.



A few times, I witnessed lambs charging urgently through the fields, making a beeline toward their mothers so they could nurse. The mothers cooperated for only a minute or two then stepped over them and walked away, leaving the youngsters to trot along bleating behind them. I guess it's part of the weaning process? The poor little lambs were so intense and carried on as though they were starving, but when it was clear mom wasn't buying it, they reluctantly went for the grass instead.





Once in a while a ewe would acquiesce and give the kid a break for several minutes.


I don't know much about raising livestock and I wondered why so many babies were born in December. I found out that sheep farmers breed the ewes toward the end of summer so the lambs are born in December and February when the grass is more plentiful. I guess our relatively moderate winter temperatures aren't a problem here on the coast.







Some people think sheep are dumb but their IQ is actually just below pigs and about the same as cows. Some sheep have shown problem-solving abilities. A flock in England allegedly found a way to get over cattle grids by rolling on their backs! Sheep also have a remarkable memory for faces and form friendships. They can also differentiate emotional states through facial characteristics, so be sure to smile when you see them. :-)



Please note, when leaving a comment, if you get an error message, just click to submit again and it should go through. Weird quirk with Blogger templates. Thank you!