Our "Field Trip" to San Francisco's Pier 39 Yesterday

Jessica wanted to take the boys on a trip to San Francisco via the Alameda Ferry yesterday.  I went along and had a very enjoyable time!

Leaving Alameda from the Ferry dock. . .

Seated at the front of the passenger deck, we had great views of the Bay the the City as we crossed:

San Francisco. . . . .  Open your Golden Gate. . . .

First thing we saw was the sea lion sculpture. . .

Inside the Aquarium of the Bay, the boys got a kick out of the anchovies. . . .

And other displays. . . .

And just looking out at the boats. . . .

The River Otters exhibit was a favorite!

When we went back outside we saw the Sea Lions that hang out on the platforms near Pier 39.  Charlie had a bit of a fascination with a heart-shaped lock that some lovers must have put on the chain link there. . . .

But the sea lions themselves caught his and Teddy's attention after not too long. . . .

Tedd-ster was climbing all over the place. . . .

So was Charlie. . . .

What looked - to me - like an old Liberty Ship sailed out from the next pier over. . . .

Nice view of "The Rock" from the sea lions' area, too. . .

Teddy went shopping at the Gift Shop.

Some more pix from the River Otters' area:

And again, back at the Sea Lions outside:

Otters again. . . .

On way back to ferry to head home, the boys tried to climb on the sea lions sculpture:

I found an interesting bas-relief map of the Bay near the ferry terminal:

 Sailing past Alcatraz on the ferry on the way home. . . .

Home again!  Back on The Island Nation. . . .

A Day at Contra Loma Lake & A Day in Dublin

I gave an assist to my son and his cohorts at an event at East Bay's Contra Loma Park yesterday.  Volunteered to help as a docent.  By 10:30 in the morning, tho, the event had to be closed.  The rain came down in torrents.  Anyway, here's some pix of my son the Naturalist at his job:

Amy, the Park's Director, told us what to expect. . . .

600 Middle-School kids, only 150 of which could fit under the tent at a time (on a very rainy morning). . . .

Jimbo explains it all. . . .

And THEN, TODAY, I went to Dublin - a little town down the freeway a bit from my Martinez - to march in the St. Patrick's Day Parade there with my fellow Volunteer Trail Safety Patrollers.

A motley crew indeed!

I got into some "unofficial" togs. . . .

And made myself IRISH from TOP. . .

To BOTTOM. . . .    (Can you tell I favor the Dublin Irish over the Belfast Irish?)

Reps from our Horse Patrol, Bike Patrol,  and K-9 Patrol were there, too, besides us regular

"foot soldiers."  One of the gals brought her pet goat, too.  We are a diverse lot, aren't we?

 Isn't Blarney just another word for Horseshit?

And there was more than enough to go around for EVERYBODY.  This cute Colleen took the tough job on for the Ladies' Auxiliary Sheriff's Posse. . . .

. . .which we were directly BEHIND.  And we didn't march TOO closely to. . .

THE END