6/17 & 18: SF: Walks thru Oyster Point & Mission District's Murals!

Before heading into the city to visit with our son, Alexander, his wife, Cory, and month-old daughter, Max, Steven and I took just a few steps from our hotel in South San Francisco to walk in a different location than we did the day before around Oyster Point. 

Here at the edge of San Francisco Bay, we learned birds find the food, shelter, nesting, and resting habitat essential for their survival. Many species live here year round. But hundreds of thousands of migratory birds depend on the shorelines of the bay to rest and feed before proceeding on their avian highway. Because these species may lose up to a third of their body weight during migration, the food they find here is a critical resource on their journey. I hoped we'd see some cormorants and egrets as we walked.

A plaque indicated this waterfront during WW II had been the location of Western Pipe and Steel Company and the city of South San Francisco was transformed as both men and women were recruited to aid in the war effort by building ships. While there were fewer than 700 workers prior to the war, by 1944, the workforce topped 10,000 two years later and 15,500 in 1944. 

As a result of the vast increase in the number of workers, housing was in short supply and commuters overwhelmed public transportation. The need to build many more cargo ships started before the US entered the war because England's fleet was being devastated by German U-boats and asked the US for assistance. Western Pipe and Steel received many new commissions, and, within a month of Pearl Harbor, workers toiled around the clock. At the height of production, a ship was ready for launching every 30 days. A total of 48 ships were mass produced in record times using assembly lines and prefabrication. Because of the narrow channel, ships were launched sideways rather than stern first!

Not a comfortable place to sit a spell - looked like pruning was needed!

The Bay Trail or 'Ring Around the Bay' was conceived as public access for the more than six million people who live in the Bay area. The network of trails was intended to provide recreational, educational, and aesthetic opportunities for cyclists, walkers, and nature lovers of all ages and cultures. The proposed 400-mile long trail was conceived in the 1980s and was shaped with the coordination of local agencies, businesses, and organizations. 

I don't know what these majestic purple flowers were but I loved them! We were so lucky to be there in mid-June when they wee in full bloom.

We were lucky that there were only a few fellow walkers on the trail that day and about the same number the day before when we'd walked in the opposite direction on the other side of the bay.

The Oyster Cove Marina:

What an idyllic spot to cast a line! Under the waters of the Bay, wildlife was very diverse. Two species that have generated much excitement with the public were sharks and rays. Unlike most fish, these have skeletons made of cartilage rather than bones. They feed on fish, invertebrates or animals without backbones and other small animals. 

As you'd guess with a name like Oyster Point, this area once supported a thriving oyster industry that was established in the mid-1800s. The industry grew by leaps and bounds when the newly completed transcontinental railroad allowed the importation of eastern oyster seeds in 1875. As California's population and industry grew, it also increased the levels of pollution in the Bay. Because oysters are filter feeders, they process everything in the water including pollutants and therefore are extremely sensitive to poor water quality. Sadly, when local oyster production had decreased by over 50 percent by 1921, the industry was unable to recover. 

After walking for almost two hours in such a picturesque location, we turned around and headed back toward our hotel. It was the low-rise building in the dead center of the photo. We had had no idea of its beautiful location on Oyster Point when we reserved it, having selected it only because of its proximity to Alexander and Cory's apartment. When we go out and visit Max again, we'd love to return to the same property. It'd be interesting to see what plantings might be in bloom on the next visit.

Taking the name of the local Ohlone tribe, the Spanish crown designated the surrounding area as Rancho Buri Buri in 1797. From that early history to its currently being a hub for business and tourism, South San Francisco has always had a strong sense of identity. Rancho lands were purchased in the mid 1800s and used for cattle grazing until Gustavus Swift secured the City's destiny by establishing its first major industry, a meat processing plant, in 1884. The city of South San Francisco was incorporated in 1908 and subsequently became a major industrial powerhouse. In the 1950s, under economic pressures and environmental concerns, the City was forced to redirect its industrial focus. It has now become a modern center for light manufacturing, technology, and commerce. 

More photos of our extended walk around Oyster Point on June 18th:

When taking photos I've always been struck by reflections so you can appreciate how these captivated me.

Oyster Point Marina Park was a shoreline trail and windsurfing launch ramp that had been dedicated in 1998.

A map showing just part of the Bay Trail! On the 16th, we'd walked as far as Sierra Point indicated by number 2 on the map. How fun it would be to go so much further some day.

The Oyster Point Fishing Pier was pretty empty that day.

The image reminded me of the children's book Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey I so often read to our four children!

My childhood friend, Sandra, had a beautiful weeping willow in her front yard back in Ottawa, Canada, where I grew up. Since then, I have always associated the trees with her no matter where in the world we see them.

Alexander putting Max's new stroller together! Shortly after that, we all went for a walk in their Mission District neighborhood. As the AAA guide mentions, "Perhaps no neighborhood more readily reflects the current ideological divide between 'the way San Francisco used to be' and the kind of city it is becoming today than the Mission." The city's oldest neighborhood is rich in Latino history and culture but has had to face an influx or invasion of people brought on by the tech boom. That has led to the neighborhood's gentrification which has in turn meant serious issues like skyrocketing rents and evictions for the former tenants. 

We'd read that nowhere else in the city would we find a more vibrant and varied display of street art created by and for the people than in the Mission.

You can see how support ran high for the city's essential workers during the pandemic!

The subject matter of the murals was very varied, everything from ethnically diverse family scenes to contemporary political commentary. Nowhere unfortunately did we see any street artists working on any new creations but I considered ourselves lucky to walk through such exciting areas and certainly understood why Alexander and Cory had gravitated to the Mission. 

Some of the most pointed and poignant political messages were along Clarion Alley.

"Welcome to San Francisco: Cleaner, Whiter, Brighter" was a sad indictment on what much of the Mission had become.

Though we live in the suburbs west of Denver, it's sad that as much as we love to travel far and wide, how little I feel we know our own city. We rarely take the opportunity to discover what's in our own back yard and the many murals that have cropped up there. Once we get back from our current road trip through a good chunk of the Southeast United States, it'll be fun to head downtown and play tourist.

What drew our attention in addition to the obvious murals was the stunning vegetation throughout the Mission and adjacent areas as it also was part of the overall artistic vibe. 

I couldn't help but notice and be charmed by some of the gorgeous homes known as the grand dames whose architectural style was unique to San Francisco. 

A few blocks from where Alexander and Cory live was the vibrant Dolores Park. That's them on the left by the way!

I had heard of New York City officials marking out socially distant circles in Central Park because of Covid-19 but hadn't realized the same practice was in effect here in SF!

What a wonderful tribute and way to be remembered. 

The four afternoons we spent with our first born granddaughter went by far too fast but I was comforted by the fact that we'd be back in a few months' time so we could see precious Max again as we wanted to be constant figures in her life, in spite of living so far from her.

On our way to having dinner with Nina and Will, our daughter and son-in-law, on our last evening, we passed by Golden Gate Park as it's only a few blocks from their home. Even though it's hard to have three of our children living so far from us, we're at least blessed that two of them live in the same city and San Francisco is definitely an exciting place for them to live in and for us to visit!

Next post: Windswept Walk in Berkeley

Posted on September 1st, 2020, from sunny Florida where we're happily ensconced in a cabin at a state park for a few weeks. Steven and I hope you stay healthy, strong, and connected during Covid-19.