Marine Research Facility

Our friends wanted to take us to a little place they had found years ago and return to often when they were in the area.  It is a little bakery at a fork in the road out in an area of dairy farms.  The bakery is only open 4 days a week and everything is baked in a wood fired brick oven.  When we got there the place was very busy and the variety of breads and scones was amazing.  They provide samples of all their goods for tasting and it didn't take long for our purchases to increase substantially.  Each sample seemed to encourage us to add another item to our bag.  My favorite was the chocolate, cherry and goat cheese scones.

We returned to the RV Park to drop off our purchases and let the dogs out for a walk and wound up spending more time just sitting and enjoying the sun.  After a while I was ready for one of the main attractions for chowder lovers; the Spud Point Crab Co.

 Lunch was a pint and a half of clam chowder with Linda and I splitting a crab sandwich.

After lunch we went on to the Marine Research facility out on Bodega Head.  They are only open on Fridays from 2-4 pm to visit and they give tours during that time.  We arrived just before a tour was to begin.  The research done here is on invertebrate marine animals like abalone, clams, mussels, urchins, along with many, many others.

View from the back of the center

Tanks that contained various creatures such as urchins, starfish, etc.

These tanks contained eel grass that had a Hare Snail that cleans the grass to allow it to gather the most light.

This tank contained urchins and star fish and maybe some other things.

All in all a very interesting visit and we learned some things and had some misconceptions corrected.

Tonight we will try the little Mexican restaurant next to the park entrance.  The office staff recommended it so that could be good or they just wanted to send business that way.  I am somewhat leery of recommendations of nearby businesses as they haven't always been the best.  Nothing ventured nothing gained.  Besides there is light drizzle this evening that was in the forecast so no point of going far.