Tomales Bay

My brother just told me that the oysters at Tomales Bay Oyster Company (the oyster farm across from his house) aren't really local. They are brought in from elsewhere and "stored" in the bay for a number of days or weeks before being sold. In additional to the non-local food aspect, he says they lack the terroir of Tomales Bay, so he prefers Drake's and Hog Island.

You can see pictures of him kayaking around the bay here. The Tuesday after Thanksgiving I kayaked from the house in Inverness to Hog Island (not the eponymous oyster company, but Hog Island itself) and back. It was about 20 miles (7 hours), the furthest I have kayaked by far. It felt pretty good, though my wrist is sore from feathering the paddle about 100,000 times.

Here's a local beach. Below is a picture of the bay taken from his house. Oh, and Copia (see October) just filed for Chapter 11.

Day trips in West Marin

This Sunday, Aug 3, 2008, the NYT had an article about day trips around Pt. Reyes. That's my brother on the far left kayaking with Blue Waters Kayaking on Tomales Bay. The article is a good summary of things to do around Pt. Reyes. I've pasted it below.

A mere 40 miles north of San Francisco, Tomales Bay is a tranquil coastal estuary that stretches 12 miles along Highway 1. As you drive north, wetlands give way to sandy beaches and calm waters that open into Bodega Bay and the Pacific, perfect for kayak exploration. Rentals and tours are available from Blue Waters Kayaking in the towns of Marshall and Inverness (415-669-2600; www.bwkayak.com).

Wildlife abounds. There are herds of elk on Tomales Bay Point on the northwest side of the bay — part of Point Reyes National Seashore — while harbor seals frolic in the water or lounge on the sand.

Hog Island oysters are grown in Tomales Bay, and you can grill your own at the Farm, the Hog Island Oyster Company’s bayside picnic area (20215 Highway 1, Marshall; 415-663-9218; www.hogislandoysters.com). Nearby Point Reyes Station is home to the Cowgirl Creamery, specializing in organic artisanal cheeses. Among its award winners is Red Hawk, an aged triple-cream made with organic cow’s milk (80 Fourth Street, Point Reyes Station; 415-663-9335; www.cowgirlcreamery.com).

Ten miles north in Marshall, you’ll feel deliciously away from it all at Nick’s Cove, a string of 1930s-era cabins over the water, with an affiliated roadhouse by the San Francisco restaurateur Pat Kuleto (23240 Highway 1, Marshall; 866-636-4257; www.nickscove.com; from $225).Want to bed down even closer to nature? There are several campgrounds in the area, and a handful of permits are available each day for boat-in camping on the west-side beaches (415-663-8054; www.tomalesbay.net).

Marin County, California

My brother Bill lives right on Tomales Bay, near Pt. Reyes National Seashore in Marin County. West Marin is a phenomenal locus for local food. His house is steps away from Manka's, and right across the bay is Tomales Bay Oysters. I hope to lead a group of kayakers across the bay for an oyster BBQ as an Element Spice culinary event this spring or summer. Two other oyster farms, including the renowned Hog Island Oysters, are also in the area.

Oyster farming is consider the height of ecologically sound aquaculture practice, in addition to being a real treat. Since oysters are sessile organisms in the wild anyway, they are just as good, if not better, farmed. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch gives farmed oysters a green rating.


Bill went mushroom foraging this weekend, and got quite a haul of funnels, funnel chantarelles (yellow foots) , honey mushrooms and hedgehog mushrooms (the good are in this picture). Mushroom foraging is a bit scary, but he's a level-headed guy and plays it safe.

I picked up a copy of Marin Farm Families, Stories and Recipes, which was published by the Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT) last time I was in the area (at Toby's Feed Barn, in the town of Pt. Reyes Station). Much more on the culinary treasures of West Marin later.

Speaking of foraging, this video shows one of my favorite ways of getting a meal in Northern California, abalone diving. It's actually pretty easy for me, as I can hold my breath for six minutes.