What’s new on the “Petaloo”
Hello Again River Friends;
This is a new mid-month issue of the Tidings. Since the monthly version was getting longish and hard on some peoples attention span (not to mention my typing finger) I have decided to try a bi-weekly version.

New opportunities :

Big fun on the Petaluma Bayou!
Wild Catahoulas in Petaluma
Cajun music returns to Papa’s Taverna in Petaluma , Friday May 19, 2006. Dance lesson at 7 : 30 and music starts at 8. Come for dinner, stay a little longer. Five miles southeast of Petaluma on Lakeville Highway .
This is great news. What could be better than a springtime Cajun stomp on the Petaluma Bayou? The Catahoulas are a fantastic band of local musicians. Print the attached flier, spread the word, and come on down to Papa’s on Friday ; better yet, arrive by water! (see below)

Friday night flotilla :
In the spirit of San Francisco’s “critical mass” no host monthly bike rides I propose starting a Petaluma River “nautical mass” event. Participants would launch “nature powered” watercraft for a monthly Friday evening outing. Itineraries might vary but time and place of assembly would usually remain the same. The “no host” element would make each participant responsible for their own welfare and preclude the need for insurance. Folks could join in and leave according to their own desires and schedules.

In a test run of this concept a few local rowers and sailors are planning to boat down to Papa’s Taverna this Friday for a fun night of dinner and dancing. Adventurous participants with nature powered water craft are encouraged to join us for a “flotilla of fun”! We will be meeting at the Petaluma Marina ( 781 Baywood Dr. ) around 5 : 15 PM to arrange shuttles for taking out at Papa’s in Lakeville. Plan to cast off around 6PM for the approximately 3 mile row, sail, or paddle down the river. There will be a moderate incoming tide that evening with high tide due around 9PM . Round trippers can paddle back under a half moon, but be sure to bring a light for safety.

News and Events :

Big news on the Press front! There was an excellent cover story in the Petaluma section of the Santa Rosa Press Democrat on Friday the 12 th. by Tobias Young.. It was a real treat to have copies of this article onboard for the evening’s benefit cruise.

Sunset/Full Moon River Cruise a “huge success” :
People came from all over the North Bay and as far away as Berkeley . The Cruise was successful by all standards, as a full compliment of 34 “Friends” boarded the beautiful Delphinus under ideal weather conditions and enjoyed a delightful trip down the Petaluma River stopping for a tasty dinner at Papa’s Taverna in picturesque Lakeville.

The evening seemed to be enchanted. The air was warm, the breezes light, and spirits were high (especially after some wine was opened).

The River cast a magical spell under the colorful setting sun as great vistas of wetlands stretched to tree lined hills on both sides of the boat. Many birds made their evening peregrinations for an appreciative audience while the narratives of our naturalist hosts were sometimes textured by personal conversations and happy laughter. We were delighted to make over $1,500 that evening with many people saying they wanted to help “Friends” more in the future. I want to extend my warmest thanks to Captain Ronn Patterson and Barbara Fitzgerald for donating this tour. I also want to thank all of the people who helped to organize the event and those who joined us onboard. Every one of you made this an evening to remember. Look for another story about the “Friends” event and the wonders of the Petaluma in the S.F. Chronicle sports section ( most likely on Thursday the 25 th ) as noted outdoor columnist Paul McHugh was also onboard with pen in hand.

Friends of the Petaluma River now officially a non-profit :
Thanks to the Environmental Education and Advocacy Council’s (EEAC) donation of their dormant 501c3 organization to Friends of the Petaluma River and the pro bono legal work of our Board Chairman Andrew Packard Friends is now officially a 501c3. In a generous decision by the former board of EEAC Friends received a windfall of $4000 in financial assets from that organization, for which we are very grateful.

Conservation & Culture :

Yes, these two concepts coexist in renowned environmental artists Patricia Johanson ‘s plans the City of Petaluma ‘s new water treatment plant & wetlands Park www.patriciajohanson.com. Unfortunately the city says it lacks funding to realize many of Johanson’s innovative designs. To learn more about this situation and to support the public access components come to the Petaluma Park and Recreation Commission meeting this Wednesday May 17 th 7PM at City Hall , 11 English St. Petaluma . I will be meeting with a coalition of supporters beforehand to strategize on funding options for the art and access elements.

Membership : the river wants you for a Friend
We are definitely gaining momentum as more folks are sending in membership donations. If you have not joined us yet please download the “How can I help ?’ form from our website and mail it in today. If you have already joined then tell a friend about “Friends”. We also need volunteers.

There is still time to become a “Charter Member” of Friends . This privilege is limited to the first 100 people to join. As a charter member you will receive special mention at our upcoming events. Join us at the at the “Great Friends” level ($250) and above you will receive a personal boat tour to learn many “mysteries of the River”.

Hope to see you on the water and in the community!
Dave Yearsley — Executive Director
Friends of the Petaluma River

NONPROFIT GROUP, FRIENDS OF THE PETALUMA RIVER, PROMOTES APPRECIATION, PROTECTION

Published on May 12, 2006

© 2006- The Press Democrat

BYLINE: TOBIAS YOUNG
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

The Petaluma River has a new advocate.

A fledgling nonprofit group called Friends of the Petaluma River has been launched to promote access, to educate people about the river and its marsh and to push for conservation.

“Getting people out here on the river is just as important as the conservation,” said David Yearsley , the executive director of the organization.

The Petaluma River, a 14-mile tidal slough, starts in the north Petaluma farmland and runs through town and 3,000 acres of marshland before flowing into San Pablo Bay.

Yearsley , a 62-year-old woodworker whose childhood river adventures in Delaware, Wisconsin and Texas led to his environmentalist role, knows the Petaluma River well.

He has been an advocate for the river and plied its marshes for more than a decade, including eight years as the sole member of the Petaluma Riverkeeper program.

Yearsley formed the Friends of the Petaluma River, which has a four-person board of directors. The organization got its nonprofit status last month.

Yearsley previously patrolled the river in his 15-foot, flat-bottomed aluminum skiff once a week as a volunteer for Riverkeeper, responding to citizen concerns, seeking compliance with environmental laws and working to resolve pollution problems.

After seven years, he got a small stipend to reward him for continuing his work, but left the post last year over ideological differences with the sponsor, San Francisco Baykeeper.

Baykeeper, an environmental watchdog organization, wanted more investigation and litigation in protection of the river. Yearsley said he favors an approach focused on education, conservation and appreciation of the river.

Baykeeper didn’t respond to telephone inquiries.

Yearsley returned to being a volunteer.

But he hopes his passion will eventually turn into a paid, full-time job as the organization grows into its conservation and education role, and as he shares the river and its marshland — the largest continuous unaltered tidal marsh in the state — with the public and scientists.

The group also wants to create a river heritage center to archive information, host events, administer programs and coordinate river-related activities.

He’s looking for volunteers and donations to kick-start the organization, and organized a sold-out, fund-raising, docent-led tour of the river tonight on a 50-foot yacht before stopping at Papa’s Taverna for dinner.

“The Petaluma River is often misunderstood,” he said. “I have heard it described as a dirty ditch with a disgusting smell. It is actually a highly functional tidal slough.”

He hopes to change the perception of the river.

It is working as a filter to clean the water, and the “nutrient soup” it produces in its marshlands is the foundation of the aquatic food chain, he said.

He looks at a run-down marina and envisions a paddle-in youth hostel and education center. He wants to restore run-down cabins in the marshland into overnight destinations for scientific research and conservation.

Yearsley said another goal of the organization is to reduce or prevent pollution and other harmful impacts on the river and its wetlands. He opposes the proposed expansion of the Redwood Landfill, which sits on the banks of San Antonio Creek, a tributary of the Petaluma River.

He has the backing of his board, which consists of Grant Davis, Andrew Packard, John Shribbs and Elizabeth Howland, all Petaluma residents.

Davis is executive director of The Bay Institute, a nonprofit organization that seeks to protect and restore the ecosystems of San Francisco Bay and the rivers, streams and watersheds of the region.

Packard manages a public interest environmental law firm in San Francisco, which files citizen suits under the Clean Water Act.

Shribbs is a horticulturist with patents in herbicide chemistry and teaches high school science in Petaluma.

Howland, who is married to Yearsley , is an owner of andHow, a marketing organization based in Petaluma and cofounder of the Petaluma Wetlands Alliance.

You can reach Staff Writer Tobias Young at 762-9498 or tyoung@pressdemocrat.com.

Infobox: MAKING FRIENDS

Who are they? The Friends of the Petaluma River is a nonprofit group that works for the education and conservation of the Petaluma River, its wetlands and wildlife.

What do they do? The organization seeks to create a river heritage center to archive information and host events, as well as reduce or prevent pollution and other harmful impacts on the river and its wetlands.

DOLPHIN CHARTERS OFFERS TRIPS FULL OF HISTORY, WILDLIFE ALONG THE PETALUMA RIVER

Published on May 5, 2006

© 2006- The Press Democrat

BYLINE: JANET PARMER
FOR THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

PAGE: P3

Like many motorists, Mary and Dodd Thorpe of Fiddletown whiz through Petaluma en route to other destinations in Sonoma County.

But the Sierra foothills couple passed through town recently at the leisurely pace of about 8 knots — or 9 mph — on a custom-outfitted trawler motoring up the Petaluma River.

The Thorpes were part of an Elderhostel trip organized by Ronn Patterson, a naturalist and seaman who has traveled by boat to Petaluma for 25 years.

His Dolphin Charters trip originated at the Berkeley marina, with the Petaluma River Turning Basin as the destination.

The group debarked for an hourlong stroll to downtown shops and restaurants before heading back down the river.

Patterson’s company runs trips up the Petaluma River, in the San Francisco Bay and the Delta.

He also leads marine-based adventures in Alaska, British Columbia and the Galapagos Islands.

“I came to the Bay Area in 1949 and I’ve learned more in the last two days about the area. You get a different point of view from the water,” said Dodd Thorpe, who spent one day with Patterson on the Petaluma River and one on the San Francisco Bay.

Dolphin Charters offers three-hour Petaluma River tours originating in the Turning Basin, and Patterson hopes to entice residents who don’t have access to the waterway with their own boats.

“I’m passionately interested in people’s awareness of the environment, our home. So often people say, `What’s it good for?”’ said Patterson, taking a break on Delphinus at the Turning Basin dock.

“We come up the river and go very slow and look around. At low tide, it’s like a dinner bell being rung here. You see creatures in the mud.”

The Delphinus is a 50-foot vessel made of cedar and mahogany with a capacity of 32 passengers. The boat is outfitted for tours with seating areas outside and inside the cabin.

It also has a second-story outside deck affording a broad panorama for viewing the sites along the shoreline.

David Yearsley, who has led numerous river trips in his former capacity as Petaluma Riverkeeper, joined the Elderhostel group for part of their journey in March.

“You get a unique perspective from the boat. The second deck allows you to see behind the levees and appreciate the wetlands. It’s a wonderful viewing platform,” said Yearsley, who recently launched Friends of the Petaluma River.

“Ronn is one of the finest naturalists I’ve met. He knows a lot about birds and animal habitat,” Yearsley said.

Patterson’s Petaluma tours for the spring are sold out. Before returning in the fall, he will take the Delphinus to Alaska for weeklong wildlife, scenery and photography journeys.

While the highlights of the Petaluma River are more subtle than the Pacific Northwest’s bounty of bears, glaciers and snowcapped peaks, Patterson is enthusiastic about the virtues — and importance — of southern Sonoma County’s tidal slough.

On the round-trip excursions departing downtown Petaluma, he narrates the river’s history, talking about its economic role transporting goods produced in the area in the late 1800s.

He talks about animals and birds spotted along the riverbanks, and describes plant life in the area.

Although the mudflats along the river’s edge may not be scenic jewels, Patterson views them as critical in the food chain. During past tours , he’s glimpsed deer, river otters, seals and sea lions.

Patterson, a wildlife biologist, naturalist and photographer, acquired his knowledge of the Petaluma River from experience and reading historical accounts from the Petaluma Yacht Club, books about Petaluma and information provided by the Petaluma Chamber of Commerce.

Patterson spent 16 years as chairman of the UC Extension math and science departments, and started the natural environmental studies and photography programs.

He retired to Alaska, where he served as a member of the scientific committee of the International Whaling Commission.

As the Delphinus captain, he puts about 10,000 miles a year on his boat. In October, he’ll return to the Bay Area and resume his winter schedule of short excursions in the San Pablo and Suisun bays, the Delta and Petaluma River.

With the May trips sold out, the next Petaluma tours will be in October and November.

For more information or to sign up, call (510) 527-9622 or e-mail trips@dolphincharters.com.

You can reach Correspondent Janet Parmer at 782-9130 or jhparmer@comcast.net.

Dolphin Charters offers trips up and down the Petaluma River. Clients aboard the Delphinus on April 8 get a close-up look at riverside industries. Spring tours are sold out. The next tours will be in October and November.