CATALINA ISLAND--26 MILES ACROSS THE SEA: Geology Field Trip, Guest Post by Paige Arnold

In August, my granddaughter Paige, a geology student at Amherst College, went on a field trip to Catalina Island. On a clear day, Catalina Island is easily visible from the Southern California coast. Yet, in the more than fifty years that I’ve lived in California I’ve never been there! I thank Paige for her excellent report!

This summer I had the opportunity to go to Catalina Island with my professor, his collaborator, and another undergraduate student to do field work relevant to my senior thesis (a year-long research project). We were there for a little under a week, and in that time I got to see some pretty cool stuff– both geology-related and otherwise!

A picture of the USC Wrigley Marine Science Center, where we stayed in dorms for the duration of the trip. We ate breakfast and dinner here, taking a sack lunch to eat in the field (unfortunately, given that sandwiches are not particularly resistant to getting crushed by rocks, they were always pretty soggy by the time we got to them). Otherwise, their food was surprisingly good and they had 24/7 coffee, exceeding my expectations for the dining situation.

For 3 of the 5 days of field work, we drove to the Catalina Airport and looked at/sampled rocks in the surrounding area. There was an airport store behind me where I took this picture, which provided great relief to us in the form of shade, cold Gatorade, and ice cream, during our lunch breaks.

The Catalina landscape is beautiful, but quite unfriendly. A lack of tall trees means no shade, and most of the plants have sharp qualities that inspire fear. Unfortunately, interesting rock outcrops don’t care about sun, spines, and spikes, and are frequently located in places surrounded by these hostile plants (don’t ask about the cactus incident).

Another obstacle between us and the outcrops was the occasional bison (small black dot above the heads in the first photo). Fourten bison were brought to Catalina for the filming of the 1924 Western The Vanishing American, after which it was determined that removing them from the island would just be too hard, leading to their continued presence on the island today. Despite their intimidating size, they didn’t cause us any problems other than brief moments of panic at rustling sounds in the bushes.

Here is a photo of an outcrop with a couple of the rock types we were focusing on. I won’t go into too much detail, but the big picture idea is that some rocks were part of an old subducting plate, got ripped off the plate in blocks and mixed into a weaker unit of rock, then got real hot and partially melted. In this photo, we’ve inferred that the garnet and hornblende (red and black minerals) are remnants of the original rock that did not melt, while the light minerals are the remnants of melt that did not escape the rock (leucosome). What makes Catalina so special is that these rocks are at the surface (subduction zone rocks very rarely end up at the surface!), allowing us to make direct observations of rocks that were subducted rather than extrapolating from complex geochemical signatures in the corresponding ancient volcanic arc (the Peninsular Ranges).

This is what most of the blocks looked like in the field, though they could range from cat-sized to car-sized. On the rock are our sampling tools– sledgehammer, chisel, and sample bag. Geology can be a brutish science at times.

Check out these cutesy little garnets in a row above my fingers (red dots in white line)! We think these are “peritectic” garnets, meaning they formed along with melt (the white line) as the result of the breakdown of another mineral.

Another one of many beautiful views.

Before Spanish colonizers arrived, Catalina was inhabited by the Tongva, who used the local soapstone (more formally known as talc schist– part of the weaker unit of rock I mentioned earlier) to craft bowls and other cooking ware that they traded along the California coast. This was one of a few soapstone-working sites we passed by on the way to outcrops, where you can see bowls that were never finished still attached to the rock.

In this picture I’m standing on a completely different kind of rock– metamorphosed pillow basalt intruded by blueschist dikes! Despite Catalina’s geology being so varied and complex, we’d been entirely focused on one particular kind of rock up until this day, so it was nice to branch out a little bit and see something new. This picture was taken right after a swimming break in Shark Harbor, which (if you ignore the ominous name) was an amazing place to swim with clear, cool water and waves just high enough to body surf without getting tossed around.

The aforementioned cool, clear water. It made me sad to have to look up from the water and board the ferry back to the mainland, so I took this picture to remember how blue it was.

THE COQUILLE INDIAN TRIBE’S ANNUAL SALMON CELEBRATION (NORTH BEND, OREGON) Guest Post by Caroline Hatton

Bench outside the Ko-Kwel Casino, North Bend, Oregon.

My friend Caroline Hatton, a children’s writer and frequent contributor to this blog, took the photos in this post in September 2025. Note that the 2026 celebration is September 12-13.

In 2025, the last summer event I attended was the 20th Annual Mill-Luck Salmon Celebration in mid-September. The website promised a free festival showcasing and honoring the Native American Culture of the Coquille (pronounced Ko-Kwel) Tribe, with a traditional salmon bake, drumming, chanting, dancers, flute players, canoe races, cultural booths and displays, hands-on family activities, native arts & crafts vendors, at the casino resort owned by the tribe in North Bend, Oregon.

While walking from the parking lot on one side of the casino to the parking lot on the other side, where the event was set up, I took the photo at the top of this post, of the bench with a carved salmon.

The tribe’s deep cultural and spiritual connection to salmon is rooted in its vital importance to the food supply and survival of the community for thousands of years. The annual return of spawning salmon was worth celebrating by gathering to cook and eat together.

In the name, “Mill-Luck Salmon Celebration,” “Mill” echoes the former name of the resort: the Mill Casino, Hotel and RV Park, which was built on a former sawmill site. “Luck” is what you need to catch fish.

Ko-Kwel is how to pronounce Coquille, the tribe name.

Signs on the hotel building and banners flapping in the wind spelled the tribe name the way it is pronounced, Ko-Kwel. This was in the new name of the business as of 2025, the Ko-Kwel Casino Resort. As I walked beyond the hotel building, booming drumbeats and powerful chants filled the chilly morning air.

Leading the opening prayer.

The festival weekend began with the Opening Prayer, followed by Canoe Races on the waters of Coos Bay, which surround the town of North Bend on three sides as the Coos River winds its way along its estuary to the Pacific Ocean.

The race schedule and Coos Bay.

The canoe race schedule was listed on a banner hanging where spectators would line up along the shore of the bay. I especially wanted to watch the first race, because it was the only one for traditional dugout canoes made from a cedar trunk chunk. Only one such canoe and crew had signed up, so a second, larger, more modern canoe and crew was allowed to enter the contest... to make it more interesting.

The first race begins.

The announcer asked the crews to get on the starting line. That’s when a voice rose from the smaller, dugout canoe. “We have a leak!” One rower pumped like mad, making water shoot out over the side of the craft, but not fast enough to drain it. Abundant, unsolicited advice from the audience included waiting for the water to make the wood swell and seal the leak (which might take as little time as a week) and not worrying about the precious canoe sinking because it would float no matter what, being made of wood.

As soon as the race started, the small canoe began lagging farther and farther behind the big one, eventually taking twice as long to complete the loop. Not one spectator walked away. Everyone stayed to cheer on the little old canoe across the finish line.

Afterwards, I caught some of the Native American dance, drum, and flute stage performances. Meanwhile, elders of the Coquille Tribe sold fry bread, fry bread tacos, and fry bread pizzas under their own tents to raise money for Elders programs. Flint knapping, weaving, and beading demonstrations allowed participation.

The weavers used strips of the inner bark of cedar trees to make hats. In the above photo of the canoe race, two rowers in the smaller canoe were each wearing a different woven hat model.

Staff members prepared salmon to be baked in the fire pit, as seen in this video. 

Salmon cooking.

The salmon pit.

According to the sign on the Salmon Bake Fire Pit, “The Coquille Indians most preferred method of cooking salmon was in a pit using fire, coals, and traditional seasonings, […] seal grease, myrtle leaves, and fruits like huckleberries. The salmon would be sealed in seaweed and mud and placed in a hot fire pit, sometimes cooking the fish overnight or for only a few hours. Today, the Coquille use more convenient seasonings like butter, bay leaves, onion, lemon, salt and pepper.”

Salmon meal tent.

The line for the Salmon Bake Meal started growing well before the start time of 11 a.m., but service was fast because stacks of take-out boxes were ready, one step ahead of sales.

Salmon meal.

Each box contained the following:

- Traditional Pit-Cooked Salmon

- Wild Rice with Cranberries and Grilled Hazelnuts

- Traditional Fry Bread with Huckleberry Jam and Huckleberry Butter

The only choice required of each patron was between a soft drink can, coffee, or water.

After this satisfying lunch, I strolled among a dozen Native craft vendor tables that filled a large tent.

Abalone shell earrings.

Although I thought I didn’t need more favorite earrings, I had to have the above pair, made from abalone shell. I would have loved to chat with the artisan who made them, but he was too busy selling other abalone shell earrings, each pair unique in shape, size, and mother-of-pearl iridescence.

The 21stAnnual Salmon Celebration is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, September 12 and 13, 2026.

 

DAY TRIP FROM BILBAO, SPAIN: Climbing the Dragonstone Stairs and More, Guest Post by Jennifer Arnold

Gaztelugatxe Island, Spain. Hermitage, including the stairs.

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In June, my daughter Jennifer and a friend took a trip to northern Spain, visiting Bilbao and the surrounding area before going to conference in San Sebastian. While staying in Bilbao they did a day trip to the island of Gaztelugatxe, and to the towns of Mundaka and Gernika. I thank her for sharing her excellent photos and impressions of the trip with The Intrepid Tourist. (This is Part 2 of her report.)

A cross outside the Gaztelugatxe  hermitage with a sign saying “cross year 1891”.

While visiting Bilbao, my friend and I took a guided tour to visit nearby sites on the coast to the north. Our bilingual (Spanish/English) tour guide picked us up at the Guggenheim Museum (which was walking distance from our hotel) and took us by bus.

The first stop was San Juan de Gaztelugatxe Bermeo, a hermitage dedicated to Saint John the Baptist on the tiny island of Gaztelugatxe in the Bay of Biscay. The church is believed to have been first built in the 9^th century, but it has burned down and been re-built several times, most recently in 1886. It sits on an island with an impressive steep stone stairway with 241 steps.

San Juan de Gaztelugatxe sign outside the hermitage.

Dragonstone path.

While the hermitage has its own historical and religious significance, it has recently become a popular tourist destination because it was used as the filming site for Dragonstone, a fictional island in the Game of Thrones series. The images in the series are digitally created but the stairs and island are real.

San Juan de Gaztelugatxe church.

Our next stop was Mundaca, which is a local fishing village that is well known for surfing. We then went to Gernika, a Basque town (spelled Guernica in Spanish) nearby. Gernika is famous for the terror inflicted by Franco when he sent planes to destroy the town with bombs on April 26, 1937.

The attack is commemorated by Pablo Picasso’s painting “Guernica”, which is currently on view at the Museo Reina Sofia in Madrid. The Basque government has made a request to bring the painting to the town of Gernika, but the request was denied   At this time you can only see a tile replica of the painting in the town of Gernika.

Tile replica of Picasso’s painting “Guernica”.

Gernika is an important locale for the Basque identity, and has been re-built into a beautiful town. The Basque people live in northeastern Spain and southeastern France, and have their own Basque language (Euskara) that is unrelated to other modern languages. Today the Basque region is identified as an “autonomous community” within Spain.

The town of Gernika, Spain.

The Tree of Gernika, an oak tree that symbolizes the freedom of the Basque people.

 

BILBAO: THE HEART OF SPAIN'S BASQUE COUNTRY, Guest Post by Jennifer Arnold

Bilbao, Spain. View from the River Nervion.

In June, my daughter Jennifer and a friend took a trip to northern Spain, visiting Bilbao and the surrounding area before going to conference in San Sebastian. I thank her for sharing her excellent photos and impressions of her trip with The Intrepid Tourist. This is Part 1 of her report. Part 2 will post next week.

Bilbao, river and bridge.

Before my trip to Bilbao I was told that Bilbao is the best city in the world. After three days visiting, I am inclined to believe it. Bilbao sits near the northern coast of Spain in Basque Country. It is a medium-sized city with a population of 352,000. It’s very densely packed (according to one site, more dense than San Francisco but less than New York). It is beautifully designed, with multiple meticulously-maintained public parks. The beautiful Nervion river runs through it, bordered by pedestrian paths and numerous pedestrian bridges to cross. 

A lion statue on top of a building is a famous site in Bilbao.

It is easy to get around Bilbao on trams, busses, metro or just by walking. We walked almost everywhere so we didn’t try the trams or metro.

Seafood for sale at the mercado de la Ribera; Europe’s largest covered market.

Bilbao is famous for its culinary attractions. Most notable are pintxos (pronounced pinchos) which are tapas (small bites) in the Basque style, often with seafood or ham on bread with other sauces and seasonings. 

Pintxos for sale at the mercado de la Ribera, which also has tables to eat at.

Every bar has pintxos, and a typical evening could include bar hopping to try the specialties of each one.

Pintxos at the Plaza Nueva in Bilbao (famous for its Idiazabal soup from Gure Toki).

Bilbao is also famous for the Guggenheim Museum designed by American architect Frank Gehry, which is itself a piece of architectural art.  The museum has a collection of masterpieces from around the world, and also hosts visiting shows.

Jennifer outside the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.

In a three-day visit, we went to the Guggenheim Museum, rode the funicular, saw the Santiago Cathedral, and took a day trip to see the towns of Gaztelugatche, Mundaka and Guernica (see my post next week). But much of our time was spent seeing the city on foot, enjoying the unique architecture and food.

The Puerta del Angel (Angel’s Gate) at the Bilbao Cathedral.

View of Bilbao from the hill after taking the funicular Artxanda.

1.      

NIAGARA FALLS STATE PARK: More Than Just Tumbling Torrents

Niagara Falls. View from the American side, looking toward the Canadian side of the river.

Welcome sign on Old Falls Street.

If the ancient Greeks had known about Niagara Falls, they would have added it to their list of Seven Wonders of the World. The sheer quantity of water—75,000 gallons per sec pouring over the edge--is impressive enough, not to mention the giant clouds of mist rising from the bottom of the gorge as the water lands.

The falls are formed as water from the Niagara River, which separates the United States from Canada as it makes its way from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario, plunges into a deep gorge. 

Observation point on Goat Island of Horseshoe Falls.

In mid-July I joined the millions of visitors that come each year from all over the world to gaze in wonder at the falls. My husband was attending a conference in the Niagara Falls Convention Center on the American side. While he was at meetings, I had time to wander through the city of Niagara Falls and explore the park. I had my passport and could have crossed over the Rainbow Bridge to the Canadian side but decided not to on this trip because I had been there before. 

View from Goat Island of American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, viewing tower, and Rainbow Bridge.

Niagara Falls State Park borders the falls on the American side. The 435-acre New York state park was developed in 1885 by American artist Frederick Church and Frederick Law Olmstead, the landscape architect who also designed Central Park in New York City. He believed that natural spaces like Niagara Falls should be preserved for people to enjoy. The park includes miles of walking paths, beautiful gardens, as well as plenty of viewing and seating areas. It is also an opportunity for bird watching and other wildlife viewing. 

Scale model of Niagara river and falls, and Goat Island.

A scale model near the Welcome Center shows Goat Island, the two main cataracts, American Falls and Horseshoe Falls, and the smaller Bridal Veil Falls. A short pedestrian bridge connects Goat Island to the American side of the river. Paths on Goat Island lead to viewing points for all the falls. 

Hop-on, Hop-off trams are available to take people around the park.

The Welcome Center near the main entrance to the park has exhibits, restrooms, a cafe and gift shop.

I started my Niagara Falls visit at the Welcome Center near the entrance to the state park where there are displays highlighting the history of the area, beginning with the Native Americans who lived there long before the first Europeans came.

Acknowledgment is made that the park is on traditional indigenous lands.

There are also sections about Father Hennepin, who came with French fur traders, and Nikola Tesla, a major figure in the history of Niagara Falls. Tesla was the engineer who, along with George Westinghouse, figured out how to harness the energy of the falls to make electricity.

Statue of Nikola Tesla on Goat Island.

One can view Niagara Falls from both the American side Canadian sides of the river.

Maid of the Mist boat takes people to the base of the falls.

I limited myself to standing at the railing and looking at the falls from above. But many people take the Maid of the Mist boat ride for a close-up look at the base of the falls, wearing raincoats to keep dry as the boat gets close to the mist. 

A tether keeps the hot-air balloon from floating away.

Others view from a bridge over the water. And some go up in a hot air balloon. If you do this at night in the summer, you can see a light show and fireworks over the falls. (We could see and hear the fireworks from our hotel window.)

Along tree-lined Old Falls Street, which leads to the entrance of the park, visitors can enjoy giant chess boards, ping pong and other games.

Historical marker on Old Falls Street.

The city of Niagara Falls is designed for tourists with hotels, restaurants, and entertainment, all within walking distance of the state park. Reflecting the scope of international visitors, a wide range of eateries--including many featuring South Asian cuisines-- line the main street. 

Main gate of Niagara Falls State Park.

Within the park one can get around by walking, riding a bike, or taking a tram. Entrance to Niagara Falls State Park is free.

Thirty years ago, I visited Niagara Falls with my family, viewing the falls from the Canadian side. We went down an elevator to a path that allowed us to walk behind the falls. We stood on the walkway as the water roared past us, awing us with its power. On this trip I was no less impressed.

Map of Niagara Falls State Park.

For more information go to the Niagara Falls State Park website.