News from the Bolinas Field Station: October 2026
Hello friends of the Bolinas Field Station,
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our September 13 open house! More than 60 people came out, including members of the Bolinas community and beyond, students and faculty from College of Marin, and colleagues from other local institutions. It was wonderful to share the field station – and the rocky intertidal community we study – with so many enthusiastic visitors.
Please feel free to forward this newsletter to anyone who might be interested in the field station, marine science, or opportunities to connect with our local coast.
Partnering for Marine Biodiversity: A New Chapter with the Rod and Boat Club
Dan met with the officers of the Rod and Boat Club on Friday, October 2, to discuss dock repairs and other forms of collaboration. After an inspection and visit to the dock and Field Station, the officers invited Dan to their monthly meeting where he was warmly welcomed. All are excited to start a new chapter of cooperation and a shared commitment to the local community and its marine biodiversity. Stay tuned for updates as this partnership develops!
Learning at the field station
College of Marin’s Marine Biology class, taught by Brennan Wenck-Reilly, is using the field station for hands-on learning. Students will be visiting on several Fridays this semester, exploring the intertidal zone and getting to know the organisms that make this place so remarkable.
We also recently hosted students who are part of MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement) at the College of Marin, a program that supports students interested in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) fields. Working in teams, students observed sea stars, sea urchins, and sea anemones, then designed engineering solutions inspired by the ways these animals meet challenges in the rocky intertidal zone. Afterwards, they had time to explore our dock, the beach, and the local community. It was a creative, and collaborative day!
Coming up:
Hallow-marine!
Join us on Sunday, October 25, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for some spooky fun at our “Hallow-marine” Carnival at the Bolinas Field Station.
The afternoon will include:
- A children’s costume contest
- Pumpkin decorating
- A zombie walk on the beach
- Visits with our resident marine creatures
Come dressed for a little coastal Halloween fun!
New arrivals at the field station
We’re grateful to the Estuary & Ocean Science Center for donating a collection of whale bones, along with a books and lab equipment, to the Bolinas Field Station.
This donation included specimens from the blue whale that washed ashore on Agate Beach in 2017 – a local event that many of our neighbors will remember.
These bones will give students and visitors a tangible way to explore whale anatomy, marine mammal biology, and the remarkable scale of these animals.
The donation also comes at a meaningful moment, as the EOS Center’s Tiburon operations wind down amid San Francisco State University’s ongoing funding challenges.
We’re honored to help carry forward a small piece of the region’s marine-science and education legacy. Come take a closer look the next time you visit!
Species profile: Crevice Kelpfish
Meet one of the cutest residents of the field station: the crevice kelpfish, Gibbonsia montereyensis.
As its name suggests, this small fish is especially comfortable tucked into rocky cracks and crevices. It lives among rocks, algae, and kelp along the Pacific coast, from British Columbia to Baja California. Its mottled coloring helps it blend into its surroundings, making it wonderfully well suited to life in the intertidal zone.
Crevice kelpfish are members of the blenny family and feed on small invertebrates, including polychaete worms. They may be small—usually only a few inches long—but they are perfectly adapted to the busy, wave-swept world they call home.
Keep an eye out for our crevice kelpfish the next time you visit the field station. He may be hiding, but he’s always worth looking for!
Interested in volunteering?
Several people who joined us for the open house expressed interest in volunteer opportunities at the field station and along the coast. We’re currently exploring the possibility of organizing an Agate Beach cleanup in partnership with the College of Marin AGS Club.
Nothing has been scheduled yet, but we’d love to hear what kinds of volunteer events would interest you. Would you enjoy helping with beach cleanups, habitat restoration, educational programs, specimen care, or something else? Please let us know by emailing Wendy St. John (wstjohn@marin.edu) or Dan Cooper (dgcooper@marin.edu) with your ideas. We’ll share more information as plans develop!
We look forward to seeing you at the field station soon.
Warmly,
Wendy and Dan
Bolinas Field Station Coordinators
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