CABR Monthly News & Updates |
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Photos of the Month: May Gray & June Gloom |
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VIP Katrina Gerace, 2.3 years of service |
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"I’m always in awe of the sheer number of Brown Pelicans given the fact they were once endangered. In this picture, Brown Pelicans are silhouetted against the May gray late in the afternoon as they glide towards the Coronado Islands where they roost/nest. This particular group of almost 60 pelicans was followed by several more flocks heading south as well. A group of pelicans has many collective nouns, including a "brief", "pod", "pouch", "scoop", and "squadron"!" |
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VIP Gary Fink, 9 years of service |
"This fog-shrouded photo demonstrate how the lighthouse, thought originally to be ideally situated to guide ships into port, would have not always been the best avenue to accomplish that goal. They also show the beauty of the lighthouse in ever changing conditions." |
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VIP Judy Hunt, 8.5 years of service |
"A bright green ryegrass sending up pointers to the gray morning sky, & slicing through a watery blue & purplish landscape from the Bayside." |
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This month's theme is: Celebrate America!
Here at Cabrillo, there are many ways in which to celebrate America. Whether viewing the flag waving overhead at the lighthouse, welcoming new citizens at naturalization ceremonies, watching naval ships arrive or depart the harbor, or even admiring the red, white and blue colors throughout the park. Share with us how you Celebrate America at Cabrillo National Monument.
Requirements:
- Photos must be submitted by their photographer (you, our VIPs!)
- Photos must be taken at Cabrillo National Monument (of course!)
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Photos must reflect the theme- remember to peruse your archives as well, photos do not have to be taken this year
- Don't forget! Include your name, how long you have been a volunteer, and a brief caption explaining why you chose this photo for the theme
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Photos must be emailed to cabr_volunteers@nps.gov by Wednesday, July 7th to be considered
- You can reply to this email with your submissions, or email with the subject line: Newsletter Photo Submission: Celebrate America
Reminder: this is not a contest. Think of this as a fun way to share what you see and your experiences with your fellow volunteers.
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NPS Photo C. Aurrecoechea
A bright clear spring day at the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, the American Flag waving in the wind.
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Sunset Hours Have Returned! |
NPS Photo P. Geisler
A vivid pink sky silhouettes three tall pine trees, the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, and the Assistant Keeper's Quarters.
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Remember that Cabrillo National Monument will be open until sunset on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. This began Friday, May 28 for Memorial Day weekend and will continue through Sunday, September 5 of Labor Day weekend. The tidepool area will be open until 30 minutes before sunset. Normal operating hours are 9 am to 5 pm, with the tidepools closing at 4:30 pm. These exclusive extended hours on weekends will provide increased access for visitors to enjoy spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean and San Diego during sunset.
Extended hours shifts are posted on Volgistics.
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If you missed our latest end of May update, here is a reminder-
1. VIPs no longer need to email cabr_volunteers@nps.gov to confirm COVID-19 self-screening. Please continue to perform the COVID-19 self-screen on your own, but only notify the coordinators at cabr_volunteers@nps.gov if answering “yes” to any of the 3 questions. We will cancel your shift.
2. There are no longer capacity limits at the Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo Exhibit, Military History Exhibit, Old Point Loma Lighthouse, or the Assistant Keeper's Quarters. The Auditorium remains closed for renovations will re-open later this summer. The Visitor Center/Bookstore requires masks, as it is a retail operation managed by CNMF.
3. As for masks- at this time people who are fully vaccinated are not required to wear a mask at the park. This includes fully vaccinated visitors, park volunteers, and employees. People are still required to wear masks if they are unvaccinated, and everyone needs to wear one in the Visitor Center/Park Store operated by CNMF.
Given the above context, whether you choose to continue wearing a mask if you are fully vaccinated is a personal decision, and we encourage you all to make the best decision for your health and safety. Keep in mind that we cannot ask others if they have been vaccinated or not.
Please reach out to the cabr_volunteers@nps.gov inbox or your VIP Coordinators should you have any additional questions or concerns. As you know, updates to guidance have been coming out quickly from all governmental sources. We will continue to keep you all apprised as more information makes it down the line. Your understanding and patience are greatly appreciated.
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NPS Photo
The Interpretation Rangers in the Summer of 2020 show off their expertise in pointing at things.
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Cabrillo will continue to host Naturalization Ceremonies once a month and we just added dates to continue hosting ceremonies through the end of 2021! 2 VIP sign-up slots are posted on Volgistics for each date from 9:00am – 3:00pm. Please email Julieanne (cabr_volunteers@nps.gov) for more information.
- We have a third summer seasonal ranger coming to the Interpretation team who will join us in the next month.
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The auditorium will be renovated during the week of July 12th by a contractor to replace the old movie screen, speakers, and audiovisual equipment. It will be under construction for the entire week. When the work is done, we will set a date to re-open the auditorium to the public and start showing movies again, including the new Cabrillo film, Voyages of the San Salvador. If you haven't seen the new film yet, it's available on our website: Voyages of the San Salvador - Cabrillo National Monument (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
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NPS Photo C. Aurrecoechea
Samantha Wynns guides an Ecologik participant and parent through a brief tour to the park.
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Ecologik (STEM summer camp for girls) is happening this year in person. Andrew and Sam have been planning for months.
More details coming soon!
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NPS Photo J. Fontana
Park Intern Lily Molina with the view of San Diego Bay in the background.
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There are American Sign Language (ASL) tours on Saturdays at 10:00 a.m. and noon in June and July. Intern Lily Molina (funded through CNMF) will conduct the tours.
Additionally VIP Jack Vallerga has restarted his tours as well, running tours at 11am and 1pm on Saturdays.
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NPS Photo C. Aurrecoechea
TPERP VIPs Patrick Raetzman (Left) and Kyla White (Right) carefully exploring the low tide.
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Two temporary exhibits will be on display at the Visitor Center (VC) this summer. Conservation + Comics exhibit will be going up in mid-June, and a beautiful Tidepool exhibit was installed today. Look out for a couple of VIPs featured on the Tidepool exhibit! |
The flag has been at half staff a lot this year. The flag at the lighthouse is a 38-star flag because that is what flew there in 1887 (the year represented at the LH). The flag pole design is not modern, it was built by one of the keepers and the yardarm is at an odd height. Visitors notice and comment on the flag being in the wrong place. Julieanne put together an informational flyer (see above) with a photo of the lighthouse during that era with the original pole and explains where the flag is flown (which is halfway up the pole per US Flag Code, not at the yardarm). The flyer will be out when the flag is at half staff, you can review it above. |
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NPS Photo P. Zuckerman
The improvements to the Kitchen garden: new entry gates (left), new garden stakes and storage bench (right).
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Lighthouse (LH) Garden improvements: The garden gates have been updated to be sturdier and have a swinging gate near the hose! Thanks to Kevin Core for volunteering his time on the woodworking and to the UCSD Master Gardeners for financial support. Thank you also to our Garden VIPs for painting stakes so that all plants are now labelled! Thanks Andrew in maintenance for help with the varnish.
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NPS Photo C. Aurrecoechea
A fuzzy bee, dusted thoroughly with pollen, visits a California Sunflower still in bloom.
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Take part in the Pollinatorpalooza, a 6-month long celebration of all things plants and pollinators! From March 18th 2021 - September 18th 2021 join community science projects in iNaturalist, check out some Naturally Speaking public talks, and watch masterpieces come alive during a plein air event that focuses on native plants. Want to know more? Check out the Pollinatorpalooza! page here. |
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Please welcome Jenna Castle, Seasonal Interpretive Ranger as she embarks on her season at Cabrillo National Monument!
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NPS Photo C. Aurrecoechea
Ranger Jenna Castle at the Event Bluff looking out to the Pacific, with the Old Point Loma Lighthouse and tidepool areas in view behind her.
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Jenna Castle is a San Diego native. She discovered her love for nature (especially invertebrates and evolution) while studying Biology at University of California, Santa Barbara. While studying sexual selection in fruit flies for her Master’s, she also interned as a wildlife biologist for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife, working to protect listed species and their habitats. She returned to San Diego to teach Biology, Ecology, and Natural History courses at local community colleges. On her days off, she loves to cook, hike, read, and show her 2 year old toddler all the bugs in their garden. She’s eager to learn more about the biodiversity and cultural history of the park and would love to hear your stories! |
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Resource Management & Science |
NPS Photo C. Aurrecoechea
Resource Management and Science Division at the Coast Trail leading to the tidepools. From Left: Pauline Geisler, Renee Heidelberg, VIP Patricia Simpson, Lonie Brown, Dr. Linh Anh Cat and Dr. Lauren Pandori.
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- Resources staff are working on surveying rocky intertidal plots in the area of the boat incident.
- The Holway Lab at UCSD is starting an ant survey that will tell us what native and invasive ants we have at the park.
- There are three vegetation management experiments ongoing at the park.
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Early Morning Volunteer Opportunity |
We need three volunteers to help with monitoring the America's Finest City Half Marathon event in the park on Sunday, August 15th. Since 1978 Cabrillo National Monument has served as a host and starting point for thousands of Half Marathoners. Please Join us for this is fun and exciting event. There will be music and happy runners stretching and getting ready to run. Because this is our largest event your help is much needed to monitor and have an NPS presence in the park. This is an Early Morning Volunteer Opportunity on 8/15/2021 from 3:30 AM - 7:00 AM. Please reply to cabr_volunteers@nps.gov email if you are interested in volunteering for the full event or a portion of the event.
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NPS Photo C. Aurrecoechea
A Bushtit alights on Lemonade Berry for an early morning snack.
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NPS Photo: Volunteer Photographer L'Ecuyer |
Our partner park, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreational Area (SAMO), is continuing their virtual speaker series in June through Zoom. See schedule below for topics this month!
Zoom sign on information is the same for the entire series, so save it for future sessions!
Meeting ID: 819 0689 8251
Passcode: 996607
June's Zoom Session Line Up:
Thursday, June 17th 12-1pm: Dr. Ray Ashley, Maritime Museum of San Diego
Thursday, June 24th 12-1pm: Evan Fitzmaurice, Dark Skies
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Here are the YouTube links for the Zoom Sessions to watch at your leisure: |
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Partner Update: The Maritime Museum of San Diego |
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Oceanography Merit Badge Days - Maritime Museum of San Diego
Maritime Museum Of San Diego Hosts Summertime Second Annual Oceanography Merit Badge Days Immersive, Interactive Educational Study of Community Environment and Geography San Diego, CA - Maritime Museum of San Diego, home to one of the world's...
Read more
sdmaritime.org
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On the VIP Voice this month: |
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Did You Know - National Parks Facts
NPS Arrowhead The nation's newest National Park, the New River Gorge National Park & Preserve in West Virginia, was upgraded from a National River in 2021....
Read more
cnmvipvoice.org
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This 'wandering meatloaf' chiton has a rare mineral in...
(CNN) - A rare iron mineral has been discovered in the teeth of a living organism for the first time -- one that bears the pet name "wandering meatloaf." While it sounds like a tour update for the musician Meat Loaf, this research concerns a...
Read more
cnmvipvoice.org
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VIP Voice is a blog site run by volunteers for volunteers to keep connected to the Cabrillo National Monument VIP community. It is not a federal website. This link does not imply endorsement of any opinions shared on the website. |
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Don't Forget to Log Your Hours! |
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