Visit to Drakes Bay

It was time to pay a visit to the oyster farm.

In December Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar decided not to renew the lease of the Drakes Bay Oyster Company at Point Reyes National Park. Shutting down the century-old operation in March would have cost 30 jobs and reduced California's annual oyster production by about a third. The decision sparked protest even in the environment-friendly Bay Area.

A federal judge granted a reprieve until May 15th for Drakes Bay to make its case. Whether the company will be successful is highly problematic because of its limited ability to wage a protracted legal fight with the Federal Government.

When we arrived in mid-afternoon, the workers were still harvesting oysters and sorting them by hand. We watched the activity, then adjourned to the sales counter where manager and owner Ginny Lunny-Cummings apprised us of the court battle. Legal help is expensive, even with much of the work being done pro bono.

We made a small donation to the cause, then bought a quart of freshly shucked oysters. We slurped the cold, sweet morsels at the picnic tables and brought some home, packed with ice in the cooler. They won't taste as good tomorrow, but we'll still be grateful for them. Soon, if the Administration has its way, there won't be any to taste at all. © 2013 Stephen Yuen