Men at Work

High tide this morning, and our SUP took us through some of the tidal channels on Bair Island, where the PG&E workmen are busy replacing the old wooden walkways that give them access to the pylons. (We figured the duck hunters wouldn't be shooting when the PG&E workers are there, so it's safer). We had an interesting chat with a man in a mask with what looked like an axe (extra - thanks, COVID) - we learned that it's a multi-year project that will eventually replace 22 miles of boardwalk. The new boardwalks are made of some sort of treated/pressurized wood. They are 18 inches taller than the old ones, allowing something for sea level rise. The posts are 20 feet tall, with maybe 6 feet sunk into the mud. They sink them using man power only - four men get down there and all kind of jump on them together to force them down.
I remember donating to the Peninsula Open Space Trust back in 1997 to help purchase Bair Island and protect it from development -  the California clapper rail, California least tern, and salt marsh harvest mouse are among the endangered species it provides habitat for. It seems so remote from the SIlicon Valley bustle that surrounds it.