It has recently been pointed out to me that in my free time I tend to go on a fair number of field trips. I can't deny that. So in the spirit of sack lunches and poster paint soaked dioramas of yore I present to you... The San Francisco Bay-Delta Model! A three dimensional hydraulic representation of the tidal cycles of the San Francisco Bay and surrounding Delta area. An active part of science from 1958-2000, when a piece of software took over the whole operation.

The model was built of concrete, plexy and pipes in a warehouse on the back docks of Sausalito in the 50's by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers as a way for guys with crew cuts, horn-rimmed glasses and white canvas lab coats to determine the future impact of certain environmental and industrial variables on the water ways of Northern California.

And it is huge, covering 1.5 acres. It's so big you can't see it all from one spot, you have to move around to see all the sections.

This is only about 1/7 of the model, notice the human to concrete model ratio below.

Four times a day they simulate one real time day of tidal cycles complete with salt water and silt. It's pretty freaky.

Although, I would hope, not everything is to scale. Because, to spite the appearance of this stuffed Canadian Goose, there was no mention of a gigantic race of birds menacing the Bay Bridge in the 70's. It would seem to be the kind of thing someone would make mention of on a plaque or display sign or something. Unless it was a simulation that provided a plan of attack in case of just such an incident.

After exiting the display area we ran across a few tanks of marine life, nothing special, just some unlucky sturgeon and a tidal pool collection of crabs, starfish and sea urchins. And a notice that said:

"Aquarium Feeding Frenzy -- Help Ranger Bill feed the hungry inhabitants of our fresh and saltwater tanks. Watch the different feeding styles of surf perch, sturgeon, crabs and sea stars."

Uh, that's okay. I'd much rather see Ranger Bill put the crab in the model so I could get a photo of a giant crustacean attacking the Golden Gate bridge.