As a woman passed her husband in Sunday”s 5K Salmon Run on the trestle over Pudding Creek, she said with a laugh;
“Never thought I”d breeze by you.”
“I can”t breathe. It”s the fog,” he said.
Women, fog and salmon education did well on Sunday.
Women were among the fastest runners on the course, which ran from Fort Bragg”s Portuguese Hall, up the Haul Road to Virgin Creek and back. The fog really rolled in just as the race started.
Women came in second and third overall and finished with five of the top 10 times. For many of the 62 entrants farther down the list, the time didn”t mean as much as the view (when available) and the fun. The spots where it was clear enough to see convinced some to step out of the race and look.
The event was sponsored by the Salmon Restoration Association and Trout Unlimited as the culmination of an educational and fundraising weekend that included a film festival.
Robert Jamgochian and students from the Mendocino High School SONAR program (School of Natural Resources) were on hand to help the Salmon Restoration Association and promoter Ready Set Go with the event. Redwood Children”s Services provided volunteers for the run.
The Salmon Restoration Association also presented a $5,000 check to the Eel River Recovery Project. It”s part of a grant will be used to study how the drought and invasive pike minnow have been impacting salmon in the Eel River. Much of Northern Mendocino County feeds into the Eel River.
“Glad I could help you with your film fest and Salmon Run. Lots of good energy,” said Patrick Higgins, volunteer coordinator of the Eel River Recovery Project.
“On the way home, I swung over to Highway 162 and dove pools between Outlet Creek and Dos Rios. Absolutely amazing. Hundreds [of salmon] in Dos Rios Pool ?. Thanks so much for SRA”s support of our work! Couldn”t do it (the way it needs to be done) without you.”
The Salmon Restoration Association moved the film festival from summer to fall and started the run this year as ways to raise more money and draw more attention to salmon-related issues.
The amount raised by the event wasn”t available, but it was only a small amount at best.
“Runners from age from 5 to 70 had a great time helping the Salmon Restoration Association promote salmon recovery in Mendocino County. The hope is that the run will get big enough to generate funds that will be used on our streams to help bring back our once great fisheries,” said SRA President Joe Janisch.
