Castro Rocks
Islands in the United States of America
The Castro Rocks are several rocks in Richmond, California protruding from the waters in San Francisco Bay between Castro Point and Red Rock Island. The rocks lie almost directly under the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge (I-580).[1]
Name
The rocks are named after Don Víctor Castro, a local rancho-era land owner.[citation needed] They are shown as "Castro Rocks" on an 1850 survey map of the San Francisco Bay area made by Cadwalader Ringgold.[2]
Harbor seals
Castro Rocks are the home of many harbor seals,[3] which lie on them to rest and sunbathe. The rocks are the largest harbor seal rookery in the northern San Francisco Bay and the second largest in the Bay Area itself.[4] There are also sometimes sea lions on the rocks.[5] The rock's Harbor Seals also frequent Mowry Slough, Brooks Island, Yerba Buena Island, and Mare Island.[6]
The seals at this location have high levels of toxic pollutants including the DDT, PCBs, PBDEs, PFOS, PFOA, and mercury.[7]
References
- ^ Topographic map, TopoQuest, retrieved July 6, 2008
- ^ Ringgold, Cadwalader; Stuart, Fred D.; Everett, Chas.; Harrison (1850). "General Chart embracing Surveys of the Farallones Entrance to the Bay of San Francisco, Bays of San Francisco and San Pablo, Straits of Carquines and Suisun Bay, and the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, to the Cities of Sacramento and San Joaquin, California". David Rumsey Map Collection. San Francisco Common Council. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
- ^ Tagging program Archived 2007-09-09 at the Wayback Machine, SFSU, retrieved August 1, 2007
- ^ SFSU Archived 2007-09-06 at the Wayback Machine, Castro Rocks page, retrieved August 1, 2007
- ^ NOAA Seeks Comments On A Proposed Reauthorization For California Department Of Transportation To Harass Seals During Bridge Reconstruction Archived 2008-02-12 at the Wayback Machine, NOAA Press Release, February 12, 1999, retrieved August 4, 2007
- ^ vhfmapweb.jpg Archived September 11, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Radio tagging map, San Francisco State University, February 2004, retrieved August 4, 2007
- ^ Harbor seals may help determine effect on humans of eating toxic fish, by Jane Kay, San Francisco Chronicle, 19-10-2009, access date 19-02-2009
External links
- Castro Rocks page
- SFSU Tagging - Photos
37°55′58″N 122°25′01″W / 37.932817°N 122.416963°W / 37.932817; -122.416963
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- t
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- Rivers, creeks, streams: Baxter Creek
- Castro Creek
- Cerrito Creek
- Fluvius Innominatus
- Garrity Creek
- Meeker Slough (Creek)
- Rheem Creek
- San Pablo Creek
- Wildcat Creek
- Wetlands, Marshes, mud flats, swamps, sloughs: Albany Mudflats
- Breuner Marsh
- Brooks Island Salt Marsh
- Giant Marsh
- Hoffman Marsh
- Meeker Slough
- Parchester Marsh
- Point Molate Marsh
- San Pablo Creek Marsh
- Stege Marsh
- Whitell Marsh
- Wildcat Marsh
- Lakes, ponds, reservoirs, lagoons Brickyard Cove Pond
- Hilltop Lake (Hilltop)
- Temporary Pond
- Miller/Knox Lagoon
- Nicholl's Knob Pond
- North Reservoir
- Point Pinole Pond
- Potrero Hills Quarry Pond
- San Pablo Reservoir
- Bays, harbours, wharves, piers, ports, marinas, coves, channels: Brickyard Cove
- Campus Bay
- Castro Cove
- Harbor Channel
- Hoffman Channel
- Kozy Kove
- Lauritzen Canal
- Point San Pablo Marina
- Richmond Marina Bay
- Marina Bay Marina
- Parr-Rich Canal
- Port of Richmond
- Richmond Ferry Terminal
- Richmond Inner Harbor
- Richmond Outer Harbor
- Richmond Rod & Gun Club Yacht Harbor
- Richmond Yacht Club
- Santa Fe Canal
- Santa Rita Channel
- Santa Fe Marina
- San Pablo Canal
- San Francisco Bay
- San Pablo Bay
- Westshore Marina
- Landmasses, Rocks, Islands, Valleys, Canyons, Gorges, Points, Peaks, Beaches, Ranges: Berkeley Hills
- Brother Islands
- Brooks Island
- Castro Point
- Castro Rocks
- East Brother Lighthouse
- Ferry Point
- Kellar Beach
- Kozy Kove
- Richmond Long Wharf
- Nicholl's Knob
- Point Isabel
- Point Molate
- Point Pinole
- Point San Pablo
- Point Richmond Pier
- Point Pinole Pier
- Point Potrero
- San Pablo Canyon
- San Pablo Ridge
- Wildcat Canyon
Map: Islands of the San Francisco Bay Area | |
|---|---|
  Alameda Alcatraz Angel Bair Bay Farm Belvedere Bird I. Brooks The Brothers  Castro Rocks Coast Guard Corinthian Greco Gull R. Hog Hooks  Kent (off map) Mare Mussel Rock Rat Rock Red R. San Pedro Rock Seal Rocks Seal Rock The Sisters Treasure Marin Yerba Buena Skaggs Strawberry Drawbridge Brewer  Bull (off map) Burdell Coon Day Deer Edgerly Green #1 #2 Knight Little Neils Russ Tubbs Wood Bird Aramburu Ogilvie Silva Simms Jakes Newby Richardson |
