Drakes Estero facts for kids
Drakes Estero is a large estuary (a place where a river meets the sea) located in the Point Reyes National Seashore in Marin County, California. It's on the Pacific coast of the United States, about 25 miles (40 km) northwest of San Francisco.
Where is Drakes Estero?
This estuary is a key waterway for the Point Reyes peninsula. If you look at Drakes Estero from above, it looks a bit like a human hand. It has different parts that are like "fingers" and a "thumb." These parts include Barries Bay, Creamery Bay, Schooner Bay, Home Bay, and Limantour Bay. The water from the Estero flows into Drakes Bay, which is located between Drakes Beach and a thin piece of land called Limantour Spit.
Protecting Drakes Estero
Drakes Estero is a special place that is protected by the government. It's part of the National Seashore and is even called a "potential wilderness area." This means it's meant to be kept as natural as possible.
However, for many years, some activities like dairy farming and oyster farming took place here. This led to disagreements about the water quality and how the area should be used.
Many people who care about nature, like oceanographer Sylvia Earle, believed that oyster farming should stop. They wanted the estuary to return to its completely natural state.
In 2012, United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar decided that the permit for oyster farming would not be renewed. This decision aimed to let the land and waters of Drakes Estero become wild again.
The owner of the oyster farm, Kevin Lunny, went to court to challenge this decision. The legal process continued for some time. In 2014, the court decided not to hear the case again. The oyster farming operation was finally removed in May 2017. This allowed Drakes Estero to become a more natural wilderness area.
History of Drakes Estero
Drakes Estero is famous in history because it is believed to be the most likely place where English explorer Francis Drake landed in North America. This happened in 1579 during his trip around the world, known as a circumnavigation.
Because of its historical importance, Drakes Estero has been named a National Historic Landmark. You can find a historical marker about Drake's landing at Drakes Beach, near the Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor Center. There are also monuments to Drake at the Drake's Cove landing site. You can learn more about Drake's visit at the Kenneth C. Patrick Visitor Center and the Point Reyes National Seashore's Bear Valley Visitor Center.
Drakes Estero is also part of the Phillip Burton Wilderness, which means it's a protected natural area.
See also
In Spanish: Estero Drakes para niños
