Morro Bay State Parks Museum of Natural History

Photographs Wanted for Underwater Parks Day, January 18, 2014

California State Parks, in conjunction with Central Coast State Parks Association, Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation, and other organizations, propose to develop a photography exhibit celebrating underwater parks, to be displayed at the Morro Bay Museum of Natural History. The date for the 6th annual Underwater Parks Day will be Saturday, January 18, 2014. This date coincides with the Saturday of the Morro Bay Winter Bird Festival. Toward this end, we are seeking photographs that fall into one or more of the following categories. Please read instructions entirely. Photos not in one or more of the listed categories will not be considered for the exhibit.

1.Photographs of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in and around Morro Bay and in San Luis Obispo County. These can be views of open water, underwater images, or related. For MPA boundaries, please check Department of Fish and GameMLPA or see maps at the Morro Bay Museum of Natural History.

2. Images of ocean views or underwater taken from California State Parks in SLO County or immediately offshore, both inside Morro Bay and in Estero Bay (open ocean). For information on State Parks in our County, see Slo State Parks or Central Coast State Parks Association.

3. Images of seabirds, shorebirds, and other birds taken in MPAs and CA State Parks in SLO County. Example: shorebirds feeding at Windy Cove near the Museum of Natural History, underwater images of seabirds chasing fish, and similar. Other wildlife may be included as well.

4. Images of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, which includes waters in SLO County off Cambria, the San Simeon pier, and northward. Visit the Morro Bay Museum of Natural History or Coastal Discovery Center in San Simeon for further details.

Fringehead in Bottle

The selection committee will give preference to photographs in these categories taken in SLO County. The photograph exhibit will open at the Museum in early January, will be on display during the Winter Bird Festival, and remain for approximately a month afterward. We also hope to develop an online version of the exhibit which can remain in place indefinitely.

Interested photographers should submit no more than three photographs by December 10, 2013. Please submit photos to Flickr.com/rules/

Photographs should be high enough resolution so the committee can evaluate them for the exhibit. Photographers should be prepared to frame photos selected, using plain unadorned wood, black, or metal frames. A resolution of 300 dots per inch or more is recommended for this purpose. Please include a caption, ID, or basic info with your photos, and include the location taken. Photos will be offered for sale if photographers indicate, with 30% of the proceeds going to Central Coast State Parks Association, a 501 c) 3 organization that supports interpretation in local State Parks. All photos not sold will be returned to photographers at the conclusion of the exhibit.

A committee of State Park staff and Docents will form a selection committee for the exhibit. Please contact Rouvaishana@parks or Ron Zobaroni if you have questions.

Visit Below Morro Bay

Montana de Oro State Park to Begin Work on Bluff Trail Accessibility Project This Month
Read More on Page 2

The story of California's State Parks Captured in the Award-Winning Film, California Forever Preview at California Forever Available at the Museum store for $14.95.

The Morro Bay Museum of Natural History library has a number of VHS tapes, and we'd like to evaluate whether a few of them are worth converting to DVD, at an expense.  We also have a few VHS tapes at the Museum back desk, but no functioning VHS player. Does anyone have a VHS player that still works that they would be willing to put on loan or donate to the Museum? If so, please contact Rouvaishyana.

Are you looking for something to do this month? Check the possibilities for some great outdoor fun.
Visit the Adventures With Nature / CCSPA web site.