So, earlier this past week it was smoldering outside; the weather was beautiful and I just couldn't resist being out there and enjoying it. I decided to take a walk down by the Hayward Regional Shoreline just to get some inspiration and fully appreciate the crazy awesome weather we were having. As I got to the shoreline I realized that I haven't been outside in quite a while--normally being prisoned in a department store working or a library getting research done. So I thought why not, why not take a little mini break from reality?
Looking around I could only imagine how things must have been so completely different--how the sounds of airplanes flying over or cars zooming by would have been obsolete or how the path that I was walking on would have been difficult and unmaintained instead of groomed or even asphalt. The hills, during the spring months at least, must have been plush and green or maybe even luscious with wildflowers. As I continued walking and wandering around I began wondering about how the far-off land must have been empty instead of lined with houses and development. The calling of birds must not have been too much different because at one point I thought I was within a reenactment of Alfred Hitchcock's infamous 1963 movie "the birds." Fortunately for me, no such encounters occurred!
As I continued walking an archimedean screw pump appeared in the distance (the one featured in the video!) and to be honest I was ecstatic and grateful that such artifacts from the past have been preserved. This pump was designed by Aldeen Oliver (Andrew Oliver's brother) in 1891. This pump would take salt water from the Bay and bring it inland into ponds where the water would go through various evaporation processes. With time brine is left in the evaporation ponds and then pumped through to crystallization ponds where a fully crystallized salt is harvested. Following is a final washing to remove calcium sulphate and magnesium ensuring the proper chemical compound for the end product and is then piled up awaiting packaging and distribution. This whole process from pumping salt water into the evaporation ponds to the end product of the salt that we know often took over 11 months. The whole shoreline that I was walking along was filled with these small salt companies that preformed these processes continuously. It is fascinating to see the history that is all around us that has been left behind.
As I continued walking an archimedean screw pump appeared in the distance (the one featured in the video!) and to be honest I was ecstatic and grateful that such artifacts from the past have been preserved. This pump was designed by Aldeen Oliver (Andrew Oliver's brother) in 1891. This pump would take salt water from the Bay and bring it inland into ponds where the water would go through various evaporation processes. With time brine is left in the evaporation ponds and then pumped through to crystallization ponds where a fully crystallized salt is harvested. Following is a final washing to remove calcium sulphate and magnesium ensuring the proper chemical compound for the end product and is then piled up awaiting packaging and distribution. This whole process from pumping salt water into the evaporation ponds to the end product of the salt that we know often took over 11 months. The whole shoreline that I was walking along was filled with these small salt companies that preformed these processes continuously. It is fascinating to see the history that is all around us that has been left behind.
I really like this video! Its so cool to actually see the screw pump working. And yes, those birds can be overwhelming hanging out in the salt marshes. If you have time you should also check out the shoreline farther south. I also think there might bee working salt ponds across the bay in Redwood city. I thought I saw something about it in the San Mateo Court House Museum. Oh and the background music was a nice touch.
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