MORRO BAY ESTUARY POETRY CONTEST 2020: STUDENT WINNERS ANNOUNCED

This year, we asked entrants to our Morro Bay Estuary Poetry contest to pen haiku about any aspect of the Morro Bay estuary that called to them as well as free verse poems about any issue discussed in our 2020 State of the Bay report. Writers from down the road, across the county, in the Central Valley, and even from overseas entered the contest. It was an honor to read each and every entry. We published the winning poems by our adult contestants in April. You can read their poems here. Below, you will find the winning poems …

Morro Bay Estuary Poetry Contest 2020: Adult Winners Announced

April 17, 2020 Posted by Morro Bay National Estuary Program MBNEP morro bay morro bay estuary morro bay estuary poetry contest national treasure in words poetry contest Art and writing Blog Posts

What a long, strange spring it’s been! One of the bright spots for us at the Estuary Program has been reading the entries for this year’s Morro Bay Estuary Poetry Contest: A National Treasure in Words. We always love reading what you’ve written about the bay, its wildlife, and what this special place means to you. This year, your words and the imagery you conjured took on even more significance as we looked for some extra light and connection to the natural world. Thank you to everyone who entered the contest for sharing your unique perspective and your presence, …

Morro Bay Estuary Poetry Contest Winners 2019

May 10, 2019 Posted by Morro Bay National Estuary Program coalesce bookstore estuary haiku contest juliane mcadam lani steele MBNEP morro bay morro bay estuary poetry contest morro bay haiku morro bay poetry poetry contest richard immel ted schade Art and writing Blog Posts

Spring is one of our favorite times of the year at the Estuary Program. The wildflowers are blooming, the days are long, and we get the chance to read a selection of poems crafted by talented writers in honor of the Morro Bay estuary. What more could we ask for in a season? This year, our Morro Bay Estuary Poetry contest asked writers to pen haiku about any aspect of the Morro Bay estuary that called to them as well as free verse poems about the history of Morro Bay. Local writers responded generously, sharing their love of the …

Get Inspired by History: Morro Bay Estuary Poetry Contest 2019

April 5, 2019 Posted by Morro Bay National Estuary Program coalesce bookstore estuary estuary poetry kevin patrick sullivan marnie parker MBNEP morro bay morro bay estuary morro bay estuary poetry contest national treasure in words poetry contest Art and writing

A view of Morro Rock over a long stretch of dunes on the sandspit.

Every year, we hold a poetry contest that asks writers to focus on Morro Bay. Our haiku category theme is always the Morro Bay estuary, but our free verse theme changes each year. This year, we are asking writers to focus on local history. Writers could choose to focus on the geological forces that carved the bay, formed the sandspit, and shaped Morro Rock. Maybe the many thousands of years of annual bird migrations will spark their imaginations. Maybe the 10,000 years or more of human habitation along the estuary’s shores and across watershed will call to them. They might …

Film: Community makes history in Of Marshes and Morros

March 22, 2019 Posted by Morro Bay National Estuary Program central coast estuary estuary of national significance film grassroots MBNEP morro bay morro bay national estuary program movie Of Marshes and Morros simo nylander state estuary thomas wilmer tom wilmer Art and writing

We'll help keep beautiful Windy Cove, pictured above, and the Morro Bay State Park Marina clean.

In March of 2017, Of Marshes and Morros debuted at the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival to a full house. There, it earned accolades from the crowd and won the award for Best Documentary Short. In April of the same year, officials chose the film from thousands of entries to show live at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festivals where it won both Best Documentary Short and an additional award for Best Cinematography. The documentary is very close to our hearts at the Estuary Program because it tells how the community banded together to protect and restore the Morro Bay …

Local painters celebrate the Central Coast and give back to Morro Bay

January 25, 2019 Posted by Morro Bay National Estuary Program ccspa central coast central coast state parks association estuary MBNEP morro bay Morro Bay Art morro bay natural history museum national estuary program painter painting Plein Air Painting S.L.O.P.E.San Luis Outdoor Painters Art and writing Blog Posts

Bernie Kurtz's painting, Morro Bay Estuary, was inspired by the view of the sun reflecting off the water and backlighting the brush. She painted it at the corner of Main St. and South Bay Boulevard in Morro Bay.

California’s Central Coast is full of beauty. Splashing and crashing back and forth, waves wear down rock formations along waterlines. Pelicans fly low, their wings still, gliding gracefully in line. Silvery morning light reflects off the back bay, illuminating the undersides of leaves and glowing through fog. The estuary channels snake through the salt marsh, appearing deep brown at low tide and shining white or blue when the water is high. The fiery red tips of pickleweed plants contrast with the cool green that surrounds them. A group of local artists called San Luis Outdoor Painters for the Environment (S.L.O.P.E.) …