This Friday, the Coastside Film Society will screen a locally produced documentary and a foreign film noir classic.

When: Friday, Nov.21 at 7:30 pm
Who: Coastside Film Night is open to the public of all ages.
Where: Methodist Sanctuary, 777 Miramontes, Half Moon Bay (Corner of Johnston & Miramontes)
Donation: $6.00 per person

short: Coastal Creature (3 mins)

Local construction engineer and videographer Rob Carey’s encounter with a mysterious creature lurking on one of our local beaches.

feature: La Bete Humaine (The Human Beast) (100 mins) French w English titles

“A macabre, grim and oddly-fascinating story. Sitting here, a safe distance from it, we are not at all sure we entirely approve.” Frank S. Nugent, The New York Times.

Tense psychological thriller produced in 1938 by the legendary French director Jean Renoir based on a novel by Emile Zola. Railroad engineer Jacques Lantier lusts after Severine, the wife of Roubaud, a railroad station master.  When Lantier stumbles across Roubaud murdering another man who has done Severine wrong, Lantier is faced with many conflicted motivations.  In the course of the film we discover that Lantier has more than a few skeletons lurking in his own closet.  So too does his love Severine.

“Though it is based on a novel written in 1890, Jean Renoir’s 1938 La Bete Humaine is a startlingly modern movie. Indeed, once you’ve read the plot and understand the dynamic at play, you will see that dozens of the best noir classics of the 40s and 50s copied the story line. There’s the flawed loner, the wily, deceptively innocent woman, and a hardheaded husband. Toss in numerous ancillary sins - affairs, mental impairment, uncontrollable rages, long hidden family secrets - and you have the makings of a typical taut genre thriller. But in the hands of the magnificent Renoir, La Bete Humaine becomes more than just a sensational potboiler. Applying his artistic intuition into this simple story, the director creates a commentary on the cosmopolitan vs. the country, modernization vs. simplification, and the clockwork tenets of the railroad vs. the out of control issues of love.” Bill Gibron, Rotten Tomatoes

For more info see: www.HMBFilm.org

Girls in fourth through sixth grade (born after July 31, 1997) are invited to try out for a new competitive (travel) CYSA soccer team based in Half Moon Bay. Tryouts are at Half Moon Bay High School turf field, Sunday, November 23, from 1 to 3 pm. Come ready to play soccer and plan to be there the entire time.

For more information, contact Shari Steele at or 650-563-9071. The Half Moon Bay Sports Club (HMBSC) is a member of the Redwood League of the California Youth Soccer Association (CYSA).  Tryouts are for a new U11 girls select soccer team.

Shari Steele

A mountain lion was sighted at 4:30pm today in the area of Bernal Ave at Ocean Ave in Moss Beach. If you see a mountain lion, contact the Sheriff’ at 911. or Sgt. R. Johnson at Moss Beach substation 573-2844.

A neighbor told Coastsider that there was an alleged sighting on Airport a few weeks ago.

The Montara / Moss Beach community is one big step closer to solutions for its long-standing water problems following Coastal Commission approval Wednesday of the Public Works Plan, Phase I, proposed by Montara Water and Sanitary District in January 2006. The approved plan includes the new Alta Vista Well, bringing 150 gallons per minute of safe and reliable water to meet community needs; an additional 1,100,000 gallons of water storage for emergencies; and additional treatment for water drawn from wells at the Half Moon Bay Airport.

The Alta Vista Well was commissioned in October 2007 and has been supplying high-quality water to Montara and Moss Beach customers during an environmental testing period required by the Coastal Commission. Based on those studies, which showed no adverse affects on nearby wetlands and riparian areas, the District may use this new well to provide reliable supplies that meet the needs of existing customers in the District.

You’re invited to Midcoast Park Lands’ 7th annual Kids’ Day in Quarry Park, on Sunday, November 16, from 11 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Quarry Park is in El Granada at the intersection of Columbus and Santa Maria.

Bring the whole family (dogs on leash only, please) for a potluck picnic in the Meadow, featuring the new Treehouse.  Barbeque pits are available, or use your own grill.  Bring your coolers, blankets, lawn chairs, and food (appetizers, desserts, or a side dish) to enjoy and to share.

We will be grilling hot dogs and serving cool lemonade, assisted by the mighty grillers of the Half Moon Bay Lions Club.  Donations are requested to support the work of maintaining and improving the Park.

Live country and western music at 12 noon on the Treehouse stage.

Jumping tent, face painting, and crafts all day. Luna’s Memories, our local scrapbook store, will present a “make and take” project for kids.  We will also have special guests from local agencies.

Tell your neighbors - let’s make this the best Kids’ Day ever!

For more information email

Sandy Emerson

Saturday, November 15 at 6:00 p.m., Jay Salter, local poet and naturalist, will give a fireside poetry reading at Rancho del Oso Nature Center, of his poems about the Central Coast and other wild places.  Jay will also play environmental sounds he recorded for museums and visitor centers.  Marked by a strong sense of sound and place, Jay’s work reveals themes of encounters with animals.  His readings feel like meditations, night journeys into the animal realm, and descents into the stories of caves.

Jay is completing his MA in Creative Writing at San Francisco State University with a poetry collection about the real and mythic wild boar.  In spring 2009, look for Jay’s talk, also at the Nature Center, about the elusive and illusive beast, complete with slides and sound.  Known locally as the Santa Cruz bagpiper, Jay has taught poetry to people from preschool to college-age and has given many local poetry readings over the years.  A forthcoming book about natural sound by the well-known nature sound recordist Gordon Hempton (to be published in January) contains a chapter about Jay and his years of recording in Utah’s Canyonlands National Park.

Rancho del Oso is located 16 miles north of Santa Cruz, 2 miles south of Año Nuevo.  The Nature Center is 1/4 mile inland on the road just south of the Waddell Creek Bridge.

Join poetry and nature lovers around a cozy fire for a convivial gathering.  Bring a bottle of wine or other beverage, a picnic supper or snack.  The Nature Center will serve coffee, tea, cocoa, and cookies.  Please call to reserve a space: 831.427.2288.

There is no charge for this event.

The 112-foot brig Lady Washington, which will arrive at Half Moon Bay on Wednesday, Nov. 12, will offer walk-on tours at its berth on Pillar Point Harbor, Tuesdays through Fridays from 12:30 to 5pm, and Saturdays and Sundays, 10am to 1pm.  A $3 donation per person is recommended. Lady Washington is scheduled to depart Half Moon Bay for Moss Landing on Nov. 24.

Lady Washington, which played the HMS Interceptor in the 2003 movie Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, will arrive with a cannon salute at approximately 4 p.m. on Nov. 12. On Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m., Lady Washington will host three-hour family-oriented Adventure Sails into Half Moon Bay, featuring opportunities for passengers of all ages to help sail the ship led by a crew member in period costume. Tickets are $55 for adults, $45 for students, seniors, and active military, and $35 for children under 12. Reservations are strongly recommended. Call 800-200-5239 or visit http://www.historicalseaport.org for online purchasing.

The Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority is a nonprofit based in Aberdeen, WA that owns and operates the tall ships Hawaiian Chieftain and Lady Washington, the Official Ship of the State of Washington. 

California State Parks invites the public to attend the 136th anniversary celebration of Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park on November 15th. On this date in 1872 Pigeon Point Lighthouse, the tallest on California coast, was first lit. This year’s celebration will take place from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. with a relighting of the original first order Frensel lens taking place from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m.

Day long festivities include interpretive exhibits and presentations showcasing the natural, cultural and maritime history of Pigeon Point inside the historic Fog Signal Building. Lighthouse videos, marine mammal exhibits and light refreshments will also be available. Uniformed lighthouse docents will present free ground tours from 11:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Visitors can find an assortment of lighthouse related books, gifts and apparel inside the “Keeper’s Store.”

The staff at Sonrisas Community Dental Center has written a bilingual brushing song for children. After practicing for several weeks, they are ready to sing and are looking for studio space where they could record the 3 minute song. Starting in January, the song will be part of the elementary school dental screening program on the Coastside. “We wanted a cute little song that would help kids remember to brush”, said Veronica Ruiz, Senior Dental Assistant. The Sonrisas oral health education program is funded with a grant received this year from the Pierre Fauchard Dental Academy.

Please contact Julia McKeon at with any ideas about recording the song.

Julia McKeon

The San Mateo County League for Coastside Protection (LCP) will hold its Third Annual Fall Beach Clean-up at Francis Beach, at the end of Kelly Ave in Half Moon Bay.  This is a great time after the Pumpkin Festival and the first real rains of the season to enjoy the beach in the fall weather, help protect local birds from debris and make our beaches even more beautiful.

The event is on November 15th from 10 AM until noon at Francis State Park.  Free parking and picnic tables are available for this event but you need to get there early.  Outland Java Company is generously providing coffee to support our efforts and LCP will be giving away event hats to all the volunteers.  Sweatshirts will be for sale.

We recommend wearing closed-toed shoes and sun block.  High school students who volunteer will receive Community Service credit.  For more information about who we are, please go to http://www.lcp.sanmateo.org or call Dana Kimsey at (650) 726-1309

Looking forward to having you join us at the beach,

Dana Kimsey