The Hodin cartoon in the Dec. 19 issue is extraordinary. The image of Fred Collins posed off Point Conception carries many layers of information. I worked with Fred and dozens of volunteers to get the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary designated. Fred was vital in this effort. He took Karl Kempton’s 1990 idea and moved it along. At one point, he reminded us that the sanctuary would be more than sustainable, it would flourish. He told a story of Polynesians visiting here in voyaging canoes where an elderly woman got out and approached him, saying, “Tell me about the Western Gate.” This referred to the belief that Point Conception was the place for departing souls to enter the next life. Showing Fred as part of the sanctuary is a beautiful tribute to his legacy.
David Georgi
Shell Beach
This article appears in Year in Review 2024.