On the eve of autumn, and grayer Bay Area skies, my kids and I decided to head out to Lake Merritt in Oakland, California to paddle around its famous Wildlife sanctuary.

According the Oakland Park and Rec website, Lake Merritt originally resided as a wide, tidal estuary (salt water marsh) that was known as the Laguna Peralta. So this “lake” actually formed where several creeks empty into the San Francisco Bay. Back when the Ohlone Indians (the area’s original inhabitants) fished, hunted, and gathered food along its shores, it was …

Just scanned the White House photostream on Flickr, and these lovely photos caught my eye. So nice to see how the adult Obamas model outdoor engagement for their own children. Check back for more “Outdoor Obama” sightings!
President Barack Obama and daughter Sasha steer the "Bay Point Lady" during a tour of St. Andrews Bay off Panama City Beach, Fla

A hike on Cadillac Mountain at Acadia National Park in Maine

Remember these days?

Photo by Jessica Fernandez of her children and friends in their backyard

Here is some water fun enjoyed by my kids and their cousins, courtesy of swimming skills! Knowing how to swim is the gift that keeps on giving and is easiest to learn as a young child. Swimmers enjoy sports such as kayaking, rafting, diving, snorkeling, scuba and can interact with water confidently.
According to a Diversity in Aquatics article, “Black children drown at a rate more than three times that of white children,” and nearly 70 percent of African-American children do not know how to swim according to a YMCA survey.
It’s …

Yesterday could hardly be considered warm in the Bay Area, with temperatures never jumping above 68 degrees where I live. But it is summer and a weekend, thus me and the kids in my care craved more than a park, we wanted to be near a body of water. So my kids, along with two nieces and a nephew decided to pile in the truck in the afternoon and head to the hills of Tilden Park to spend time at Lake Anza, which is considered the jewel of the East …

I saw this picture and I simply thought: Evocative! The water, the warmth, the smell of fresh green things…happy summer Outdoor Afros. I hope you all get to make memories like this one!

Photo courtesy of Tyson Simmons, who is pictured here with his sister at Colorado Bend State Park.

By Paul Richardson
“The sport of kings”
I am pretty sure some of you have heard that phrase before, but did you know that in some circles, it also refers to the sport of surfing? Earliest reports say that the first recorded observation of people surfing was 1779 in  Hawaii. While I am not trying to steal Hawaii’s thunder on this one, I think there’s a pretty good chance that somewhere else in the world around that time others were “surfing”. In any event, as far as the “written” history is concerned, …

Quality Time!
Just received this picture tonight from Brian Drayton of Richmond, California. His family was Spotted on Sunday (SOS) in the San Francisco Bay kayaking!
Thanks for sharing Brian!

Clothesline Photo: Renee Gunter
I was going to write about sustainable landscaping – and I still will, but something else came up:
The Laundry.
Washing clothes is actually my least favorite chore right along with mopping the floor, taking out dripping trash, and investigating that “noise” in the middle of the night. Thus, I view the laundry task through a ‘necessary evil’ lens. But I like when it’s done. The problem is, it’s never done! I think I handle laundry fairly well for a household of four, but every time I get the …

Outdoor Afro just received a note from Arthur Bronson, President of the International Federation of Black Bass Anglers (IFBBA) to let us know what his organization has been frying up these days. The IFBBA’s members are comprised primarily of people of color and its membership and outreach spans the globe. The organization also targets and mentors urban kids of color to participate in various fishing derbies and clinics.
Arthur Bronson and IFBBA members Ed Hasse and Reynaldo Anderson
Mr. Bronson says that fishing for African Americans is not new, “we have …