The Aquarium of the Bay, that little Aquarium over by Pier 39, just got a new tenant: an almost-five-foot-long shovelnose guitarfish. It looks like an 80s hair-band bass, we suppose, like a Gibson Explorer Shadow, but anyhow, it's a female, and she'll be there for the duration. Photo by Steve Hewgley of a Monterey specimen. [Examiner] more ›

Two baby sea lions, whose mother gave birth to them at Pier 39 and abandoned them there for reasons unknown, have settled into their new home at Brookfield Zoo outside Chicago. They don't have names yet, but they were born in June and subsequently picked up by the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito where they were nursed for a bit and then sent to SIx Flags in Vallejo for a month before making the trip to Chicago. more ›

We just noticed the bus ad for RocketBoat at Pier 39 the other day and went home and looked it up right away. How long has this thing been around, and why hadn't we heard of it until now? more ›

We wish we had heard about the annual, week-long Tulipmania event at Pier 39 before the rain set in, although it looks like Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday might be dry. Tulipmania showcases thousands of tulips throughout both levels of Pier 39, featuring a variety of "whimsical topiaries" interspersed among the flower beds. more ›

Sea lions spotted in massive numbers off the Oregon coast, after disappearing off Pier 39 right after Thanksgiving. more ›

We noted last week the recent infestation of sea lions spilling over down at the piers, and this week's SF Weekly has a piece about efforts by Sausalito's Marine Mammal Center to rehabilitate injured and malnourished sea lions -- efforts which are, kinda, aiding the overpopulation. Writer Ashley Harrell points to the fact that sea lions have traditionally been used by environmentalists as "charismatic megafauna," i.e. the kind of cute, endearing animals who can serve as the public face for a preservation cause and rally support via their adorable little faces. more ›