Aramburu Island
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 The island in March 2023, as seen from Strawberry. | |
  Aramburu Island  Aramburu Island  Aramburu Island | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Northern California |
| Coordinates | 37°53′29″N 122°30′8″W / 37.89139°N 122.50222°W |
| Adjacent to | Richardson Bay |
| Area | 17 acres (6.9 ha)[1] |
| Administration | |
United States | |
| State | California |
| County | Marin |
Aramburu Island is a 17-acre (6.9 ha) island in Richardson Bay, Marin County, California. It, along with Strawberry Spit, came to exist in the 1950s and 1960s as a consequence of dumping dredged material from nearby developments into the bay. In the 1980s, the northern part of the landmass was cut off from Strawberry Spit on the directions of a Marin County supervisor to prevent housing from being constructed there, creating Aramburu Island. While natural erosion processes caused it to shrink slowly over the course of subsequent decades, a 2010s restoration effort added large amounts of material to prevent further erosion, and turned it into "sustainable bird habitat".[2][3]
Aramburu Island is in Richardson Bay,[4] an embayment of San Francisco Bay to the north and northwest of Golden Gate. Its coordinates are 37°53′29″N 122°30′8″W / 37.89139°N 122.50222°W. Across the waters of Richardson Bay, it is surrounded on the south, west, north, and northeast by the unincorporated community of Strawberry. Approximately one mile (1.6 km) to the east lies the Tiburon Peninsula (and Tiburon itself). To the south, a channel separates it from Strawberry Spit.[4] The island is not easily visible from nearby roads; according to Marin Magazine, "the only folks who have a view of Aramburu Island are some of the residents of Strawberry".[4]
The island is a nature reserve, and accordingly, access is restricted; it is accessible only by boat.[3] In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic in California began to present a transmission risk for gatherings; with many indoor recreation options closed, crowds gathered instead in public parks, violating social distancing guidelines. In light of this, the Public Health Division of the Marin County Department of Health and Human Services issued an order to shut down all outdoor parks and open space preserves on March 22 of that year.[5] This order was modified on March 31, to make it illegal to drive to any park or recreational area.[6] The order was lifted for some parks on May 17,[7] and for all parks on June 1.[8] During the months of May-August, Aramburu Island and its surrounding areas became a popular hangout spot for teenagers.
Creation
1955 USGS map
1980 USGS map
1999 USGS map
The land that now constitutes Aramburu Island and Strawberry Spit was created between the late 1950s[4] and early 1960s, from large amounts of waste material being dumped into Richardson Bay.[9] This material came from dredging operations to enlarge canals, as well as from housing developments on Strawberry Point.[9]
Aramburu Island and Strawberry Spit, while formed as one contiguous landmass, were separated in the early 1980s.[4] Al Aramburu, a Marin County supervisor, ordered a channel to be cut between Strawberry Spit and what then became Aramburu Island, because he "did not think any homes should be built" there.[4] When Aramburu Island was initially cut off from Strawberry Spit, it comprised 34 acres (14 ha).[4] However, over the course of the next several decades, coastal erosion processes caused the eastern shore of the island to recede by more than 130 feet (40 m), reducing it to its present area of 17 acres (6.9 ha).[9] The resulting landmass was described as "decidedly unromantic" and "really just a giant pile of dirt".[10]
