Desert Tortoise, photo by David O. Flickr.com, Creative Commons

COMMENTARY

Sometimes the effort to do the right thing butts heads with other conscientious efforts.  Such is the case between creating the largest solar energy facility in the U.S. vs. the desire of some animal rights activists to preserve the natural habitat of some desert tortoises.

Even though a plan is in place to relocate desert tortoises in the area of Chuckwalla Valley (where the solar farm is to be built) to nearby desert regions; and even though there is no real risk of extinction to these endangered creatures because of the project, animal rights activists insist that the construction in this one area will harbor the extinction of the desert tortoise.

Let’s spell this out again.  The Bureau of Land Management says that if desert tortoises are encountered during the construction of the project, they will be transferred to other areas like Joshua Tree National Monument.  Desert tortoises already inhabit large swathes of the desert, many parts of which are far from the proposed project area.  In fact, most desert tortoises are NOT in the project area.  Thus, there is no chance of extinction if a solar farm is built on 4,100 acres of land.  To put this in perspective, desert tortoises live in four states and parts of Mexico, a range equivalent to 6 MILLION acres.

Yet, animal rights activists seem to have got it in their heads that the desert tortoise will become extinct if 4,100 acres of land (out of the tortoise’s 6 MILLION acre range) is developed to harness solar energy.

The solar farm, called the Desert Sunlight Solar Farm, will produce 550 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 635,000 homes, create 630 jobs, and infuse $336 million into the economy.

Mine Sign Warning–photo by Richard Elliott

The recent sad and tragic death of Devin Westenskov, in an abandoned Nevada mine, has officials and the public raising questions of rescue ethics and public safety at deserted mines.  March 2nd, 2011, Westenskov fell nearly 200 feet down a crumbling mine shaft.  Lying among the mine debris, he was alive but seriously injured.  Rescuers attempted to save Westenskov, while the shaft continued to crumble during rescue efforts, endangering Westenskov’s safety and that of the rescuers.  One helmeted rescue worker was struck on the head by falling debris, a rock splitting his helmet.  A decision was made to end rescue attempts, and 28-year-old Westenskov was pronounced dead, Friday, March 4th.  Now, everyone is playing “Monday morning quarterback” in regards to the ethics of canceling the rescue attempt, while leaving Westenskov to die and taking rescuers out of peril.  Indeed, a very ponderous question of ethics.

In a March 6, 2011 article published in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, reporter Martin Griffith of the Associated Press wrote, “How do you balance the desire to save a human being in peril with the equally important priority of keeping emergency workers safe and alive…?”

Addressing the question of calling off a rescue, former Clinton Administration Director of the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration said, “There are no rules for mine rescuers.  Each situation is different and each mine-rescue decision has to be made by people on the ground.”

Unfortunately, all across the great Southwest deserts are countless thousands of exposed and abandoned mines.  These easily accessible audits and shafts lure curious adventurers to explore these hidden wonders.  For some explorers–like Devin Westenskov–their curiosity leads to death!

According to the Desert News of Salt lake City, Utah, “Since 1983, 10 Utahans have died in mines, 26 other mine explorers have been trapped or injured in Utah’s abandoned mines. ”  The March 8th article goes on to say that Utah has spent approximately $28 million to close 5,000 mine openings.  There are still 17,000 open mines to be sealed.  So, Utah authorities are saying, “Stay out and Stay Alive!”

The states of CA, NV, AZ, and NM all face the same problems in closing thousands of open mines.

Those attempting to explore old, abandoned mines should know the inherent dangers.  Mines may have crumbling walls and ceilings, rotten timbers and flooring, unstable explosives, snakes, spiders, and any number of life threatening situations.

As I see it, the question of Westenskov’s attempted rescue has raised ethic issues, especially since he was still alive at the time.  Maybe, if individual rescuers on their own still want to attempt to save another human, it might be “their” unofficial decision.  However, think of this.  In that attempt to save someone, the rescuer dies.  Now, some company or county fire department has to pay “survivor” insurance for the rescuer’s death and that family is without “their” loved one for someone else’s carelessness. 

People do not think how their actions put rescuers in harms way.  Every year rescue workers are placed in danger, to save a person, or recover a body, due to unnecessary risk taking such as exploring a mine, or any of a vast number of other life threatening actions, putting themselves and rescue workers in harms way, or worse–death!  Hopefully, Westenskov’s tragic death may be a lesson to the rest of us to “Stay Out–Stay Alive!”

Fish Head Rocks--Copyright REE 2011

Leaving the “last chance”  food and fuel on the most eastern side of Ridgecrest, CA, travelers gradually slip from city to desert, driving northbound on State Route 178.  Then, at 13.7 miles from town–there they are!  Several huge, dark-colored whale heads with stark-white, terrifying teeth and menacing eyes, as if leaping from an ocean.  Today, they are called “Fish Rocks.”

Internet searches about Fish Rocks are tangled with conflicting stories.  REAL Desert News  reeled in the story behind this rock art from Margaret Brush, Curator of the Old Guest House Museum in Trona, CA and a member of the Searles Valley Historical Society (SVHS).

“Originally they were called ‘Whale Heads,’” Brush explains.  “They date back to 1928.  They did not always have teeth, like they do today.”

According to the SVHS’s “Story of Fish Head Rocks,” before 1934 there were no teeth on the rocks.  Joe Fox was the first to paint the teeth and eye on the natural rock cracks with paint, to highlight the appearance of a fish mouth upon the rocks resembling whale heads.  Before Fox’s painting, somebody had only “roughed up the rock to make an eye.”  In 1947  the rock art captured national attention.

In that year, Curtis W. Walker of Trona had sent a photo he had taken of the rocks, with teeth and eyes, to Ripley’s Believe It Or Not.  His caption read, “Whale Head Rocks near Trona, CA.”

On January 8, 1947, Believe It or Not published their rendition of  Walker’s photograph with the caption, “The Whale Head Rocks, Natural Formation, Trona, Calif.”

The 1970’s saw the rock formation’s art surrounded by the handiwork of renegade artists, detracting from the unique Fish Heads.  Joining the modern pictographs were “John Loves Mary,” and assorted “nasties.”  Now, the rocks were graffiti infested, and drew local citizens’  judgements of disdain as graffiti or compliments as art.  The graffiti or art debate continued for years, but the graffiti judgment won out.

The Trona Argonaut reported on February 9, 1972 that “Poison Canyon rocks lost most of their rock signs…until the paint ran out.”  Using paint which nearly matched the natural color of the rocks, Boy Scouts and the local citizenry painted over all the graffiti and the fish head paintings, returning the massive boulders to their natural appearance.  A short time later, the eyes and teeth were back!

The Argonaut wrote on February 16, 1972, “Painted Teeth or Just Fish Head Rocks…finds a difference of opinion among Trona residents.  Bureau of Land Management prefers a natural look.  Locals were glad to see the graffiti removed, but many were divided on the teeth on the Fish Head rocks.”

On March 8, 1972 the Argonaut reported, “Teeth compromise was reached between factions…Fish Teeth preserved…Many of the residents are content with…leaving the white teeth painted on Fish Head Rocks…”

The Fish Rocks are on public land governed by the Bureau of Land Management, in Poison Canyon.  Anyone found painting on the rocks without permission will be cited for malicious mischief, a misdemeanor with a maximum fine of $500 and 6 months in County Jail.

For a safer view and to photograph the rocks closer, turn north off SR 178 onto a dirt road leading to an area behind a ridge.

To learn more about Fish Rocks and Searles Valley, visit the “Old Guest House Museum” (home of the Searles Valley Historical Society) in Trona.  The museum is at 13193 Main Street.  Hours are Mon., Weds., Thurs.,  Sat. 9 a.m. to Noon, and Tues., Fri., 10 a.m.-1 p.m.  Or, by appointment by calling (760) 372-5222, or (760) 372-5230.

Above all, please do not add any new “art” or markings on Fish Rocks or the surrounding boulders. Let them stand alone as part of the area’s past and colorful hisltory.