Many in these parts will miss the presence of David Yearsley, Petaluma Riverkeeper for 5+ years and inspiration behind newly dedicated David Yearsley River Heritage Center on what was recently a wild but empty piece land McNear Peninsula (end of Copeland across from the Transit Hub).

It IS a great place to go any day whether on a solitary stroll, on bicycle or as part of the now annual Rivertown Revival, you and 8,000 other people, dancing, singing, eating great fried green tomatoes, talking to people with non-profit projects, watching the art boats go by. A truly wonderous Revival of all things River and Petaluma that is bound to go on long after David has found his peace.

Great article and photos on Patch now: and of course at Petaluma360

For Wayne and me, David is best remembered for our time with just him when we won a Riverkeeper outting through the amazing wetlands (kind of a maze, really), plant-clogged byways, bird nesting areas and water paths south of Petaluma – Shollenberger and beyond – which he generously shared with us when we won the trip at a River Cleanup event. Blue waters, green waters, rare birds, many, many birds – so very beautiful.

Had no idea how rich and diverse the River flora and fauna are before David introduced us to it in his singular way – but now we will never forget. Encouraged me to complete poems on the River, one included in the Voice of the River book of poems collected by Patti Trimble and presented at a well-attended and informative Petaluma Water Ways event at Luchessi. Most love the photo in the book of pilot/videographer friend, Margy Boyle, her sitting on a chair IN the River, reading a book. Funny girl!

A year or so after our Riverkeeper afternoon, I got a notion to create a Day on the River event for Petaluma Tomorrow and we gathered members of that group and asked Bill Kortum and Grant Davies among others, to speak to the 50 of us from the helm of the Sea Scout boat about the health and history of the River, its tides and habits, its need for protection!

David and his vivacious and musically talented wife, Elizabeth Howland, joined us on the boat, playing mandolin and banjo as our audience ate sandwiches and brownies and admired the views. The teenage Sea Scouts obligingly turned the boat clear around to pull my Riverkeeper cap out of the drink when a surprise gust blew it off my head. All in all, a wonderful day made more so with the music of David, Elizabeth and a few friends singing sea chanties and blue grass songs.

Years later, David, Elizabeth and a whole gang of good folk, especially Eve O’Rourke, it seems, began the effort to move a livery stable, painted with a Ghirdellil Chocolate ad, to McNear Peninsula to serve as a big old barn for all to come learn, play, share food, and a few times, recite River poems (I recited Gary Snyder, Mary Oliver and read one of my own). David was fully engaged as long as his illness would allow, showing up briefly at the 2nd Annual Rivertown Revival in July.

His passing was expected by some, significant to many. A sweet Indian traditional welcome has been offered at a fire burning 4 days and nights near the River, sage for clearing out whatever you came with, cedar for saying goodbye by tossing it in the fire, a group of friends close to David Yearsley tending the fire at all hours.

Last intriguing connection to David Yearsley I will mention was a flyover with Margy Boyle – a flyover of the fishing hut on stilts closer to Infinean Raceway than Petaluma, where David lived for awhile. Margy pointed out that in that area you had to live on stilts, as she herself does with a pier extending from her ramshackle rebuilt home up close to Papa’s Greek Taverna. The views from the bench in front of her boathouse are “like a cruize ship” and wild just as those from David’s fishing cabin must be.

Says Margy of the place its “where the river winds around and they look deserted though some have been renovated a bit – I get nervous because its on the path of the final approach to Novato Airport! Right there. Its a wild area; it’s gorgeous, no electricity, no water, just a cluster of little fishing cabins but most are dilapidated but David resurrected his – You have to live on stilts if you don’t want to live with the mud.”

To some who only view Petaluma Turning Basin when it looks like a mud flat, the River may not be a gorgeous thing – but David Yearsley showed so many of us the beauty that flows by us – more than 8,000 people showed up this year for Rivertown Revival, a great party that will come again – celebrating the River and the life of David Yearsley.

Today at 2:30 a memorial tree will be planted at the David Yearsley River Heritage Center. I’ll stop by to honor him and to share this moment with a lot of folks who seem feel to me like an extended family – Petalumans.