Tolenas Springs site found in Solano County

A once-famous Bay Area landmark that has become a legend, a springs site with restorative powers, has been found in Solano County - with a surprise "Oops!" on the end of the adventure.

Tolenas Springs, located in the foothills north of Suisun City, was once called "The Land of Healing Waters" and reputed to restore virility.

"To those suffering from a loss of virile power, this beverage is an absolute blessing, and for the aged and infirm, it is a sustenance and comfort," according to a historical document.

Tolenas Springs was visited by outdoorsman and Chronicle field scout Richard DeGraffenreid.

The giant "Oops!" is that at the end of the trip, as DeGraffenreid and his son left the site, they saw a "no trespassing" sign pointed backward toward them on an open gate.

"We never saw it going in," he said. "According to where we figured out it should be, we saw the gate open and just walked in."

Turns out the site is on private property and is off limits to the public - hence why it fell off the landscape of known landmarks in California. After 100 years, legend became myth, the kind of tale you'd pass around to your friends at a campfire. The accounts I heard included all kinds of embellishments for those who drank and dipped in the magic waters, including the involvement of a passel of 1860s Tolenas Springs beauties in black, one-piece bathing suits.

This much is verified:

In the 1860s, a resort was developed at Tolenas Springs, similar to the hot springs resorts in Calistoga. According to historical accounts, the springs' water was sold for its curative powers for virtually everything.

Marbleized rock, including onyx, was discovered at the site and mined and then sold for decorative use and jewelry. A dynamite explosion destroyed the pools, and in the past century, what remained of Tolenas Springs became a legend for the few people who knew of it and prime fodder for campfire tales.

Enter DeGraffenreid: Without realizing that the springs is on private property, he analyzed topographic maps and Google Earth photos, and estimated its location using historical accounts and the documents.

"We did not see the 'no trespassing' sign until we were back," DeGraffenreid said. "I do feel terrible about that. We would never have gone in. We would have stopped on the spot. The gate was open, and we were excited that we were close to a discovery."

He provided additional insights, however:

"Like in Yellowstone, the spring water has changed the color of the rocks. Some are black as coal, white as snow, some are green. At the lower spring, the water is 4, 5 feet deep, like room temperature. At another, it's 3, 4 feet deep that turned the rocks green.

"We really did think it was open space. We even took a photo of the sign, declaring such, on the way in. Turns out the 'open space' is more of a narrow greenbelt around Rancho Solano."

Wildlife sightings

Monterey spectacle: Ten killer whales attacked a baby gray whale, in full view of wildlife watchers on the boat Sea Wolf 2, reports Tony Lorenz, and then later, the orcas killed a harbor seal, also near the boat. The group also saw 12 humpback whales, best known for their spectacular twisting jumps. Info: Monterey Bay Whale Watch, (831) 375-4658, www.montereybaywhalewatch.com.

Wayward lion: At the houseboat colony at Kappas Marina in Sausalito, Ed Flynn reported that he spotted and photographed a mountain lion on a nearby tree and verified it through the photo.

Another rarity: A bald eagle was spotted in El Cerrito of all places, reported Michael Keenan (president of the Keenan Winery). "It flew right over us," he said. "I've been a bird watcher for 40 years now" and couldn't believe it, he added.

Q&A: fish guts

Question: "You mention not tossing 'fish guts' back into a lake unless there are crawdads there. Why not on a lake? Aren't 'fish guts' organic? And if a fish dies in the lake, isn't it the same thing? Anyway, just trying to learn something new." - Patrick Richardson

Answer: In high mountain lakes with trout, if you discard fish guts into the lake, they will sink to the bottom and sit there as if litter. Nothing in the lake will eat them, and nutrients in these lakes are so low that it takes a very long time for the matter to decompose. Instead, burn them in your campfire, and if you are in an area where no campfires are allowed, discard at random in wilderness forest. If a fish dies in a lake, it will eventually float up, and an osprey will nab it, or an animal along the shore. In lakes with crawdads, as mentioned, no problem at all. Throw them right in.