Miss-Delectable
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cbs5.com - Año Nuevo Seals A Real Experience For Blind, Deaf
The elephant seals at Año Nuevo State Reserve on the San Mateo County coast are a sight that attracts thousands of visitors a year, but few have seen it as vividly as those who are blind.
"I feel Año Nuevo all around me," said Kim Pomatto. "It's both physically and mentally inside me."
Pomatto is a visually impaired volunteer tour guide. She has a unique ability to engage senses other than sight and translate the experience for blind Año Nuevo visitors.
"Listen to the waves, and you listen to the wind as it blows through your hair," she told a group of students from the California School for the Blind in Fremont, "Feel the cool wind on you, and you can smell the salt."
The students learn by touching a skull how big the seals are.
The seals' mating and territorial habits are violent in the extreme. The blind visitors follow the action by sound.
"They're kind of 'argh,'" said Pomatto. "That's a female 'argh,' kind of like a low growl. That's a female. The males are making a 'click, click.'"
Pomatto said she feels like nature is putting the words in her mouth.
But when words are insufficient, like for a class from the California School for the Deaf, tour guide Patty Lessard translates into sign language.
"Trumpeting, like a motorcycle," said Lessard. "Actually, the kids like it when I say it sounds like a big burp. You know, 'whump, whump.' They understand vibrations."
There is more than one way to experience nature.
"Being out here is very nice and wonderful," said blind visitor Michelle Hurdt.
"It's just really peaceful out here," agreed blind and hearing impaired visitor Jonathan Wong. "It's really nice out here. Not too much bad, stinking pollution."
Rangers said their objective is to make Pomatto a full-time park employee, giving tours to non-sighted and sighted visitors alike.
The elephant seals at Año Nuevo State Reserve on the San Mateo County coast are a sight that attracts thousands of visitors a year, but few have seen it as vividly as those who are blind.
"I feel Año Nuevo all around me," said Kim Pomatto. "It's both physically and mentally inside me."
Pomatto is a visually impaired volunteer tour guide. She has a unique ability to engage senses other than sight and translate the experience for blind Año Nuevo visitors.
"Listen to the waves, and you listen to the wind as it blows through your hair," she told a group of students from the California School for the Blind in Fremont, "Feel the cool wind on you, and you can smell the salt."
The students learn by touching a skull how big the seals are.
The seals' mating and territorial habits are violent in the extreme. The blind visitors follow the action by sound.
"They're kind of 'argh,'" said Pomatto. "That's a female 'argh,' kind of like a low growl. That's a female. The males are making a 'click, click.'"
Pomatto said she feels like nature is putting the words in her mouth.
But when words are insufficient, like for a class from the California School for the Deaf, tour guide Patty Lessard translates into sign language.
"Trumpeting, like a motorcycle," said Lessard. "Actually, the kids like it when I say it sounds like a big burp. You know, 'whump, whump.' They understand vibrations."
There is more than one way to experience nature.
"Being out here is very nice and wonderful," said blind visitor Michelle Hurdt.
"It's just really peaceful out here," agreed blind and hearing impaired visitor Jonathan Wong. "It's really nice out here. Not too much bad, stinking pollution."
Rangers said their objective is to make Pomatto a full-time park employee, giving tours to non-sighted and sighted visitors alike.