David Cope

The Sirens of Farallon Islands David Cope

Roughly thirty miles west of the Golden Gate Bridge lay the Farallon Islands, or Farallones in Spanish meaning pillars or sea cliffs. Known as the 'Islands of the Dead' by the natives of the area, this small group of rocky islets can be seen on clear days by San Francisco residents and visitors, especially by those driving the Great Highway or looking out their highest windows in the Western Addition of The City. Many of the collection of tiny islands sport natural bridges of relatively small sizes and, while not popularly known for this, will seem to sing to those on land when the wind and humidity are just right. Thus, Homer's Odyssey comes to mind and its daughters of the river god Achelos named Terpsichore, Melpomene, Sterope, and Chthon. These sirens are known to often create enchanting music and voices to lure sailors passing by to shipwreck on their islands. The photos in this book represent the ephemeral images of these sirens.