Let’s clear up one thing now about the free monthly ocean-themed speaker series titled “Ocean Hoptimism.”
“Hoptimism” does refer to the fact that locally brewed craft beers are quaffed during the presentations, but the working theme isn’t “Holy mackerel, the oceans are so messed up we have to drown ourselves in brewskies just to talk about it!” Audience members don’t even have to have a beer, though the event is held at a brewery.
And furthermore, the theme of the gathering is positive: “While it’s easy to get lost in the doom and gloom of environmental challenges,” the group says on its website, “we choose a different approach — resilient optimism.” Presentations are about efforts being made to preserve the ocean environment, or people with a particular, even peculiar, attachment to the sea.
On Thursday, the group welcomes Bay Area filmmaker, diver, researcher and storyteller Steve Peletz, who will discuss his short film “Lands End,” a look at a diehard group of swimmers who take on the 51-degree waters off the scenic Lands End park in northwest San Francisco.
The gathering is at 7 p.m. Thursday at Faction Brewing, 2501 Monarch St., Alameda. We’d say the stunning scenery at the site is worth the price of admission, but there is no admission. More information is at www.oceanhoptimism.org.
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