February 28, 2024 By Just A Snail

Banana Slug Madness

Since touching down in San Francisco, I’ve had two goals: convince a multibillion-dollar venture capitalist firm to invest in JustASnail.com and find a banana slug. I decided to tackle the latter first because it was just a bit more realistic. 

So, I waited (not so long) for a rainy day, equipped my most tattered shoes and set off on a one hour bus ride to the Presidio. Banana slug heaven. 

I must give a bit more context to this slug species before I continue. After all, it’s not every day you read about a snail enthusiast so jazzed about a small, sentient banana. Besides being the Friendly Mascot of UC Santa Cruz and the largest terrestrial slug (growing up to a whopping 10 inches!), these gastropods are known for their shockingly yellow color. Finding a banana slug is a once in a lifetime opportunity for a lowly Midwesterner like me because these creatures are only found in the Pacific Northwest. 

After being one of two people to descend the bus in the middle of nowhere, I referred to my iNaturalist app to guide my search. The app gives information about recent species sightings in my area. I filtered by the “slug” and started walking on Lincoln Boulevard. 

A few yards in, I found a human-size hole in one of the guardrails leading to one of the most beautiful roadside forests. I ducked through without a second thought. Luckily, I was rewarded for my efforts with my first find of the day: a sedentary banana slug resting right next to a line of police tape. I immediately informed everyone I knew who would maybe care: my boyfriend, my dad and the 10 or so people held hostage in my Instagram “close friends” story. Not even 15 minutes in and I found what I came for! 

But the day was young and I was feeling good about my chances of finding another. I walked further into the green, past Baker Beach and up a steep grassy hill definitely not meant for smooth travel on foot. I fell on my face more than once. 

After nearly an hour of exploring, I was about to give up. My weak lungs had lost all their breath pushing my body up numerous hills. My shabby shoes had lost a few more years of their life. Yet, I was adamant. I needed to find the biggest, yellowest banana slug in the Presidio. 

I found Lincoln again and started voyaging deeper into the park, towards Golden Gate Bridge. I stopped in my tracks when I saw a group of hikers on a branching trail crouch down to take pictures. I knew that whatever they were photographing was something wonderful, maybe even a tad sinister, as told by that shocked look in their eyes. 

As soon as the group dispersed, I ran across the street to the set of stairs labeled only with a sign. Anza Trail. Keeping my eyes glued to the ground, I walked up the shallow steps. Three, four, five steps in, and I saw it: the 10 inch banana slug I came to see. 

I whipped out my phone to take a picture of the giant slug. The photos and video I captured cannot accurately describe the shock of seeing a banana slug this big and energetic. He broke his circular position and started slithering away from the steps as if to say that he was camera shy. I respected the slug’s silent wishes, putting away my phone and observing him slither away from afar. This may have been the last time I ever get to see this beautiful creature in real life. 

After a few minutes crouching on the steps, I waved bye to the slug and continued on my path. I soon found out that the Anza Trail my curiosity led me to would open up to reveal the most stunning views of the Presidio’s nature. I saw the ocean from half a mile up and the Golden Gate Bridge in all its red-orange glory. I saw perfect blue skies and moss-covered houses. While I had originally come to find banana slugs, I left with a greater appreciation of San Francisco’s nature. 

I eventually found a road and started heading back to the bus, having seen more than I came here for. Almost halfway out of the Presidio, I saw another banana slug curled up on the dirt path. This time, I just laughed and took out my phone to record the encounter on iNaturalist: “Third one today! This is getting a bit crazy…”

I will be leaving San Francisco in less than two weeks. Maybe I will not have accomplished all my goals, or even seen all I wanted to see. But at least I will carry home the memories I made on that slug-filled rainy day.