To the sea
One of the creeks in the Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands Unit. This 1,600-acre area in Mendocino County is the only land-based portion of the California Coastal Monument. Photos shot in September and November 2021.
Redwood retreat
You never know quite what to expect when you arrive at a new place, but thus far we’ve been extremely lucky with our Airbnb rentals in Mendocino County. In November our small cabin not only had a piano but also sat on the edge of the redwood forest with a gurgling stream within easy walking distance. Since the weather was […]
Fairytale fungi
I found quite a lot of the colorful Amanita muscaria or Fly Agaric mushrooms while hiking along the coast near Point Arena. I’m not sure why, but I just couldn’t seem to resist photographing them in this scenic setting.
Erode like the wind
Although the two sites have very little in common, I found that the erosion along portions of the Mendocino Headlands reminded me a lot of certain spots along the shoreline at Folsom Lake’s Rattlesnake Bar, seen in the two photos below, shot in December 2020.
Oh, Raven
I think I saw more ravens than gulls during our visit to Mendocino Headlands State Park earlier this month. While hiking around, I pulled a muscle in my lower back, so I left the Big Guy to wander while I limped back to the car. I was perched sideways in the driver’s seat, feeling more than a little sorry for […]
Creek art
Bowling Ball Beach, by accident
Sadly, I didn’t get to see any of the rocks that gave this beach its name; and in fact we didn’t even really know where we were during our visit. Our intended destination was actually a spot named Schooner Gulch — but we took the wrong trail and wound up on the next beach to the north. A huge pile […]
Doran, Doran
One of our first stops whenever we head over to the Northern California coast is Doran Regional Park. The Big Guy has been using this small corner of Bodega Bay to retrieve ghost shrimp (used as bait) for something like 30 years now. Even if we somehow forget to check the tide tables or even the local weather, stopping to […]
Cliff hanger
It was late September of this year, and I was enjoying a morning hike along the southern edge of the Point Arena Stornetta Public Lands. Although the hour was nearing 11 o’clock, the misty fog still lingered, obscuring my view of the horizon; but just below me the rugged beauty of rocky reefs and ledges pounded by the surf more […]