Although it runs the length of California’s coast, once north of San Francisco State Route 1 becomes a scenic two-lane roadway that dips and climbs as it snakes its way across rivers (like the Russian, the Gualala, the Navarro, and the Noyo) and through a lot of small towns, one of which is Point Arena, population 473. It’s all too […]
The Point Arena Pier was closed to the public during our first visit in November of last year. This time around, the pier was open and we were able to walk out to the end and have a look around. Things still seemed a bit quiet — but maybe that’s because we’re so used to seeing tourists teeming around Bodega […]
We decided to venture a little bit further north on this coastal trip, to southern Mendocino County. As our base, we chose a small but comfy Airbnb not far north of the Arena Point Pier, with easy walking access to the Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands — perfect for early morning hikes. The Big Guy was searching for some new fishing […]
It was an extremely windy spot on the Sonoma coast in Salt Point State Park, just north of Gerstle Cove, and I had the place mostly to myself as I clambered over the rocks trying to get a peek into some tide pools. I chose not to climb down too close to where the tide washed in, so my tide […]
Climbing over and around the rocks near Gerstle Cove (in Salt Point State Park), I may not have been able to access the tide pools, but I still found a lot of interesting sights and enough beauty all around to keep me busy with my camera. This state park is named Salt Point for a reason! Below is just an […]
I shot these images of a Great Blue Heron wading in tide pools and catching his breakfast on a foggy morning; I also shot them using my Canon’s Raw mode. I’m still learning about Raw and how to edit for best results — and it’s a bit of a challenge since the majority of online tutorials focus on Photoshop or […]
Today, June 8, is United Nations World Oceans Day; the UN General Assembly created this day of observance in December 2008 by passing Resolution 63/111. To celebrate our beautiful, amazing, and life-giving oceans, I thought it was only fitting to share a few of my favorite images from trips to the Sonoma coast over the past year. The ocean covers […]
One reason I enjoy staying at the Fort Ross Lodge is the open field between the motel buildings and the ocean cliffs. There is plenty of room to wander and enjoy the view without risking your life along the narrow, winding road that is Highway 1. Our previous stay here was back in November 2020, and while the natural area […]
I have some great childhood memories of exploring tidepools along the Northern California coast, but it’s been ages since I had the chance to repeat the experience. Not long ago I happened to read an article about tidepooling at Gerstle Cove, so on our most recent coastal trip I was determined to climb around and spot a few sea anemones. […]