The Mendocino Coast

[gf beranek]

Jug Handle

4-5 miles south of Ft. Bragg is Jug Handle Creek. About a mile long section of coastline south of Jefferson Way. All managed by the state Parks. Figure wide open, flat, grassy fields between the Highway and Ocean bluffs. A few wind blown Bishop pines. Cattle and sheep were still grazing these fields in the 60s and early 70s.

The flowers are Cream Cups, Platystemon.

 

[gf beranek]

Karate Kid Point

If you ever watched the movie "Karate Kid" the scene where the old man kept the Bonzi Tree hidden / protected was on these bluffs. They filmed here for a few days. Rugged section. Loose rock, very dangerous.

Back in the 70s I walked out on that high point. Jumping from tree to tree, ground slipping out underfoot. Wouldn't catch me out there today. Close to 200 feet. Though with a rope I'd do it again.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Shit!!!

Why can't Louisiana have cliffs???

 

[biggun]

Really beautiful collection of photos. Thank you for taking the time to upload them.

The sea looks very inviting. What sort of temperatures are we talking? Thanks.

 

[gf beranek]

The waters here are part of the Japan / Humboldt Current. Ocean temps range from low 50s to low 60s.

 

[gf beranek]

Kibasila

Kibasila is the site of an old community on the Mendocino Coast about 10 miles north of Ft. Bragg. They say, there were several thousand people living there. Although the old pics I've seen of the town sure didn't look that big to me. Anyway, there's not a clue left of it today.

If nothing else Kibasila is always a good viewpoint to stop and capture an image of the coast, when the conditions are right.

Enjoy!

 

[MasterBlaster]

I would build my castle on that one flat rock!

 

[gf beranek]

There was a whore house built on a flat-top rock out front of Ft. Bragg. Had to use a cable to go to and from.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Isn't that a whorehouse rule? Cables?

lulz

 

[Burnham]

Magnificent again, Jerry.

 

[stig]

Yep
Do keep them coming.

 

[gf beranek]

Landing Point

Landing point is about 200 yards north of Karate Kid Point, and Cavanaugh Grade is, if you look close, south of that. High bluffs here.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Ya'll have more cliffs than we have bayous!

 

[gf beranek]

Little Geyserville

Little Geyserville is about one quarter mile north of Landing Point. There are no geysers here. I don't know how it got the name. But, when conditions are right Little Geyerville is an easy pullout to stop and grab a great pic of the coast.

That last pic, the muddy water comes from the Navarro River, which lies just north of Little Geyserville. The muddy water, which is fresh, actually floats on the salt water, and when you're plowing through it in boat your wake spreads the waters apart, and its clear underneath.

 

[gf beranek]

The bluffs are beautiful, Butch, but they take lives every year. The far majority of fatalities come from people walking up to the edge of the bluff to take in the view, and falling. As the bluffs are crumbly and undermined. It's common wisdom to keep at least 5-6 feet from the edge. The more the better actually.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Man, I'd saddle up, tie off, and have some FUN!

 

[gf beranek]

Little River

Little River is about 11 miles south of Ft. Bragg. There's a fancy Inn where you could stay and dine, a golf course, a post office, store, and even an airport. During storms the ocean closes the highway. Little River is a popular dive spot along the coast, too.

 

[Merle Nelson]

Great pictures. I often think of how fortunate we are to live in such a beautiful area. We took a drive up the coast for the day and stopped in at The Little River Inn to visit a friend. She recommended we have their fish and chips in the restaurant. They do seasonal deserts and the chef had done fresh blueberry sorbet - it was the best sorbet I have ever had bar none.

 

[gf beranek]

Navarro and Hendy Woods are close by, on 128, if you came / went that way. Lots of nooks and crannies.

You live in Marin?

 

[Merle Nelson]

Bodega Bay

 

[Merle Nelson]

Incredible photos of a mind blowing landscape,

Those shore/wave/inlet pics make me want to jump right in and freeze my nuts off!

It is amazing to me that in this day and age so much of the acreage in the photos looks buildable yet it is undeveloped. You'd think gazillionaires woulda swooped in and gathered it up for their own private Idaho.

Cory that open beautiful land all came at a cost(somewhere). We voted in Sonoma County to tax ourselves an extra quarter percent on sales tax and buy up land to protect it for future generations. Land that is in ag use can have the development rights bought so it can only ever be a cattle ranch for instance but, the current owner gets the financial gain he would if he sold to big development. We have a coastal commission that for 40 years was run very pro protection and has just now swung back the other way some.

There is a good documentary called, Rebels With A Cause that shows some of the protection efforts that went on in Marin county closer to San Francisco and even touches on the huge fight to shut down the building of an Atomic Reactor on the coast here in Bodega Bay.

 

[gf beranek]

Terri, my wife, was born and raised in Bodega Bay, and she was even in "The Birds". Which dates us back to the early 60s there. Still have family in Blowdega, all salty fishermen. We usually make it there for Thanksgiving, and the Grange Crab Feed, of course. Got to be the best on the coast.

I'll let you know the next time we come down. We'll be at the ISA show in Santa Rosa on the 23rd through 26th.

 

[Merle Nelson]

Ha, that would be great.

Is there anyway to get into the ISA show to see the exhibitors without paying $250 per day or some such?

 

[gf beranek]

I'll see what I can do / find, Merle. In most cases I just give people my exhibitors badge. Never had a problem with it before.

 

[Burnham]

The pics just get better and better.