The Mendocino Coast

[pantheraba]

Thanks, Mrs. B...they are a real attention getter for me. Looks like a particularly special place.

 

[FireFighterZero]

Why is it called Russian Gulch?

 

[stig]

There are a lot of places along the California coast line called russian this or that.
Russian fur hunters were some of the first white men on the coast.

 

[mdvaden]

These coastal shots take me back to our short 8 month experiment living in Savannah, GA, about 18 years ago. There were pretty shells, but the coastline there was nothing like what I was accustomed to along the west coast.

 

[Bermy]

I love the geology pictures, that stuff fascinates me

 

[Burnham]

For sure Mario; the S Eastern US coast, the US Gulf of Mexico coast...a big downer compared to the western coastal scenery.

 

[gf beranek]

Ten Mile River, Beach and Dunes

And there's more!

7 miles north of Ft. Bragg is the Ten Mile River. Although it should be called Ten Mile Creek. Either way it's still a pretty viewpoint along the coast, and the watershed holds a significant part of the logging history around these parts.





Just south of the Ten Mile River, along the coast is Ten Mile Beach. Although it's only about 5 miles long actually. Either way it's also another pretty view point along the coat. Once in the dunes it's like you're in the Sahara Desert. There's no other place along the Mendocino Coast like it.




Lots of neat patterns and perspectives in the dunes. Every time the wind blows the dunes and the patterns in the sand change.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Sand Giants!!!!

 

[pantheraba]

What a CRAZY place! Desert by the sea!

 

[Burnham]

OK...not many places on the planet would tempt me to move from my beloved PNW Cascade mountains...but hellfire, you are showing me temptation, Jer .

 

[gf beranek]

UNION LANDING

Sticking with alphabetical order... next we have Union Landing. Located approximately 16 miles north of Ft. Bragg between Westport and Juan Creek. The state took over this stretch of coastline during the early 70s, and through the years they slowly developed camp sites and what-not. Today, about the only difference, at Union Landing, is you have to pay to camp there.

 

[gf beranek]

WAGE'S CREEK

Immediately south of Union Landing is Wage's Creek, where you will find yet another campground, but this one is private, and has a lot more amenities.

These views of Wage's Creek were captured from a pullout on the highway, and whenever the weather, or something, is right I'll stop and capture the view.

 

[gf beranek]

WESTPORT and Pete's Beach

One-half mile south of Wage's Creek is Westport and in-between is Pete's Beach. A quaint little beach, a couple hundred yards long, generally steep, black sand beach. It's also a blind beach, which means, if a big wave comes in there's no getting away from it. Beware!

Now, looking at that driftwood log on Pete's Beach... it had some really neat wood grain exposed.




Below: low tide exposes large boulders at Pete's Beach.

 

[MasterBlaster]

That driftwood log isn't worth anything?

 

[gf beranek]

That one really isn't worth the trouble. Bigger ones, yeah. Trouble with driftwood is sand gets worked into the cracks and seams.

 

[mdvaden]

I see what looks like Pampas and Croscosmia which are invasives, but I tend to like the Crocosmia anyway. In one photo recent, there were yellow flowers. Is that the wild mustard or something else? It adds a nice spot of color.

 

[gf beranek]

Invasive species, Mario? We got'em all. The coast is rich in invasive species.

 

[Burnham]

The world is, Jer. To our unending misery, and the loss of so many native plants and animals.

 

[gf beranek]

In my travels I often pause to imagine what it would look / be like absent of invasive species. I'm so use to seeing them it's hard to imagine them not being here.

 

[Burnham]

Yessir, me too.