This weekend was all about escape from the sad news of Uvalde shooting and finding inner peace at the serene Shelter Cove, Central landscape of the famous California’s Lost Coast (extending from Punta Gorda on the north and Bear Harbor on the south). California’s Lost Coast is part of and gateway to the California’s coastal National Monument, a string of more than 20000 rocks and small islands off the state’s 1,100-mile-long coastline. Hw1 was originally to traverse the entire coastline, but the rugged landscape forced its development inside. Today there are no major roads or highways through this region and its remoteness has earned it the apt title of “the lost Coast”.
It was about 5-hour drive north from home so we started early Friday. We couldn’t stop at my favorite “City of Ten Thousand Buddhas” at Ukiah as it was closed for COVID. Instead, we did lunch picnic at Pomo Day use area on Lake Mendocino very close by which also has a nice play area for the kids. We really drove slow on the road after exiting the 101 towards Shelter Cove as it was very windy and drive felt a bit of a stretch for the girls. It was early evening by the time we reached our Airbnb home and waited for our dear friends to join us. The place was beautiful with deer right in the open backyard.
Saturday is all rain but we still braved the rain to go to the major attraction- the historic Cape Mendocino Lighthouse, located in Mal Coombs Park, famous for its history and the tidepools. This was originally located on the bluffs of Cape Mendocino and was moved to Shelter Cove, restored and open to public for Memorial Day 2001. Apparently, the rocks, reefs and the tidepools below the park provide magnificent opportunities to see seals, sea lions, an occasional river otter and during migration seasons, to catch the glimpse of whales. Unfortunately, the light house was only open 11am-3pm and the tidepools trail is closed as well so we returned home and had a long lunch BBQ. As it cleared up in the evening, we went to the Black Sands Beach at the north end of the community, also the trailhead for the northern section of the Lost coast trail. We strolled along the coarse black sand and stones, saw lot of Mussels on the rocks and played with the waves in the caves they made. The weather was perfect for our kites and enjoyed sunset with the dramatic ridges and peaks of the King Range (NCA) in the background.
On Sunday, we drove to the Avenue of the giants and did a hike at Gov. William D Stephens loop trail of 0.7 miles and then drove to the visitor center for lunch picnic. We (some of us, but my dear friend recorded them here) were lucky to catch the 2pm guided walk at 0.5-mile Gould Nature Loop from the visitor center with the very passionate interpreter Griff, a must do one. Very interactive and knowledgeable, that the clover cover is actually Redwood Sorrel leaves and tasty to eat, how the trees support each other with roots intertwined and Photosynthesis to be the new god.
We had an early BBQ dinner and watched basketball before catching another beautiful sunset at the Lighthouse and chatted long into the night before wrapping up for the long drive back home the next day.
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