We spent a little more time among the impressive redwoods.
I learned something new. Fairy rings: That’s what they call that ring of second growth trees that rise up from the decaying stump of a fallen old growth redwood.

It is great for shore birds and kayakers but no wonder the logging trade had so much trouble getting lumber out. This bay has amazing mud flats on nearly every side during low tide. They go on as far as one can see. It gives me the creeps to even think about stepping out into that goo.
The town is full of wonderfully restored gingerbread-covered Victorian homes that were built for the early lumber barons.
Eureka’s claim to fame nowadays is a major stop on the western migratory bird flyway. There are wildlife sanctuaries everywhere (remember the big mudflats). We did a little bird watching but didn’t find anything new.

One last check on macMolter. he has gone out to sea. That is a good thing I think. Everyone wish him well!

heading up to Eureka and the Avenue of the Giants.

We hiked a section of redwood forest that had been harvested for timber years ago. It was sort of depressing to see the huge old decaying stumps as all that remains of those grand trees. But, if you stepped back a little and noticed, around each old stump was growing a ring of new redwood trees, sometimes as many as 6 or 8. Mother Nature still won and maybe man will figure out how not to mess it up again. It was a pretty hike into a fern filled valley with a tumbling creek at the floor.

Tide pool exploring: We rose early and put on our boots to catch low tide and check out what all lives in those usually hidden pools. The rocks are unbelievably slippery but we managed not to fall in. We saw skulpin, sea cucumbers, and lots of types of barnacles, and sea grass and quite a few anemones. There were a bunch of sixth graders out there too; and they were much better at it than we were. They found star fish…I saw them too after the kids pointed them out. The tide pool thing is definitely something that takes practice. We will likely try it again.

Mendocino Headlands: crashing waves and cragged rocks. Beautiful. There were a couple blow holes that were created when the tops of surf eroded caves collapsed and left sinkholes that are open to the sea. Pretty cool.

Abalone: our neighbors in camp went out and harvested abalone. They skin dive with a surface float ring to help with the weight of the catch. They had fried up more than they could eat and donated a mess to us for dinner. They were rolled in panko crumbs and pan seared. They are a little chewy like calamari but quite tasty.

MacMolter is ok
One of the volunteer seal watch guys came by and confirmed, MacMolter is really ok. The first couple years they molt they spend a lot of time out of the water. Something about the sting of salt water on newly exposed tender skin! They toughen up in later years then stay at sea for this unpleasant phase. Anyway, they posted “leave me alone” signs and MacMolter continued to peacefully rest on the beach.

We checked out a coastal eco system that culminated in a stunted version of the coastal forests. There are only a couple of these systems in the world. They are created when shoreline plateaus are thrust up by plate action but stay flat instead or tipping to create mountain ridges. That rarely happens but when it does, it creates these unique terraces that include one with very poor soil with a hardpan close to the surface so what can grows is very stunted. The result, a ¼” diameter, 8 ft tall mature tree that is 100 years old. Weird and kind of amazing in its contrast to all else around it.
We found a cool looking garter snake that day too.

We took a bike ride along a coast trail near camp. It was a wonderful way to take in the vistas. We got to see the seal rookery again. There are many very new little ones. The sea calmed enough to even hear them barking for their Moms.

The restaurant is on a working wharf so a little rustic. We ordered fish and chips and a three fish special platter including a rare seared Ahi tuna, salmon with orange and ginger, pan seared sole served with a California coast veggie mix, a little of everything. It was very well prepared.

This one had a beautiful coat. It looked much like a calico housecat just with a stubby tail. It darted out across the road not far in front of us and was gone way too quickly to even think about getting a picture.

We drove through large stands of coastal redwoods, not the biggest virgin stands yet but still pretty impressive and grand. We also did the tourist thing, drove the Miata through a living tree tunnel, we walked through a carved out tree, and checked out the one-log log house. We skipped the “world famous” tree house and about a half dozen redwood trinket shops. They are everywhere you turn around here. I even passed up the redwood postcard. Sorry, Mom. Yeah, we saw a bat tree too. It is home to a large colony that ought to have young right now. To bad (not), they were all sleeping when we were there.