“In every outthrust headland, in every curving beach, in every grain of sand there is the story of the earth.”
-- Rachel Carson
In the area of Bodega you will find all types of coastal delights, including Doran Regional Park (the curving beach) and Bodega Head (the outthrust headland). This blog covers this and several other "must see" destinations in the area. I thought you all might enjoy a bit of "virtual travel" during these hot, smoky days of summer.
This entry spans several trips as we explored the coast around Bodega. The first trip was to Doran Beach, a local regional park. Katelyn and I went on the first day they re-opened the Sonoma Coast back in June, so while we expected a crowd it wasn't busy at all. The beach is long and wide, with several campgrounds alongside. We walked the beach, and later in June came back and Katelyn went for a run while I walked along it. What's nice about this beach is that it's fairly quiet, very long, sandy, and pretty wide. A perfect beach for a quiet spot to read or a place to take the kids.
On that trip, we saw lots of fisherman, kayakers, kids playing in the surf, people hanging out or reading on the beach, and even some people riding horses. I was impressed with the wide variety of activities and thankful that we had our Sonoma Coast back open and available to visitors.
One of the cool things is there is an island just off the beach that hosts a colony of seals. I regretted not bringing my binoculars so will add that to our "field trip" pack. In this video if you listen carefully you can hear them.
I really just love seeing the waves crashing and the timeless feeling you get when at the ocean. It helps me put things in perspective during these crazy times. The waves continue to roll in and out, in and out, and you realize that "all things shall pass". It also makes me realize I'm just a speck in this world and in the overall scheme of things, whatever problems are troubling me aren't so big after all. I need to get to the coast more often! In case it's been awhile since you've been to the ocean, here is a video of the waves for you.
Later in the summer, Rick and I revisited the area, but instead of taking the turn at Doran Beach, we went up Highway 1 a bit further and took the turn for Bodega Head State Park. I had heard about this from friends but had never been. In addition to hiking around the headlands, we uncovered several surprises along the way. First of all, the view from the road approaching the head shows you not only Doran Beach but the town of Bodega and the harbor.
There is a little beach tucked under the head called Campbell's Cove that looks like a delightful place to spend the afternoon with a book or a morning watching fishing boats come in and out. There is plenty of parking, and the cove is just below the parking lot.
Near Campbell's Cove is an area called "Hole in the Head". Apparently this was going to be a nuclear power plant built in the 60's before people figured out building a nuclear power plant on an earthquake fault is not a good idea. They got as far as digging the hole before people caught wind of it and began organizing themselves to protest the plant location. According to an article in the Press Democrat from 2016, protestors began writing letters to officials and organizing creative protest rallies. Gathering at Bodega Head on Memorial Day, 1963, they released 1,500 yellow balloons into the air. Each one carried a note: “This balloon could represent a radioactive molecule of strontium-90 or iodine-131.” The balloons showed up many miles downwind, landing as far away as the East Bay and the Central Valley. Their efforts, along with findings from an expert geologist and the catastrophic Alaskan earthquake in 1964, caused PG&E to change their minds. Now the location is filled with fresh water and is a rest stop for migrating birds.
If you continue to take the road that takes a steep turn to the right at Campbell's Cove, you will eventually find the parking lot for Bodega Head. We hiked along the headland, enjoying the views and the crashing waves. This area is known for great views of migrating whales, but we didn't see any this trip. Another reason to bring the binoculars!
It was very windy during this visit, so much so I thought I might get blown off the cliffs. There is access to a beach from the parking lot, but once you are on the headland loop there are windy cliffs, crashing waves, and wildlife viewing but no easy access to the water. Mental note: take a jacket next time.
Returning to our car after making the loop, I was struck by the different colors of ice plant. They looked like a mosaic or patchwork quilt! Maybe I just have quilts on the mind these days...
I should note that there are restrooms at all three sites I've mentioned: Doran Beach, Campbell's Cove, and Bodega Head. I know how important that stuff is! Dogs are allowed on Doran Beach but not on Bodega Head. Honestly, while the views were spectacular, Bodega Head was my least favorite of all three of these destinations. Too windy!
On the way back to the Highway we paused at Spud Point Marina. A busy fishing port with lots of boats coming and going and huge stacks of crab pots.
We noticed an eatery which had a long line. We had already eaten on that trip but we made a note to come back and try it soon. If it's that busy it must be good. If you just can't wait to read more about it here is some info.
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