100711 Point Arena Lighthouse

July 11, 2010 - Fort Bragg, CA - Definitely the highlight of the day was my visit to Point Arena Lighthouse. I didn't used to understand people who were into lighthouses, but I've been converted. :-) The sun started to shine as I was on my way out to the lighthouse. The view of the bay, with the sun shining on it, from the parking lot, was incredibly beautiful. The sun highlighted all the different shades of blue in the bay and it was exquisite. Then I climbed the 114 steps to the top of the lighthouse, and the view from up there was even better! The guide said that they got about 50 more sea lions in their colony recently, about the same time that Pier 39 in San Francisco lost about 50, so they think they know where they came from!! By the time I got 20 minutes down the road, the sun was gone. But I sure appreciated it when it was there, and the timing was impeccable. The first order (really big!) French-made lens in the visitor center was impressive too (like most lighthouses, they don't use the old lens anymore, but use a new strobe light and automated system).


I'm eating seafood at every opportunity. One of these days maybe I'll get tired of chowder. (Or maybe not!)

I stopped in Fort Bragg for the evening. I like the campground I found here, and I like the town, so I decided to stay an extra day. I realized when I stopped for the first stoplight, that it’s been days – literally – since I last saw a traffic light! It feels good to be in a town that has real stores in it. (Well, not lots of them, but some!) The campground clerk gave me directions to the local organic grocery store, and it felt so good to be somewhere where organic is important to people. I've noticed I don't see many overweight people here either. 'Course they started the whole health emphasis here in California, so they've been at it longer than the rest of us, they're probably better at it. :-)

I went to this fine restaurant on the wharf for dinner, at the recommendation of the same campground clerk. My food was excellent, and the entertainment - watching the goings on in the marina through our huge windows - was very good too. The sourdough bread I get everywhere here is excellent. Between the great food I had in New England and the great food I'm having here, I'm getting really spoiled.

I've been driving pretty much along the San Andreas fault since I left Los Angeles. I'll feel a little better when I get a little further north and am on the east side of it. Then, at least, if the western part of California falls into the ocean, I'll be on the right side!! :-)

I keep being amazed by the abundance and variety of the flowers and foliage. This campground has several flowers I’ve never seen before – including some beautiful purple hyacinth. I've seen a few of those around here, but, I’d only seen pink, blue, and yellow before this trip. And something that looks like a red passion flower - but I've only seen purple before. And something that looks like a butterfly iris flower, but it's not an iris. Etc. Etc.....