Wednesday, Part II: The Coast

I didn’t really understand everything that encompassed being on the Pacific Coast until I saw a sign explaining what to look for when whale watching. WHALES!  I didn’t see any — but I definitely looked. It is a really violent ocean but is engulfed by a sense of power and majesty. The vegetation along the Coast is incredibly resilient (I read it on a sign) – and I understand why — it gets battered day in and day out by high salty winds and bright sunlight.

Crescent City resembles its name due to the curvature of the Coast. They built some breakers to create a calmer inner bay and have a shipyard.  The Battery Point lighthouse is only accessible at low-tide.

Campfire and s’mores finished out my night…..

Wednesday, May 21 Crescent City: Part I – Redwoods & Smith River

After waking up and doing normal morning campground activities (yes, I did sleep the entire night in the tent — G, I’ll be awaiting my $5) I headed off for the forest. It turns out that the campground I’m at is full of relatively “new”  Redwoods as compared to those on the Simpson-Reed and Peterson trails. Magnificent, enormous, breathtaking – I’m not quite sure there are words to describe what I saw, nor do pictures really do the monstrous trees any justice.

A few important things learned: Redwoods fare well during forest fires as they basically have a “fireproof” outer layer. A decaying redwood tree is just as vital to the ecosystem and future of the redwoods as are saplings.  I have yet to find a Redwood I can hug….and I’ve been testing many of them.

The Smith River winds through the area — in and out of the state/national parks — so I decided to follow it for a ways — through some neighborhoods and even by a wooden bridge.  Good thing the river picked such a scenic route….