August 26, 2023 - NoCali Vacaation
Bodega Bay
Our next stop a few miles up coastal Highway One was the Bodega Bay trailhead in the Sonoma Coast State Park. We drove around the perimeter of Bodega Harbor to get to the trailhead parking lot.
Bodega Bay itself has an interesting history, at least to me. The Bay is protected on its north end from the Pacific Ocean by Bodega Head, which shelters the small Bodega Harbor and is separated from the main bay by a jetty. It is approximately 5 miles across and is located approximately 40 miles northwest of San Francisco
Amazingly, it wasn't until 1775 -- a year before the American Colonies declared their independance from Great Britain -- that Bodega Bay was first charted by Europeans. Specifically, by the Spanish Peruvian explorer Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra of the Spanish Navy. Later, as commandant of the naval base at San Blas, New Spain, Bodega y Quadra sent other expeditions to Bodega Bay with the intention of establishing a colony and mission there. It was decided, however, that the location was not ideal.
It would be the Russians, of all people, who first occupied Bodaga Bay.
Russians from the Russian-American Company (RAC) aboard the sea otter hunting ship Peacock scouted Bodega Bay in 1807. They reported back that sea otter -- "soft gold" -- were plentiful in Bodega Bay. Two years later, the RAC was back with Aleut hunting parties. Temporary buildings were erected to house the ship's complement of 190 crew (130 native Alaskan males, 20 native females, and 40 Russians). Ten months later their ship returned to Alaska with more than 2,000 sea otter pelts. In those days, a single sea otter pelt was worth an astounding $100. It's no wonder sea otter pelts were called "soft gold". The expedition's leader, Kuskov, reported abundant fur bearing mammals, fish, timber and tillable lands. He was instructed to return and establish a permanent settlement in the area. In 1811, Kuskov returned, but found fewer otter in Bodega Bay (1,160 otter skins were taken). Three American ships were also operating in the area from a base in Drake's Bay, sending hunters into San Francisco Bay and the surrounding bays.
Instead, in 1812, Kuskov built a fort and settlement at Fort Ross, 20 miles to the north. Bodega Bay served as the primary port for Fort Ross which only had a modest anchorage.
By 1817, sea otters along the California coast were practically eliminated by international over-hunting. The Russians withdrew. The Spanish, followed by the Mexicans in 1821, didn't do much in the area. After the Mexican–American War (1846-1848), Bodega Bay became United States territory. It remained an active harbor for shipping lumber until the 1870s, when the North Pacific Coast Railroad was built, bypassing the coast in favor of a more inland route.
Now, Bodega Bay is just a quiet, scenic area.
It turns out that Ice Plant is an invasive species. I got the impression that it is a recent phenomina. But I remember Ice Plant in California when I was a kid. It's been around as long as I have. I always kind of liked it. Unless I hit a golf ball into it. Then it was game over. You couldn't hit out of it. You had to pick up your ball and drop it on the grass.
You may know Ice Plant better as Carpobrotus edulis.
A few miles up the coast was Bodega Dunes Beach. We stopped, checked out the dunes, and walked up the beach for a mile or so.
We continued up Highway One until we reached the mouth of the Russian River. Then we got on Highway 116 heading east, following the river. We were headed to a motel I had booked about ten miles inland. There isn't a lot of lodging in this area so I booked what I could get. We stayed at a little motel called Casa Secoya. It was the most expensive lodging of the entire NoCali trip. Conversely, it was the most spartan. The room was bare bones, man. The problem was the Russian River area is very popular in the summer and so lodging is very expensive. Poor planning on my part.
Here's a shot of the motel in the morning. Casa Secoya is well-maintained and clean, I will say that.
