Tag Archives: Schooner Gulch State Beach

Bowling Ball Beach is part of the California State Parks system. It's known for these round rock formations that fall away from the cliffs. At low tide they do look like bowling balls. Mark Hancock recently visited at a minus tide and got these photos.

Mark wrote, "The tide was so far out beyond the bowling balls and the colors of the seagrass and mosses against the sandy tone of the balls was beautiful. A truly magical morning walk on one of the most unique beaches in the world!”

To learn more about Bowling Ball Beach and  the adjacent Schooner Gulch State Beach, here is their website:https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=446

The Schooner Gulch access to the south is much easier than the direct route to Bowling Ball. That route is challenging until State Parks repairs the access.

Here is a description of how the "bowling balls" were formed, from the website atlasobscura: "...the so-called bowling balls are actually a geological phenomenon known as “concretion,” sedimentary rock formed by a natural process wherein mineral cements bind grains of sand or stone into larger formations. These boulders are the result of millions of years of concretion and erosion, exposing the hard spheres as the mudstone of the cliffs receded around them."

Thanks to Mark for allowing me to share his photos with you here. Another of Mark's photos will be in Thursday's Independent Coast Observer with my column, Mendonoma Sightings.

Fog, fog and more fog close to the ocean, but it's sunny on the ridge. I have fog in front of our house and sun behind it!

As you drive north on Highway One from the busy San Francisco Bay Area, the beautiful coastline is revealed to you as you wind your way up the curvy road. One particularly spectacular view is of Bowling Ball Beach in Mendocino County. Karen Wilder recently photographed this beach at high tide.

our-beautiful-coastline-by-karen-wilderAt low tide, the rock formations for which this beach is named appear - bowling balls! This photo was taken by Terry Pfardresher.

bowling-ball-beach-2015-january-040-by-terry-boldBowling Ball Beach is part of Schooner Gulch State Beach. The pathway down to the beach has been repaired, after years of it being closed. We are thankful State Parks fixed it. To learn much more about this park, here is the link: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=446

Thanks to Karen and Terry for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

John Sperry recently visited Bowling Ball Beach. At low tide the "bowling balls" are revealed. John photographed some that are waiting their date with gravity.

Here's what the beginning of a low tide reveals at this beach as photographed by John.

Bowling Ball Beach is adjacent to Schooner Gulch State Beach. The pathway down to Bowling Ball is closed due to erosion but I know some agile hikers have taken it. If you take the path to Schooner Gulch State Beach at low tide you can usually walk over to Bowling Ball. Here's a link to learn more about these two magnificent beaches: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=446

Thanks to John for allowing me to share his photos with you here.

Carolyn André recently drove north and photographed the bluffs and wildflowers near Schooner Gulch Beach and Bowling Ball Beach, which are in Mendocino County.

Even though the lack of rain shortened the wildflower bloom, there still were a lot of spectacular wildflowers to be seen.

Thanks to Carolyn for allowing me to share her photos with you here. To learn more about these beaches, here is the link to state parks: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=446  These beaches are fantastic for beach combing at low tide.

Linda Bostwick and Mel Smith were hiking at Schooner Gulch State Beach. They couldn't believe their eyes when they saw three Oregonian Aquatic Garter Snakes in the creek. And one of them was eating a fairly large fish.

Linda and Mel didn't know this creek had fish in it, much less these large garter snakes. One was floating, looking like a branch. Good camouflage for surprising an unwary fish.

Thanks to Linda for allowing me to share her photo with you here.