Tag Archives: Gualala Bluff Trail

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I went to check on the Gualala River yesterday, Friday. We have had 6.8 inches of rain and I knew the river would be a big beneficiary of the wet stuff. I drove in to Gualala Point Regional Park and parked at the iconic bend in the river site. Here's what I saw.

It is already raining here on the Mendonoma Coast today. I believe the Gualala River could open with this big rainstorm. A large - maybe the largest ever - sandbar has the river "closed" to the Pacific Ocean. When the river opens to the ocean for the first time in many months, bursting through the sandbar, it can be a spectacular event. The best place to watch it is from the Gualala Bluff Trail. Be safe and stay off of the sandbar - we don't want to lose anybody!

The weather today is WET! I also checked Quinliven Creek yesterday, a seasonal creek that crosses our property. It was running in the upper reaches but not the lower part. I'm sure that's going to change today. To have this early rain is such a blessing. Thank you, Mother Nature.

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Eric Zetterholm saw this  young Gray Whale very close in. He went to the Gualala Bluff Trail to photograph it. A couple was on the beach with a dog and they had quite a wonderful show! First Eric photographs the whale spyhopping. Look how close this whale is to the sandbar of the Gualala River!

Here's the whale surfaces while a [lucky] person with their dog watches.

And here's a photo of the Gray Whale's tail.

What a wonderful experience for the people on the beach...and for Eric! Thanks to Eric for allowing me to share his photos with you here. Another great photo, of a man watching while this whale spyhops, will be in tomorrow's Independent Coast Observer.

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The Pacific Ocean has been loud and mighty lately. Huge waves have crashed against sandy beaches and rocky cliffs. Janet Burch was out on the bluffs at The Sea Ranch when she saw this awesome sight.

Grace O'Malley photographed these waves called Rooster Tails off of Timber Cove.

And Bob Rutemoeller witnessed this roiled-up ocean off the Gualala Bluff Trail.

Shirley Mitchell photographed the action off of Gualala Point.

Such power and such beauty - we need to respect the Pacific Ocean and stay well back when she is flexing her awesome power.

Thanks to Janet, Grace, Bob and Shirley for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

Today it is raining - hooray! A half-inch so far but the bulk of the storm is due in a bit later.

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Shari GoForth-Eby noticed a group of California Sea Lions off of Gualala Point Beach from the Gualala Bluff Trail.

Rick Denniston witnessed this too.

But there is an interesting story here, told by Scott Mercer.

Scott wrote, “We heard from Shari Goforth-Eby of an unusual sight by the Gualala Bluff Trail.  We arrived and saw 15 or more chatty California Sea Lions perched on a large object, and drifting with the strong wind. They were right along the edge of the beach managing to stay off the beach. After much looking and guessing we all finally agreed that the object was not a dead whale [whew] and was not a tree, or a log, but a raft of kelp.  At one point the group and their raft had drifted north and out of our sight. To our amazement, and amusement, the Sea Lions came swimming rapidly back along the beach barking loudly, not alone, but bringing their kelp raft along with them.”

Sea Lions feed on invertebrates that live in kelp forests. They form rafts for several reasons -to rest together, and for thermoregulation. They lift their flippers out of the water and have the sun warm them up. I have never heard of them bringing a patch of kelp with them. That’s wonderful to know!

Thanks to Shari and Rick for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

oh my, we are having a lovely day on the Mendonoma Coast. Big swells are evident on the Pacific Ocean and the waves are crashing. Temps in the mid 60's - a fine winter day.

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Hundreds of young Brown Pelicans have been migrating northward. These hatched-this-year pelicans have brown heads and white underparts. They are accompanied by a few older pelicans. The adult pelicans have white heads and brown underparts. They are also accompanied by dark gulls, Heermann’s Gulls. These smart gulls let the pelicans find fish for them, sometimes even stealing it out of a pelican’s mouth.

When there is forage fish in the water, many birds feast. Craig Tooley photographed a feeding frenzy by Gualala Point Island with Brown Pelicans and several types of Gulls. Brown Pelicans plunge dive, beak first, for fish. It’s quite a sight.

Brown Pelicans also rest in rivers and on offshore rocks. Paul Brewer wrote, “There was a congregation of Brown Pelicans behind Breaker’s Inn having a spa day [on the Gualala River.] I got a few interesting shots from the Gualala Bluff Trail when they all decided to fly at once. They did that twice while I was there. They enjoyed their spa day, but all headed north about 6:30 pm.”

We almost lost Brown Pelicans due to the pesticide DDT, which made their eggshells so thin that they broke when the mothers sat on them. Since DDT was banned, the pelicans have recovered in numbers. To see them flying just over the bluffs is a thrilling sight.

Thanks to Craig and Paul for allowing me to share their photos with you here. To see much more of Craig's nature photography, here is his website: www.ruffimage.com. And to see more of Paul's nature photography, here is his website: http://www.capturingnatureswonders.com/