Tag Archives: Point Arena Pier

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At the Point Arena Pier recently this CA Sea Lion decided to use the ramp at the pier to check things out. Surely the big fellow gave a bark of approval before heading back to sea.

There is a large colony of male Sea Lions on Fish Rocks off Anchor Bay. They bark at each other - talking, I assume - pretty much all the time. One of the oceanfront estates there is called "Barking Rocks."

Thanks to Brian for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

The fog returned overnight and really cooled things off today. Warmer weather coming in, especially for Saturday!

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Last week Shari Goforth was at the Point Arena Pier when she took this photo of the impending sunset.

Shari said she loved how the color of the sunset reflected on the cliffs. Me too!

And I took this sunrise photo three days ago, Dec. 20.

I gasped out loud when I saw this. Look at the ocean tinted in pinks and yellows from the fleeting sunrise.

Some beauty for  you today! Thanks to Shari for allowing me to share her photo with you here.

Clear this morning after yesterday's 0.87 inches of rain. Rainy this afternoon!

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Brenna Dix had a great sighting on a recent weekend. She wrote, “I was sitting on the beach at the Point Arena Pier. Suddenly this River Otter swam up to the beach and  ran up the shore.

The otter looked at the people walking on the sidewalk,

and immediately ran back into the water. No one else seemed to notice. He was only in sight for a matter seconds. I have never been more happy to have my camera with me. Right place, right time!”

It's almost like the River Otter thought "YIKES! Giants!" and headed back to the ocean. It's amazing to me how close the otter got to the people, and that they didn't notice.

Thanks to Brenna for allowing me to share her photos with you here.

After Saturday night's rainstorm, and Sunday morning's showers, we are having a beautiful sunny day today. Warm weather moving in for the next couple of days.

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Paul Kozal took these photos from the bluffs overlooking the Point Arena Pier. It was the location for 4th of July fireworks in previous years. This year, fireworks displays have been called off/cancelled. But we can enjoy the bursts of color in Paul's fine photos.

I thank Paul for allowing me to share his photos with you here. To see much more of Paul's photography, here is his website: http://www.paulkozal.com/

Paul also has a studio in the Cypress Center in Gualala, Studio 391. Opening today, just opposite of Paul's studio, is the Gualala Arts Center's Dolphin Gallery.

It's sunny and quite warm. Lots of visitors are here enjoying the beautiful Mendonoma Coast. I'm sticking close to home!

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After a hiatus of several years, Red Sea Urchins have once again been harvested and brought to the Point Arena Pier. Michael Alexander photographed the first ones destined for sushi chefs here and in Japan that feature uni, the gonads of Red Sea Urchins.

It's not easy to harvest them. A diver will work with a partner on a boat, and stay underwater for several hours at a time collecting them. It's hard work!

These are not to be confused with the Purple Sea Urchins that have proliferated in recent years due to the Sea Stars contracting a wasting disease - Sea Stars prey on Sea Urchins. The purples, unchecked, have eaten much of the kelp, causing some Abalones to starve. Here's what they look like, photographed by Jon Loveless.

Sea Stars have recovered this year and we hope balance will return to the inter-tidal zone.

Thanks to Michael and Jon for allowing me to share their photos with  you here. We are having another lovely, warm day on the Mendonoma coast.