Not surprisingly, the answer was yes, no problem, because no one had reserved our specific site here for today.
That solved the problem of "where are we going to hang out for an hour" between sites today.
With us recovering from our San Francisco sightseeing adventures and temps in the lower 60°Fs with winds steady at 22+MPH there was nothing to do but watch the sand and surf through our dinette windows.
Today's a different day, with the winds steady at 5MPH and the temps expected to reach 70°F this afternoon, it's time to get out and explore.
Tricia got an early start by taking a morning walk up and down along the 1-1/2 mile long shoreline of Wright's Beach.
A MORNING WALK ALONG WRIGHT'S BEACH
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Looking north from the same location there appears to be something on the beach.
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Up close you can see that it's a juvenile seal that has climbed up out of the water.
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At the north end of Wright's Beach the sand becomes very narrow before coming to an end.
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The south end of the beach ends in a small protected cove.
After Tricia finished her walk she returned to THE POD and we ate breakfast together. After breakfast we talked about what today's activities might include. Before we could come to a conclusion there was some excitement going on down at the beach.
People were leaving the campground and heading out to the beach. I thought maybe they were just realizing there was a seal on the beach, but they were also pointing out into the surf.
When that whale went underwater and didn't come back up in the next few minutes, we decided not to stick around. An adult grey whale can stay submerged for 20-30 minutes if they want to and we've got a hike to go check out.
Our friend David was the one who highly suggested we visit Wright's Beach Campground and he also highly recommended that we drive 10-miles south of the campground to hike the Bodega Head Trail.
Once again it turned out to be solid advice. As soon as we left the parking lot at the trailhead we looked over a cliff and saw at least five harbor seals feeding on the creatures that hide out in the kelp beds located 100-feet below us.
BODEGA HEAD TRAIL
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Just a short distance from the trailhead is this ship-shaped memorial with a plaque that reads, "This site was created as a tribute to the men and women who make their living from the sea and a memorial to those who have lost their lives to it."
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Bodega Head is at the entrance to Bodega Harbor where a small crabbing fleet is moored.Wait a minute! Is that a sea arch down there?
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It sure is!
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This little beach looked inaccessible, but some one built a small shelter down there.
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Kind of looks like the movie setting in one of those "Blue Lagoon" movies.
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The shoreline here is filled with these deep coves along the coast.
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Look at all those shades of blue.
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Nothing left to do but head into the little village of Bodega Bay and find some lunch.
David didn't recommend a place to eat, so we had to rely on Google to select a winner, and once again it didn't let us down.
Fisherman's Cove is a small "no frills" fresh seafood counter with more outdoor seating than indoor, and an extensive seafood menu.
Bodega Bay is known for it's Dungeness Crab harvesting, so how could I not order the $29 "Fresh Dungeness Crab on a toasted ciabatta bread with dill aioli." What I got was a 1/4-lb. of rich, meaty crab that tasted sweet and buttery. It's been described as tasting like lobster, but better, because it's more tender. Just in case you missed that—it's lobster, but better!
I also ordered a bowl of their fresh made New England Clam Chower that was easily the best chowder I've had this year.
Tricia ordered a pair of their Grilled Halibut Tacos and we both selected a drink from the cooler. Total bill, including tip was $81.75, quite possibly a new record for us.
We sat outside at a picnic table and our food was delivered as each item was ready. First my chowder, then my sandwich and finally Tricia's tacos. Sorry, but once again photos were the furthest thing from our minds and there were no leftovers to bring home either.
Just before we got back to the campground we pulled off of CA-1 into the Duncan's Landing Overlook. It's what creates the little cove at the south end of Wright's Beach.
We were only back at THE POD for about an hour when we saw a Park Volunteer posting signs down on the beach. Of course Tricia went down to investigate and this is what the signs read.
During our 3-night stay here, California broke out of a tie with Mississippi for 6th Place on the list. Also during our stay, California surpassed Alaska (107 nights) and moved into 5th Place with 109 nights.
You all know how far in advance we plan, so believe me when I tell you that tomorrow California will tie, and then pass New Mexico (110-nights) to hold 4th Place on the list.
Then later this year California will pass Arizona (185 nights) and land all alone, solidly in 3rd Place with just over 200-nights.
That's quite impressive when you consider California started the year in 18th Place (48-nights) and will end the year solidly in 3rd Place with over 200 nights.
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