mouth of mattole river. I spent the night at the public campground here
didn't have a car shuttle so it was a down and back trip
first day was a marine mammal trifecta: here are baby harbor seals. they brought their fishing catch ashore while the adults watched from the surf
abandoned punta gorda lighthouse in the distance
sea lion haulout at the lighthouse
this was the third and most exciting of the mammal sightings: sea otter family sunning on the rocks. sea otters are rare in California. the babies are the cutest on earth
way in the distance is my first (and third) campsite. and cant say the weather didn't cooperate
looking back at where the last picture was taken. this is called sea lion cove and there are some on that rock, barking and howling
my campsite, right by the trail but there wasn't much choice
campsite was next to a ruined cowboy cabin, a rather melancholy reminder of more prosperous times along the lost coast
morning. for four days, constant irregular roar of surf
approaching Spanish flat. there are a couple of inholding cabins along here, one of which (didn't get that far this time) is accessed by seaplane
this was the view from my furthest campsite
much of the driftwood debris is left over from californias logging boom days
mattole river and the car are just around the bend
