Navarro-by-the Sea

Winding your way through the wine country of Napa Valley in Northern California is truly a delight. Calisoga has been a destination for my family for generations. We would annually meet at the Gazebo in Pioneer Park and then head over to what was then the historic Pacheteau Baths with their olympic sized public pool. It's now no longer open to the public and has become Indian Springs Resort and Hot Springs.

Many Italians have immigrated to the Napa Valley since the 1840's. I suppose my Italian family felt right at home when they moved to the Bay Area in 1950 and would come up for the annual family visit. It was the candy store owner Giuseppe Musante who in 1920 accidentally tapped into a hot water source which eventually evolved into the Calistoga Sparking Mineral Water Co. (If only my Grandmother had bought those 6 brown and white striped cabins right on Foothill Boulevard at Lincoln Avenue back in the 50's...)

As I have wandered beyond my familial spots, I have come to love the adjacent Anderson Valley even more than the Napa Valley. I suppose it's due mostly to throng of crowds and the hype Napa now receives, compared to the quite Napa I remember as a child. Anderson Valley, on the other hand, is unhurried and relatively untouched, even today. I feel like I can travel back in time and enjoy the peacefulness of the rolling hills and vast Oak woodlands dotting them. Plus their wine tastes better! 

And here's a little hidden secret, there is an 11mile stretch of Highway 128 driving from Anderson Valley west to the Ocean in Mendocino County where you will enjoy the most glorious drive through Redwoods all the way to the waters edge. Lined with a second growth redwood grove, the drive through the natural tunnel of trees is simply majestic  The air is so pure, you'll want to bottle it! 

Redwood Groves

Since lumber mills heavily logged 95% of California's redwood forest, second and third growth redwoods, which are the saplings that grow out of the stumps of the original growth, are less than 100 years old. Still the resiliency of this majestic tree is astounding and unless you have a discerning eye for old growth redwoods, the drive will still be awe-inspiring.

Following the the curves of the river, at the end of this green and red wild coast drive, you end up where the mouth of the Navarro River meets the Pacific Ocean. The first time I encountered this amazing drive and its reward of the vast open Ocean, I was truly humbled. I also quickly became fascinated with the ecology and interaction between the river and the open ocean. How did plants and animals exist in a partly fresh partly salty environment? How did things co-exsist? Wouldn't the salt overpower any fresh water it encountered? How far does the tide influence the estuary?

I had the opportunity to stay at Navarro River Beach Campground for several days a while back and had a chance to ponder these very questions. The campground itself is primitive at best with no running water, no shade or wind protection. I was completely open to the elements. Also a part of the Navarro River Redwood State Park, I could have stayed at the slightly more comfortable Paul Dimmick Wayside Campground up the river but the opportunity to camp on a beach was too overpowering. Watching the powerful ocean waves break up an into the fresh water tributary was awesome. 

Where Fresh and Salt Water Meet

This intersection, I came to understand, actually did support a wide variety of wildlife including Salmon, Steelhead, Navarro Roach, Threespine Stickleback, California Sea Lions, Harbor Seals and my personal favorites, the industrious North American River Otter. Sheep and Cattle also graze on the nearby grasslands, specifically near the headwaters.

I was particularly fascinated by the Navarro Lagoon which is a large sand bar that separates the river from the ocean. Although I later learned that this very lagoon was rarely seen before sediment build up and water diversion began in the 1980's. The degradation of this fresh water tributary has lead to the decline in many of the fish populations.

David Foster, a fishing guide on the Navarro River for generations, expressed his observations in an interview with Hillary Adams, the founder and Honorary President of Navarro-by-the Sea Center back in 1995: "In my opinion, the most important thing that has affected the Salmon and the Steelhead in the Navarro is water diversions upstream. I have actually seen the River go down since then. I mean suddenly down and then back up again".

North American River Otters

My stay at th river was greatly enhanced by the discover of burrows created the the North American River Otter which they had built further up in the Navarro River Estuary. I happened upon one in a very dense thicket and was happily surprised to see a small hut like structure built out of sticks and debris. Call me a city girl but I had never see anything like it before!

These burrows sparked my interest and prompted me to create a photographic study of these structural habitats.  Patterns in nature fascinate me and these creatures meticulously constructed some of the most interesting free form configurations I had ever seen.

Navarrow River Watershed

The watershed is the largest coastal basin in Mendocino County, closely traversed by Highway 128. Now a days, the focus in on clean water and reducing sediment deposit. Ranching and timber production have accelerated erosion causing a direct increase in sediment buildup. The Navarro Watershed Restoration Plan was established in 1998 to address these issues and to stem the damage that has been cause in the just the past 25 years.

If we take a cue from the redwood trees, the negative impact humans have had on our environment can be rectified and recovered from. It just takes time and real effort to change our ways. Luckily we have finally seen that our imprint has a ripple effect and that we have begun to tread more lightly upon the earth.

When you find yourself in this neck of the world, enjoy a visual feast and drive down to Navarro-by-the Sea!

Julie Pavlowski Green
Saturday, October 12, 2013