After about six weeks in Jackson, we once again packed up the motor home and the pups, and hit the road to begin our next adventure, this time in Mendocino, California.
For those unfamiliar with Mendocino, it is a tiny coastal village (population ~930) about 150 miles north of San Francisco that has been frequently rated as the "Most Picturesque Town" by Sunset Magazine.
It is the only town on the California Coast that is designated as an historical landmark and is very reminiscent of Maine with its Victorian homes and Saltbox cottages. In fact, one of Mendocino's claims to fame is that a number of episodes of the TV series Murder She Wrote, with Angela Lansbury, were filmed there depicting the fictitious town of Cabot Cove where amateur sleuth Jessica Fletcher solved crimes.
Mendocino's is surrounded on all three sides by the Mendocino Headlands coastal bluffs with towering redwood forests as its backdrop. The village itself is geared towards tourism with its art galleries, shops, museums, and restaurants.
We highly recommend you visit this area if you've never been. It's been a favorite destination of ours for many years and we consider ourselves truly fortunate that we will be here for an extended stay.
Point Cabrillo Light Station State Historic Park
For the next five months, our motor home will be parked on site in Point Cabrillo Light Station State Historic Park, where will be workamping. Located four miles north of the town of Mendocino, the park is 296 acres on a spectacular headland and features the lighthouse and other historic buildings as well as walking trails where you can take in a wide array of wildlife and wildflowers and gorgeous views of the Pacific and rocky coastline.
Built in 1909, the lightstation consists of the lighthouse itself, three light keepers residences, two storage buildings, a blacksmith and carpentry shop, and an oil house. The park also has a replica of a farmhouse from the 1850s that serves as the park's visitor center.
The lighthouse sits on a bluff 50 feet above the sea. Our motor home is parked about a half mile from the lighthouse near the park's entrance.
The Job
A couple of days after settling in, we began our lighthouse docent training with Jen Lewis, the park's volunteer coordinator. Prior to arriving, we spent some time reading about the park's history. Anne Marie made flashcards to aid in learning names and dates. So while we had some knowledge going into the job, there is still much to learn.
The first floor of the lighthouse consists of a museum and gift shop, which is where we spent our first few work shifts. We learned the point-of-sale system, walked around and read the exhibits, and listened to Jen as she talked with visitors.
We were then set loose to practice our docent skills. Ten days later we're feeling quite a bit more comfortable with our talking points.
The Fresnel Lens
One of the main topics we talk about is the Fresnel (pronounced fray-nel) lens, the heart of the lighthouse, that flashes light 14 miles out to sea. Invented by French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel, the lens has been called "the invention that saved a million ships.” The four-sided bullseye lens has a total of 90 glass prism pieces and weighs 6,800 pounds. It is beautiful.
And if it sounds like we're becoming lighthouse geeks...we are.
The Frolic
The other big topic is the Frolic, which was on its way from China to San Francisco when it struck a reef just north of Point Cabrillo in 1850 and sank. The ship has been dubbed “the most significant shipwreck on the west coast” by historians at the San Francisco Maritime Museum because it indirectly led to the discovery of the redwood forest, which then led to the advent of the timber trade along the Mendocino coast. Mendocino itself was initially founded in 1852 as a logging community.
As the lumber industry took off, the number of ships hauling vast amounts of wood to San Francisco for construction during the Gold Rush and for rebuilding San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake increased by leaps and bounds...and so did the number of shipwrecks along that part of the treacherous coastline. Hence the construction of the Point Cabrillo Lightstation.
Our Cup of Tea
So are we enjoying this job more than our workamping gig in Mesa last winter? Yes, we are. Way more. The serenity and beauty of the area and the job itself are far more appealing than climbing ladders and crawling behind sofas to install antennas and routers. We love being by the sea rather than living in a sea of RVs and manufactured homes. Go figure.
We are still pinching ourselves that we get to be in such an amazingly beautiful place doing what we're doing. Life is good.
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Nice post. Love Mendocino / Ft. Bragg area. Hiking those headlands in the fog is a lovely way to spend a morning, and makes for very atmospheric photos.
Bob, Now that we’re acclimated, we are looking forward to checking out all of the state park hikes in the area.
Hi, Cliff and Ann Marie. Glad you guys are enjoying Mendocino. How could anyone not fall in love with the area! Cliff, did you take the photo above of the sea spray and the cliff with the lighthouse on the right? If so, can I paint it?
He Deb, Sorry, we don’t remember the source for that pic. The one looking at the lighthouse keepers’ cottages was mine and you are free to use that, as well as the ones I posted on my FB page, plus any future ones.
Again a wonderful read and great pictures! The Mendocino coast is a beautiful place. We only once made the trip there together and can't wait to visit and enjoy the serenity and beauty on our next trip.
Surprised you’ve only made it here, once. But then again, Bodega Bay offered a much quicker getaway for you Sebastopolians.
Oh how wonderful!! I love that lighthouse and have taken the tour. Your right its stunning in that area! Will be up that way in September.
We’ll still be here!
So happy to see you can add another category to your “Supreme Nerd” column. Have fun.
😆
It could be time for us to get vests with all of our nerd badges on them… 😉
Great update, and of course we couldn’t agree more about the area. You may be wondering why we didn’t pop in on your first day to ask a lot of annoying questions. My back decided to pinch a nerve, and we had to stay in Jackson this month try to get a diagnosis. Slipped vertebrae. Not fun. We did end up coming to Portland and Bend for ten days, though, and the pain subsided a couple days ago to almost nothing. Wahoo, and holding our breath it’ll stay that way!
Anyway, we should be up there and able to harass you a bit around June 21. Hopefully!!
So glad you’re having fun!
Glad you are on the mend! We look forward to the harassment. 😆
Yep, I think you miss Maine? My first blog, keep up the good work.
This is a lot like Maine, but without black flies, noseeums, and big snowstorms. We do miss some people in Maine (you and yours, included), but not so much Maine itself.
In the 18 years we lived in CA. can only remember going north of SF twice so I know we never stopped here. But there was so much to see in CA. Glad you are enjoying your travels.
I knew this gig would be much more interesting & rewarding than Mesa.
Your descriptions & writing, are again beautifully done. Hope to visit you sometime this summer👍
We hope so, too! Come up midweek, as our shifts tend to be Fri-Mon.
The best $$ deal around is staying in one of the cottages next to the lighthouse. The one in the link below is pet friendly, as are all the grounds (leash required). Can you live without TV and internet for a couple of days? 🙂
https://www.mendocinovacations.com/houses/point-cabrillo-lighthouse-west-cottage
Wow! That looks so awesome. You both have settled in nicely. I remember when we were there with you a couple of years ago and I loved the area as well. Plus, I was a huge Murder She Wrote fan so that was fun as well. What a beautiful place to spend the summer. We miss you guys.
We miss you as well! Hopefully, we’ll see you on your way back south. If not, we’ll definitely see you in Paso.
This sounds great!
Awwwe, life is az it sbould be for you two. Super glad that you are loving it. We just returned to Sac from our Europe trip - and a nice weekend in the rv with Mylo and visiting for a lighthouse tour with our favorite docents sounxs great already 😘
Ennoy!!!
That would great! Book early.
“Ennoy” = Enjoying annoying people? 😉
Looks great, I will be up there the first week of August camping at Albion. I will try to coordinate with you while I am there. Have fun !
Look forward to it, Mike!
So happy for you guys! Wonderfully written blog that could be the foundation for a brochure there! Thanks so sharing and have a terrific summer.
Happy 29th, B! 🙂