It's hard to believe we're getting closer to the end of our workamping adventure in Mendocino. Another six weeks and we'll be heading home. The summer went by quickly. This Labor Day weekend was was crazy busy at the lighthouse as it was the last summer vacation hurrah for many visitors with kids going back to school after the holiday.
The weather here has been spectacular for the most part and we've even grown to love the moodiness of the fog, which can roll in from shore at any given time of the day. Often times we'll get a thick fog in the morning, which then burns off in the afternoon. Sometimes it hangs around all day. But that's life on the coast.
We were fortunate, though, to have clear blue skies on two recent excursions we took in the town of Fort Bragg.
Skunk Train Rail Bikes
One of the most notable and historical points of interest in Fort Bragg is the California Western Railroad, popularly known as the "Skunk Train." The railway began operation in 1885 to transport logs from the woods to the mill in Fort Bragg, where they were processed into lumber and shipped to San Francisco by steamship. The train also transported families and workers to and from the various logging camps along the route.
In 1925, the train transitioned from steam locomotives to self-propelled rail cars. Locals started calling them "skunks" due to the pungent odor produced by the gasoline engine and oil-burning potbellied stove on board and the name stuck.
Today, the Skunk Train is a popular tourist attraction that offers rides through old-growth redwood groves. In addition to train rides, the rail operator also offers rail bike trips, which we opted to take instead of the train. It was a good choice.
The two-person rail bikes are electric powered and work similarly to e-bikes. Once we were out of the town of Fort Bragg, we headed into the redwoods and began to wend our way along the Pudding Creek Estuary, which was once used as log storage by the Union Lumber Company, holding up to 20 million board feet of timber at one point. Today, it is a wildlife area, home to blue herons, egrets, turtles, deer (called "wood dogs" by our tour guides), and many other animals.
We stopped for an hour at Glen Blair Junction, a former lumbering community from 1885 to 1928. The sawmill discontinued operation in 1925 and the town was abandoned. The Skunk Train operators built a train platform and large pergola there where you can picnic, down a mug of brew or glass of wine at the bar, and/or take a hike in the redwoods.
The entire trip took a couple of hours and was well worth the price.
Noyo Harbor Tour
Fort Bragg sits above Noyo Harbor. It is an active fishing and boating harbor that supports both commercial and sport fishing and crabbing operations.
One day, we decided to check out the harbor via a boat tour. Noyo Harbor Tours is operated by Captain Dan Platt, who has been a commercial fisherman for 35 years. He is extremely knowledgeable about the workings of the harbor.
We booked a private tour and met Captain Dan at Dolphin Isle Marina where he docks his 18-foot electric boat. This is such a great way to tour the waters and check out the beautiful scenery, watch harbor seals play and dive, say hello to some very loud sea lions, and take in the teeming bird life.
It was an absolutely beautiful morning on the river. We enjoyed the gentle and relaxing cruise around the harbor and a great conversation with Captain Dan. He told us about fishing and the fishing industry at Noyo Harbor, and talked about the boats and his fellow fishermen and women.
We hadn't realized that salmon fishing has been banned in California for the past two seasons as a result of the declines in the salmon population due to drought, climate change, and water diversions. Sadly, many of the commercial salmon fishers in the harbor have been forced to find other ways to make a living.
Add comment
Comments
Loving the adventures you are taking the time to have, on top of the adventure of glamp-hosting :-) I hope that we get to see you over the holidays.
Have safe and more fun travels.
We’re thinking we’ll be staying home lat-Nov & Dec. So we’ll make it a point to see you guys!
Souonds like you ae still having fn. Hope you plan to come home for a while. I miss your smiling faces.
Seeing a lot of my big family as they all try to get here before my 95th. Even I think that is very old.
Enjoy the rest of your stay. Char
Wow, Char! Congrats on another big milestone!
Loving these insider tips. Come home and we’ll break bread soon!
Great adventures, glad you’re having fun. Looking forward to Paso in November. Cheers
Oh good! Another blog post from you guys!! I really want to do the rail ride now. That looks like so much fun. What are you plans now that your work-stay is coming to an end? Will we see you in the desert soon? Safe travels!
We’re thinking of being there in the new year. We just need to lock down our reservations.
Thanks for sharing. Have been wanting to do that train bike tour so will keep it in the list for a future trip.
So glad you've had a positive experience this summer.
B
Good one! So glad you’re liking it there and hope you’ll be back next summer for more laughs at the coast.
Hugs,
Sharon
It’s kind of funny that we’re spending more time together here than in Jackson. Looking forward to seeing you guys, again.
The two person rail bike sounds like the ticket as was the private harbor tour. glad your having fun ,
as usual
Funny how we can spend so many years in CA. and still not see everything. We were there 18 years and never got to that area but did take the train in Perris and Santa Cruz and went to crater lake and Yosemite.
Wally, I get it. We’ve visited a number of lighthouses and we’ve stayed in Fort Bragg a number of times. But our very first visit to this one was this summer as volunteers.