Pacific Coast Highway California - Point Arena Lighthouse- Mendocino

The start to the day was cool and crisp as Rosie and the Operator headed up the coast on State Highway 1, the road was ours and we cruised along enjoying the mighty view of the Pacific Ocean as the mist lifted and the day warmed up.

The speed limit on the road was marked at 55mph but were were struggling to maintain that as the road hugged the rugged coastline.For having the most outstanding coastal views there was very little development along the road, houses and towns were sparse, any new places that were built had to have a ‘weathered’ exterior to match the weather beaten look of the area…saying that, all day there was not a breathe of wind, it was so still. The telltale bent over trees that are common tells of the West Coast ferocious wind on our island were no where to be seen. It was a beautiful autumn 65F

We turned into the spit where the Port Arena lighthouse is located, during the two mile drive, in the scrubby dry grass was a family of wild deer grazing in the morning sun. Rosie has seen, confirmed and validated this wildlife sighting.

The lighthouse was first built in 1887, it completely fell down in 1908 during the big quake,

it was promptly rebuilt because prior to its construction they were averaging one ship wreck a day. Shipping was prolific along this coast due to the gold and silver rushes, also redwood logging was experiencing a boom time and the ships navigated along the coast. This point is also the closest to Hawaii and Asia. The light house was built on the San Andreas fault line which forced a spiny, rocky reef up from the seabed which was the cause of the carnage. The visitors centre is lovely and quaint, there were not hoards of people there so you could wander and take your time in the museum. You climbed the 147 steps to the top and the views were worth the vertigo. The view and the tour was very impressive all for $7.50, it was a lovely 3/4 of an hour.

All told we only drove for 4.5 hours today, this included plenty of stops and was very relaxed. We stopped for the day in the beautiful seaside village of Mendocino, this town is small, yet perfectly formed, perched on a headland jutting out into the sea. The Victorian/New England style homes and shops are pristine and the whole town is listed on the Historic Places Register. To the left is the main street and the photo to the right is a typical yard, where every one looks like a chocolate box cover and this house was three streets away from the main drag!

The town is unusual in the fact that most houses still have their old water supply towers, all sit in the back yards and some are still the original skeleton structures with the barrel on top while others have been modified by enclosing the structure to make lodgings or sleep outs.

The town itself has served as a backdrop for over 50 movie shoots in its time, there is no cellphone coverage and the big chain stores are not welcome here! All have been refused entry in order to keep the town the perfect romantic getaway, there is not a place you can stand in Mendocino where you cant hear the breaking surf. We found the most beautiful place ever to stay. The Alegria http://www.oceanfrontmagic.com/ – which means the state of being joyful and happy – add a state of bliss and it is perfect, check out the room and the view.

The service was impeccable and so friendly, I am gutted we didn’t stay for breakfast but the 9.00am start was too leisurely for us, shame. The proprietor Elaine did offer to get up early and bake us some scones for the road….we foolishly declined. So sweet though. Rosie and The Operator sat on the deck till sunset, smelling the sweet aroma of jasmine wafting in from the garden, listening to the surf crash and watching hummingbirds sip nectar from the flowers ( verified sighting as well ) whilst we sipped an icy cold Sav Blanc and feasting on organic deli delights (I keep saying, this is California, everything seems to be organic). Was a beauty of a day, one to be remembered for a long time.