BBQ Oysters, and other highlights of the northern california coast

Skip and I spent the last few days exploring the northern CA coast via Route 1. We made it up to Mendocino county, and the drive was beautiful. Most of the coast that we saw is surprisingly unspoiled by development because of the sheer cliffs jutting up against the ocean. All our pics can be found here.

Nearest to San Francisco is Muir Beach. The beach is set against a wildlife preserve and nestled between two sheer cliffs. The beach itself isn't very long, but it was packed with picnickers, swimmers, and even a few horseback riders. Trails near the beach take you up the side of the cliffs and connect up with the California Coastal Trail. The views are spectacular, and over the southern cliff you see a view of Pirate's Bay.


We camped one night near Point Reyes, a peninsula historically populated mostly by dairy farms. As we made our way along the peninsula, the weather changed dramatically from hot and sunny to cool and misty. We did part of a hike along the western tip of Point Reyes, and there was so much fog you could only see maybe a hundred feet in front of you. Then we went to the southern tip to Point Reyes Lighthouse, and down on the rocks at the base of the cliff we saw many many sea lions, whose cries echoed along the cliffs. Ar! Ar! Ar! They are small in this picture, but you can see them if you look closely in the rocks. They look kind of like slugs from this distance.

The next day we camped in Caspar, CA. We saw miles of bright sunny beaches, and hiked around Point Cabrillo Lighthouse where we found more sea lions. Inside the lighthouse are displays of the intricate architectural plans used to build the lighthouse, and stories about and artifacts from the wreck of the Frolic, that had been carrying Chinese goods to San Francisco in 1850. Near Caspar is Russian Gulch, a huge park with beaches, trails, and a sink hole near the sea named "Devil's Punchbowl" which apparently spits huge streams of water during storms. Even on a sunny day it looked menacing. It's amazing ships were able to navigate at all around the sharp craggy cliffs.

When driving through Caspar the breeze blows the most wonderful smell into the car: it's a mix of desert (sage, sand) and northwest (sun-baked pine needles).

And finally, BBQed oysters may sound questionable, but they are delicious. We stopped at Bodega Bay on the ride back home and had lunch at the Two Crows Roadhouse. Everything was amazing: the best fish & chips and best clam chowder I've ever had, plus the unexpectedly delicious BBQed oysters. The atmosphere at Two Crows is pretty laid back and unpretentious- I half expected grandma to emerge from the kitchen and give a few yuppies a scolding.