Fort Bragg

Yo!We spent a couple days in Fort Bragg, about three hours north. It's a small charming beach town with local shops and friendly locals that seem to get lots of visitors. We mainly hung at the beaches searching for critters in tide pools, basking in sea glass, and enjoying the formations of the seascape. I only got to paint during our down time in the hotel, instead I took many photos. I'll be doing small studies in the coming weeks.

Tried our luck to find starfish, but ended up with a fish head that washed up shore. It was rubbery and surprisingly heavy according to SLS. We also found small crabs and mussels. 

gouache in moleskine sketchbook

Hung out at the harbor where local fishermen park their boats, grub, and sell their catchings from the shore. There were plenty of places to eat that served the regular fish & chips, chowder, and things. I enjoy the rickety old boats that sit by the dock. The harbor also housed stray cats, some were domesticated that kept the fishermen company. Somehow it fits, cat and fish. Not so much seagull and fish like the little dude down here. 

Lunch

We left during the heatwave in the Bay Area. I heard in some areas it reached the 90s and 100s. It only got to high 70s, low 80s in FB. The locals say that it's cool and usually foggy during this time of September, instead they were getting some of the heat. We were fortunate enough to see some of the fog rolling in from the coast. It added some spooky mystery to the small town. 

The picture above is a trail along glass beach. The fog started creeping in and this reminded me of a desolate landscape of some sci-fi film. The vast muted area paired well with the fog and the trashcans that look like little pods or droids.

sea glass from Glass Beach

Ocean View Cemetery

Town in Fog

gouache in moleskine sketchbook

The massive seascape of Fort Bragg/Mendocino is nothing short of magnificent. On top of the cliffs, you get an endless view of the coast and waves crashing against the rock formations docked at sea. There are a whole lot of trails that take you through different vantage points. I'd like to spend a couple more days going through it to really soak it in. I can see why people like to just sit in one spot for hours. You really can't go to one area and say, "on to the next!" Each offers a view and experience you can't escape from nor can get enough of.