An hour north of San Francisco there is a quaint little fishing village known as Shelter Cove. The town is a hidden natural treasure of coastal views and giant redwood trees where dogs roam free like they are the law enforcement. Maybe they are, as the town is so isolated due to its location on the coast of the Pacific it's an hour past the Cove's only store, a traditional general store, into the next town. We were Fortune enough to be invited with our friends, the Berras to fly in their new Cirrus SR22 to the Lost Coast. The Lost Coast is an affectionate nickname given to Shelter Cove by the locals due to the ability of the town to keep its non-commercialized charm. The town wants to remain lost. There are a handful of family-owned restaurants that are the stage for local gatherings.
The Inn at the Lost Coast
In the mornings, we sipped coffee and experienced the scene. The lady who owned the coffee shop gleamed with warmth and generosity. She gave a free coffee to a tattered man who played a little wooden pipe with his wolf dog by his side sitting on a stool at the front porch of the coffee shop. In my mind, I observed with enjoyment and secretly named the dog, White Fang. He seemed to be the mayor of dog town. Dog town was my own affectionate name I gave to Shelter Cove because everyone had their dogs with them wherever we went.
We headed to Black Sands beach 3 miles from the Inn in our courtesy shuttle. Duncan asked the lady at the front desk about putting a few dollars of gas in the shuttle and she handed him a $20 bill and apologized it was on low fuel. We were amazed at the trust given to a complete stranger. The kindness continued as we arrived to the beach. We observed some sweet older women in fire rescue shirts repainting the fire lane that some disrespectful tourists had parked in. Duncan and I both looked at each and thought they are getting towed, instead they just taped a sign to their window telling them not to do it next time. My heart smiled. It made me want to be a nicer person too. The idea of a town without police and grandmas as volunteer fire fighters. We spent the afternoon climbing on the rocks, visiting with our friends, and sitting in the warm sand.
Black Sand Beach
There wasn't a bad seat in the entire town. Whether you were taking in the smell of salty ocean air, listening to the waves crash against the rocky cliffs like a heavenly lullaby, or being one with nature basking in the sunlight observing the seal culture flopping around napping on the rocks of the tidepools.
The tidepools and the lighthouse were my favorite. The Medicino lighthouse is the town centerpiece and a gateway to the tidepools. A short hike down the cliff there was a world of corral, aquatic life, crabs, and the seals swimming and sunbathing framed by a crystal clear aqua backdrop. Beautiful was an understatement. I felt exhilarated, humbled, proud.
