Friday 5th October

We drove through more forests for a couple of hours today, leaving Highway 101 for the start of Highway 1 which follows the coast. Our first view of the Pacific Ocean today was here. 

Looking down the coast we saw lower cliffs and more wild flowers.

Our first stop was to visit Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens.
www.gardenbythesea.org
They are well set out and in a stunning location.

This is the view from the wilder end of the gardens at Cliff House which is a sheltered viewing area.

We are staying in Fort Bragg and enjoy a good view Pudding Creek Trestle, the local boardwalk, from our room.

We spent the later part of the afternoon exploring MacKerricher State Park. The plants growing over the dunes are full of colour.

The colour of the sea was even brighter and a deeper blue than shown here.

We were able to get down to rockpools where the water was absolutely clear and there were tiny fish in some.

At Laguna Point there is a seal watching station and the harbour seals duly arrived while we were there.