June 12, 2008 On the beautiful Coast Highway to Fortuna, CA

After I left Newport, I drove down Highway 101 to Fortuna.  

Sand dunes and broom

Port Orford

On the way, I passed through Port Orford, where there is a huge sea stack where, in 1851 a small group of men were dropped off to start a settlement.  The local tribe (Qua-to-mah) attacked the settlers and quite a battle transpired.  Twenty-three or more natives died and two of the settlers were wounded.  The sea stack was eventually named “Battle Rock”. 

Battle Rock

Sea views at Port Orford

Sea views, Highway 101

Sea Views

As I passed through Gold Beach, I crossed over a very interesting bridge over the Rogue River – the Isaac Lee Patterson Bridge.  It is a concrete arch bridge with strong Art Deco influences built in about 1930.  It was designed by an Oregon bridge designer and highway engineer (McCulloch). 

In order to avoid problems with concrete shrinkage that had plagued concrete arch bridges in the past, McCullough used a method of pre-tensioning the arches during construction using hydraulic jacks, using sixteen 250-ton jacks, enough to work with two arch panels at a time. This was the first usage of the technique in the United States.

Patterson Bridge over Rogue River

A little further along the shore, I came across a rather striking derelict tugboat.  Although I did not know it at the time, the old tug has quite a history.  It is called the Mary D Hume and dates from the 1880s.  It first hauled good between Oregon and San Francisco, then as a whaler in Alaska and finally as a tugboat.  She originally sunk in 1985.  While efforts have been made to preserve her, none have been successful and she is slowly deteriorating on the shore. 

Mary D. Hume, Gold Beach, CA

Sea stacks

Sea views

As I entered California, Highway 101 became the Redwood Highway which has (per Wikipedia), the world’s tallest and only extensive preserves of virgin, old-growth coast redwood trees.  

Paul Bunyan and his big ox Blue, Trees of Mystery, CA

Once in the forest, it was as though you could feel the earth breathing with life.  Just after Crescent City, I entered the Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, which has been designed to provide excellent and safe viewing of Roosevelt elk.  

Roosevelt Elk

It was such a beautiful place and I thank Dorothy and Bill for suggesting I take a little detour on my journey to see these magnificent creatures. 

I then carried on down the coast for a bit and saw more wonderful views.

Freshwater Rocks, Orick, CA

Sea views

I stayed overnight in Fortuna, CA where they have an interesting outdoors store (where I was able to buy a water purification system I have been looking for for some time).  I stayed at the Super 8 and had a bite to eat at the Eel River Brew Pub, just a short walk away from the hotel.