Coast Guard 47-footer in harbor
computer crashing and the desk lamp turning off. No harm to either computer but it encouraged us to get out and sightsee today.
Our early wakeup this morning began with a loud alarm from Bob's computer. He had been up and working as is his habit, but the alarm was followed by his
Coast Guard 47-footer in harbor
computer crashing and the desk lamp turning off. No harm to either computer but it encouraged us to get out and sightsee today.
We found an open café and planned our day. We decided to take a drive first and do some in-town sightseeing when it was warmer and when stores would be open. On our earlier stops in Fort Bragg, we had been on the road to somewhere else and never had explored the town. Today we started by driving down to the ocean and finding the harbor, hidden at the base of the seaside cliffs; we found some commercial 
Jewish community in Casparfishing operations and several seafood restaurants and motels.
South from Fort Bragg along the ocean drive we found Caspar, a former logging town and port, now a trim and compact Jewish community. It is unincorporated but is governed by a community board which posts a monthly newsletter on its website. Here is a sample.
The next sight on our list was the Point Cabrillo Light Station, yet the walk to see it was too long and the path too uncertain to tempt us this morning. Still the road along the water was beautiful, the breakers were lovely and the beach areas had 
G-scale model locomotiveattracted several dozen visitors.
The next sight on our list was the Point Cabrillo Light Station, yet the walk to see it was too long and the path too uncertain to tempt us this morning. Still the road along the water was beautiful, the breakers were lovely and the beach areas had attracted several dozen visitors.
Later we found the Van Damme State Park, with its Pygmy Forest preserve. Here, the soil is very
muddy and acidic, and the ocean winds and rains difficult. Pines which elsewhere can be as tall as 80 feet are less than three feet high and spindly, but they still live for decades. We walked on a Sunday boardwalk trail deep into the Pygmy Forest.
Elsa and Bob visit the model RR club
Then it was time to turn back to Fort Bragg. Our next stop was the Model Railroad layout at the Skunk Train Depot. We had taken the Skunk Railroad from Fort Bragg to Willits and back several years ago and enjoyed it; this time we stayed in town. Our host was the renowned ferroequinologist Steven P. Worthen, who gave us a custom tour of the layout as well as VIP parking.
Starting less than ten years ago, the model Railroad Club has taken possession of a large railroad maintenance building adjacent to the Skunk Train and has built a wonderfully complex layout. The G-gauge track and equipment are large enough to be happily viewed throughout the building. The best part is that, while most model railroad clubs build imaginary 
Dahlias in the Mendocino Botanical Garden
layouts to show off their equipment, this club has modeled the original railroads of the area, from the days of logging through present times and including the Skunk Train. Elsa wandered off and found the Club's excellent research library.
After our visit, it was time for lunch and of course we had seafood at the Harbor, where we had a table over the water and enjoyed watching sea otters, ducks, gulls and other ripples and splashes on the water's surface.
Our afternoon activity was a visit to the excellent Mendocino Botanical Garden, where the high spot was the dahlia garden with its many colors of dahlias in full bloom, and the dominant feature was acres of rhododendrons.
We returned to our motel happy and tired from a healthy day out of doors.