The North Jetty of Samoa, California (Nature Shots)

This is the second segment to my blog about the Samoa Peninsula. The last blog focused on the history of the Samoa Dunes and Beach. But there was so much beauty when going through the area, I had to make a separate blog focusing on all of the breathtaking nature and landscape. 

If you want the history of the area, please read my other blog here: https://www.theskeletonkeyandshe.com/2021/02/the-samoa-dunes-and-beach-overview.html

The parking lot I usually park at is the last parking lot available before you hit the beach. This parking lot is my favorite because it has these beautiful trees all around. The moss reminds me of when I lived in South Carolina. There's also bathrooms here, and bear-proof trash cans. 

I've never camped here, or ridden an ATV on the dunes, but I love the North Jetty immensely. It's a stunning walk to get to the end of the Jetty, which is its' most magnificent feature. The area is also filled with a rich history, and you can see those landmarks all over the place. Then there's the fog horn - every time I've gone here it's been going off. It's a soothing sound and reminds me of nautical ghost stories I used to read and watch growing up. Please read my other blog if you want to hear the fog horn.

I love this area, I got eloped here with my husband. He was joining the navy and in order to stay together, we had to get eloped. So we got a woman from the Humboldt County Courthouse to walk with us all the way out to the end, and marry us. We eventually had a big ceremony about a year later, but this was a special, small event for us to cherish. 

I thought I'd show anyone who reads this blog some nature photos of the beach, so you can see its' magic too. 

On this particular adventure to the Jetty, I went with a coworker and friend of mine. We walked up onto this part of the Jetty. We heard a fair amount of of seals around us, but didn't see any. We're still a fair distance away from the end.

A view of the rocks from faraway.

They're actually doing a project right now where they're adding more rocks to reinforce the Jetty.

By definition, a jetty is "a breakwater constructed to protect or defend a harbor, stretch of coast, or riverbank." 

If you skim through these top four photos quickly, you can see the action of a wave coming down the rocks and creating the pool.

Waves on rocks, with mist and mountains in the background.

(My favorite photo of the day was the one right above this text)

The waves at the Jetty can get huge - they can even take the local seagulls by surprise. 

A view of where we just walked from. There are parts of the Jetty that have gaping holes (a picture of that to come later), so you have to walk on the beach. From the parking lot to the end of the Jetty, there's a big curve of the Jetty you walk along (or beside) until it turns straight, then it's a straight-shot to the end. 

A break in the waves - the serene calm of the ocean.

 

It's almost like a long pier -

With dunes on the other side.

Sometimes the grass from the dunes mixes with the pier-like walkway.

This is a small version of the gaps that can be on the path of the Jetty - sometimes they're even bigger. To the point where you can't even go around them, and have to walk down on the sand.

As you can see on our walk, a lot of the place is crumbling and rusted all over. It is a decrepit place in some aspects. This is also a very dangerous place to be when the waves are high. On particular stormy days, many people will be walking along the path, and a wave comes over and pulls them into the ocean. 

Little birds sitting on a rock.

Little birds sitting on the Jetty (they're blended in pretty well).

  

The end of the Jetty - a photo with mist, and one without it. 

Now we're starting to come into the "dolo" section of the Jetty.

The water going through the small rocks, creating a tide pool.

Just a reminder from my last blog: 

"Dolos are made out of concrete and are poured into a steel mold that's shaped almost like an anchor, but others would say they look like those old toys called jacks. They can be as heavy as 80 tons, and they help manage waves in channels like these."

The force of the waves against all of that concrete and steel.

You can see the numbers on the bottom of the dolos. 

  Big birds on the dolos - looking for their breakfast.

Looks like one found something!

A buoy in the water. This reminds me of all the fishermen who come out to the North Jetty to fish. It's a popular spot. 

The waves can get enormous and hit the dolos. The pressure between the two causes a light, sea-salted air to caress your face up here. 

You can also see the buoy in the background. 

This is the perspective when you're at the end of the Jetty, ands you turn around. You've just walked through the pathway of the dolos, and are at a circular opening. There's a small coast guard tower behind you, and giant dolos going around the circular spot. 

It may not seem like it, but to walk from where I parked, to the end of the Jetty, was 1.21 miles (not including the walk back). I put it on a Google Maps for you, but you can see the bundle of trees I parked under, and the entire walk down. And I know, 1.21 miles isn't that much - but when you're climbing down the slope of the Jetty to avoid the gaping holes, then trudging through sand, to climbing back up the slope to get off of the sand (the slope does get lower to the sand the closer you get to the shore), it can be exhausting. 

It's truly a beautiful walk though. With safety in mind, I encourage anyone in this area to go on it for themselves. Go explore the whole area if you can. Just from this photo, you can see the coast guard station, the ATV trails, and the bunkers are camouflaged in here somewhere. There's also the south Jetty too, which I've heard has more sea glass on its' beach. 

If you can't ever make it to the North Jetty, then I hope you enjoyed your virtual walk with me. If you can, please go see this place. It's a beautiful area, filled with waves, fisherman, animals, and life.