Albion Flats Beach
A quiet moment’s escape
A lovely little cove
Do you remember a couple of weeks ago when the staff here at BGI shared all the different spaces and places along the Mendocino coast that they like to go for moments of respite and relaxation? Well, I’m going to add another one to the list this week – the Albion Flats Beach.
About a year ago, I moved into an apartment tucked into the edge of Albion-Little River Road, just a stone’s throw away from the Albion River bridge. Since then, I’ve made a point of regularly meandering down to the beach there to watch the sunset or sunrise and absorb the peace of the waves in the rocky little cove. It’s a pretty short stroll from the outpouring river on one end to the spot where the sand meets the steep rock walls on the other, and yet there is something so serene in that little space. I like to take laps, as it were, measuring my stride from south to north and back again as I let my mind wander. Sometimes, like this morning, I decide to add it on to the tail end of my run as the most peaceful cool down possible.
Turn here!
It was the perfect morning for a good run, coastal fog cooling the air just enough to keep my body temperature down, and the rising sun glinting pink through the uplifted spires of the redwoods along the way. Run almost over and heart rate going strong, I turned the corner on the north side of the Albion River bridge and started the steep downhill incline through the grove of eucalyptus trees to the Albion River Campground. A hairpin turn or two later, and I was down by the campground headquarters and market (where you can rent kayaks for some free-range exploring up the river!). I slipped through the pedestrian gate in the fence and jogged by the slowly awakening campers and drifting smell of early morning coffee on my way to the looming old wooden bridge.
The campground office and market
Soon, I was wading through the short stretch of sandy dunes right below the bridge en route to the water’s edge. The tide was the lowest I had ever seen it out there, exposing algae-encrusted stones and a soggy stretch of shallows. A couple of folks from the campground were out skimming the pebbly sand for sea glass and interesting shells. A heron grated out its harsh call of greeting as it methodically stalked the edge of the shallows closest to the flow of the river and any chance fish. A fishing boat bobbed from side to side out in the harbor, underneath the bright little cottages of the Albion River Inn dotting the cliff on the north side of the cove. I slowed to a walk, pausing every now and again to bend over and comb my fingers through the pebbles in search of unique little treasures or to watch the soft colors of early morning wash over the world around me. As I neared the southern end of the beach, where the river flows under the historic bridge, a scattered line of sea gulls screeched out a good morning as they winged their way on by in search of a sea-faring breakfast.
Low tide always reveals such fun things
By then, my breathing and heart rate had slowed, and all the things I had been wrestling with in my mind had slipped out with the steady flow of the water rushing out to sea. I turned my face towards home. One last glance down through the fringe of eucalyptus on my trek back up the road, one last whiff of campfire from the bucolic little river campground now below me, and I felt ready for whatever the day had to bring.
One last look at the campground through the trees
The Albion River Beach is a great little place to enjoy a moment with the ocean, as long as you aren’t looking for a long walk. If you are looking to get your steps in, try Big River Beach, 10 Mile Beach, Navarro Beach, or Manchester Beach. If you’re more in the mood for a simple stroll and maybe even just to sit and let the sound of the waves wash over you, head south from the inn towards Albion. Just on the north side of the Albion River bridge, follow the sign to the Albion River Campground and take the pavement to the east/left down through the eucalyptus trees. Park at the campground office and walk out through the small campground towards the bridge.
A tenaciously lovely little thing
Guy likes to say that this beach is his favorite place to look for sea glass. I’ve yet to see much of it here, but if you take your time and sift through the pebbles at low tide, you will probably be rewarded with some fun little finds.
Words & pictures by Laura Hockett