Sunset in Mendocino
Moments of true loveliness
Oh sunset, sunset. Such a lovely time of day. Yes, we may have already written at least once about that golden hour when the sun starts to slowly sink into the sea. And yes, we’re writing about it again. We’re sorry if it seems repetitive (although only sort of…) - it’s just that we can’t get enough of it! It has been such a clear summer and fall this year that we’ve had weeks and weeks of gorgeous moments of eventide glory. And as the fog and clouds of winter start to make their presence known once again, we have been treasuring even more every single beautiful glow that we are lucky enough to see.
The most stunning afterglow, right across from the inn.
A few weeks ago, we were heading out from the inn one evening and got pulled up short by the most stunning orange afterglow hovering over the waters directly across from our driveway. We sat at the stop sign down there for a good couple of minutes, mouths basically hanging open, as we stared. Then we shook ourselves into action and zipped across the highway to the lookout point right there to try and capture the amazing picture in front of us. Of course, the photo never does the moment full justice, but still, whenever we look back at that snapshot, we feel the awe welling up inside of us that we felt as we stood out in the evening breeze, leaning against the fence as we gazed out in wonder.
Watching the sun set off the Coastal Trail in Fort Bragg
Not too long after that, we were going for an evening walk with friends along the Coastal Trail north of Glass Beach up in Fort Bragg. We happened to head back just before the sun actually set, but the pre-show was still utterly lovely – the sun was just peaking out from below the overhanging clouds, making the gently rolling waves sparkle. The rugged cliffs of the trail plus the subtle turquoise of the waters, the dove grey swells of cloud plus the crisscrossing footprints on the sand of the beach below all combined into the quintessential picture of evening rest and quiet.
The beginning of sunset on Mendocino Bay, looking out from the Headlands trail. Can you see the surfers?
Then just last week, we decided to get in a power walk around the Mendocino Headlands one night after getting off work. As we did the full three-mile circuit of the trail, we got to watch the full progression of the sunset, from that first warm gentling of light to the bright flash of the sun’s final descent to the fiery orange afterglow that continued to illuminate our way back to the end. We rounded the northern end of the trail and looked back one last time before taking the path up behind the high school – the last few glimmers of light faded before us, and all was calm. We breathed deeply and filled our lungs with the cool, shadowy scents of damp grass and sleeping flowers, of ocean mist and freshly scuffed dirt. And it was perfect.
Coming up on the show from across the Headlands.
Almost any place along the coast here in Mendocino is great for watching the sun go down. The Main Deck at the inn, the Mendocino Headlands, Big River Beach, Jughandle Beach, the Coastal Trail, the Point Cabrillo Light Station… weather permitting, of course!
One final look back along the Mendocino Headlands
Words and pictures by Laura Hockett