Celebrate the Coast 2023

The Point Arena Lighthouse, Friends of the Point Arena-Stornetta Lands, City of Point Arena and Mendocino College, in association with the Ukiah office of the Bureau of Land Management, will present Celebrate the Coast on Saturday, May 6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  This event is intended to celebrate the Point Arena-Stornetta Unit of the California Coastal National Monument and educate visitors about the varied features and sights it offers.  Celebrate the Coast activities will start at both the the Point Arena Lighthouse, located at 45500 Lighthouse Road just north of Point Arena, and Point Arena City Hall, 451 School Street.

At the Point Arena Lighthouse, Jamie Hall, Research Associate for the Greater Farallones Association, Beach Watch program, will have a bird and whale watching station set up with sighting scopes and binoculars and will help guest identify the birds and whales they see and answer any questions they have about them, along with information on the Marine Protected Areas (MPA) that border the Light Station.

The Marine Mammal Center of Sausalito will have its rescue truck on display (unless they get a distressed animal call) and an information table about the amazing work they do.

Inside the Fog Signal Building in the Whale Watch Room Mendonoma Whale & Seal Study founders Scott and Tree Mercer will share their knowledge of the many marine mammals that frequent or pass by our peninsula and the results of their annual gray whale migration surveys.

Allan Hogle & Astrid Ruhrmann of THE FARM will be offering waffles, including gluten-free, and assorted organic sweet and savory baked goods for sale in the Fog Signal Building.  They will also have freshly brewed organic, free trade Point Arena Lighthouse Blend coffee from Little Green Bean.

Children 16 and under will also be able to choose from a wide variety of kites at 25% off in the Lighthouse Gift Store that can be flown on the Lighthouse grounds (BLM regulations do not allow kites on the Lands).

The Mendocino College Coastal Field Station will also be holding an open house in conjunction with Celebrate the Coast between 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. The Celebrate the Coast shuttle bus will include the Field Station as one of its stops.  It can also be reached by hiking about 1 mile from the trailhead at the “Bend in the Road” on Lighthouse Road, or from the trailhead just south of the intersection of Highway 1 and Lighthouse Road.

Point Arena City Hall will be the starting point for a Guided Bird and Native Plant Walk @ 10 a.m.  It will also have a Celebrate the Coast Information Table and Food Booth and Beverage Station.  Free parking is available at City Hall, and it is one of the four stops that the free shuttle bus service will make.  The other locations are Mendocino College Field Station, “Bend in the Road” northern Lands trailhead and the Point Arena Light Station.  Shuttle service will run from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Please join us for the celebration of the fantastic, scenic, mysterious, rugged and gorgeous Point Arena-Stornetta Unit of the California Coastal National Monument and explore its amazing history, geology, flora and fauna!