The Coastal Trail Expedition 2003 is moving south!
Our first Del Norte morning was glorious with only a gentle breeze off the Pacific to cool us from the warm sun. Our morning chores completed and our camping gear stowed away on the vans roof rack, we drove the two miles from camp at Clifford Klamph Memorial Park to the border itself, assembling first under the welcoming sign for California. Then, after a short walk to the beach, a symbolic border line was drawn in the sand. We all stepped over that line and into our future: almost 4 months of walking south and almost four months of enjoying the California Coastal Trail and opportunities to meet trail and environmental advocates along the way.
Our first such meeting was with Donna Thompson of Crescent City who had come up to the border especially to meet us along with her dog Tomodachi.
Our guide for the day was Katie Seward, a Crescent City high school student, who with her mother, Diane, has been a long time Coastwalk volunteer in Del Norte County. Katie currently serves on Coastwalk’s Board of Directors. For the first several hours, we walked along broad sandy and pebbly beaches, often protected by large offshore stacks. Then, after climbing an immense rocky promontory we came to the mouth of the Smith River, where we were ferried across the mouth by two expert rowing guides in aluminum river boats. Finally, after 10 miles of wonderful walking, we were met by Mel and the van for the shuttle to our campsite. (Jon; Photos by Linda Hanes)