After a more than year-long hiatus, one morning in early August, I loaded my stand-up paddleboard (SUP) in the car and drove to Chah-pekw O’ Ket’-toh (Stone Lagoon, Humboldt Lagoons State Park), located on Yurok’s ancestral territory. Fog hovered over the water, but I could see ahead and around me far enough to safely set out.
As I advanced from the water access below the parking lot off U.S. Highway 101 toward the barrier beach that separates the lagoon from the ocean, the fog slowly lifted. It was like the world was created in front of my eyes: Trees, shrubs, reeds materialized out of fog’s ethereal substance. And the landscape gained colors, the various shades of green getting brighter in the increased light. No matter how many times I witness this show, I always observe it in awe.
When I went paddling three weeks later, the fog was no longer queen of the morning. Bands of it contended for space with the clear sky, and the light’s color was warmer. Summer had started giving way to fall.
Ever since my husband and I first kayaked on the lagoon more than 25 years ago, the routine has always been to circumnavigate it counterclockwise, hugging the shore. I am not planning a change, so after my SUP is waterborne, I veer right and keep the shore to my right, eventually returning to the starting point. Besides physical exercise, the repetitive paddling motion soon becomes meditation and an homage to the quiet space often shared only with non-human creatures.
Traffic’s roar from the highway soon subsides and the loudest noise is the dipping of my paddle into the water. I never take for granted this privileged solitude and recognize it as a precious gift.
No two visits are the same, even if the itinerary is. One day, a trio of river otters showed up and swam briefly alongside me. Another day, a squadron of brown pelicans flew past me and joined the rest of the pod on the beach. Great egrets may congregate in the same area or decorate a shoreline tree with their bright white presence.
In my recent visits there was one constant: a great blue heron, always alone, always standing among the reeds. I was never close, but it took off anyway, possibly sensing my presence. I wonder if it was always the same bird.
The slow progress around the lagoon offers varied views as the wooded shore gives way to the barrier beach, the ocean beyond it present but not visible, a sort of guardian angel. As I paddle, I see the sand slowly slide by.
Once I reach the end of the beach, I turn my back to it, and I am accompanied again by trees, including stately Sitka spruce, until, at the south end of the lagoon and close to the conclusion of my circuit, tule reeds prevail. When a breeze is blowing from the ocean, here is where the air movement is stronger and where, if needed, I paddle kneeling for additional balance.
I keep an eye on the bottom to avoid rocks just below the surface and shallow areas, like that at the south end of the beach. If the paddleboard’s fin suddenly catches, I risk losing my balance. I have never fallen into the water and prefer not to change that.
Getting back to shore is always bittersweet. I am glad I completed another tour of the lagoon, soaking up its quiet atmosphere, but I’m sad the interlude is over. On my original visit, in early August, the sadness disappeared quickly when, upon reaching my car, I saw that the visitor center was open.
The renovated and renamed Chah-pekw O’ Ket’-toh “Stone Lagoon” Visitor Center, the first tribally operated visitor center within the California State Park system, was inaugurated on April 7, 2022 (“Our Rightful Place,” April 14, 2022). The spacious site contains digital and conventional displays that reflect the Yurok Tribe’s cultural connection to the lagoon. The displays provide information on a variety of topics, like fishing, and show relevant artifacts, like an iris fiber dip net. There is also a gift shop offering locally sourced and Indigenous-made items.
The visitor center is a strong reason for stopping along your journey, whether your plan involves getting on the water or simply admiring the lagoon and its surroundings. Fall hours are Wednesday-Sunday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. I recommend checking the Chah-pekw O’ Ket’-toh “Stone Lagoon” Visitor Center Facebook page for up-to-date information.
Simona Carini (she/her) shares photographs of her outdoor explorations (and of food) on Instagram @simonacarini.
This article appears in The Eureka Chinatown Monument.