North Coast Night Lights: Houda Beach

Mars peeks over the edge as two rocks frame the Milky Way near the cave entrance.
The Milky Way rises from the horizon near the glow of the setting crescent moon outside of this hidden Houda Beach cave. Camel Rock’s silhouette is large on the horizon beside the glow of the setting crescent moon. Humboldt County, California. September 13, 2018.
At one point while photographing, my brother and I played with our light beams beneath the cosmos (careful not to cross the streams). We tried this once, and our beams formed a little house over the setting moon and Camel Rock.
My brother and I watched the crescent moon set before taking the Milky Way photos. In gathering enough light to illuminate the interior and see the stars this well, the moon’s crescent shape became blown out in the highlights.
A fire broke out north of us while we were in the cave. The blue light stabbing into the picture from the right was a vehicle approaching the fire, and the blue lights to the left are Trinidad and surroundings.

David Wilson