Smoke and Mirrors

The gray blanket lying over the coast began to rise, breaking into gigantic, airborne pillows that slowly wisped out of existence. The late morning sun gradually broke through, casting long rays through the darker clouds that snagged on the forested hills on the opposite shore.

As the promise of afternoon warmth lifted our spirits, the still water offered an inverted replica of the scenery, placing the highest peak at our feet, just off the shore. Occasional gusts from the ocean at our backs moved shimmering ripples across the image, casting handfuls of diamonds for our viewing enjoyment.

Within that spectacle, we knew, was Nature's trickery. Those clouds on the hills, captivatingly pierced by lances of August sunlight, were a sign of something ominous. The smoke from several fires raging on the other side of those hills was making its way through canyons and valleys, seeking out new routes for the following flames. Beyond the placid scene before us, chaos and carnage ruled within the redwoods.

The sound of the surf, just across the highway separating the lagoon from the Pacific Ocean, was relatively quiet, indicating that no storms were imminent. While we had our rain gear in the SUV, as always, coastal storms came with the possibility of torrential rain. Although we'd prefer not to have to hurriedly pack up and leave after the hour-long trip here, we understood the salvation the rain might offer for the forest and its inhabitants.

This little body of water was part of Redwoods State Park and Humboldt Lagoons Recreation Area. The smallest of the lagoons, it was also the most well stocked, with an abundance of rainbow trout and largemouth bass. Although our fly rods didn't get much use, we were happy to relax here with some still fishing in exchange for some tasty meals and quality time with the kids.

We were there as scouts, too. This was a favorite meeting place for the family and if the weather and fires cooperated, the kids and grandkids would be arriving in the afternoon, as jobs and other responsibilities allowed. Grammy and Grandpa would send text updates, while keeping the coals burning in the compact grill and “staking out” a stretch of shoreline. They only needed to bring themselves, because we carried enough fishing tackle and bait for everyone, along with coolers full of drinks and food, not to mention a good assortment of junk food as snacks.

Of course, the scouting and claim staking were only a small part of the reason we went out early. This was also quality time for Grammy, Grandpa and Beau. We parked our camping chairs next to each other and Beauregard wasn't required to be leashed, so he enjoyed some sunny relaxation in the coarse sand. If the winds grew too strong, we'd pitch a small dome tent next to the chairs with the flap open as a windbreak for him. Keeping him dry was never an option.

There wasn't much competition for fishing spots on this day, since reports on the fires included less-than-ideal air quality warnings and the possibility of closure of the park's access roads to incoming traffic. So far, there was no reason to think we'd be crowded. As we'd hoped, the prevailing winds kept most of the smoke at bay and the rains occurred on the far side of the hills, where they were sorely needed.

The family would join us later, as planned, and those who fished wouldn't go home empty handed. For Pam and me, it would be another successful adventure with the family at Freshwater Lagoon, where we spent many such days, sharing the sunrise over the lake and catching the sunset over the ocean on the other side of the highway before heading home. The fires would be extinguished over the next few days by both Nature and mankind. The flames would never reach the western slopes of the hills.

There are many more reasons to spend time on the Redwood Highway in this area and we made countless memories with the kids at many of the stops while we lived in Humboldt County. Those memories of simpler times are precious as time itself – the kind that make you wish you could turn back the clock, if only for a while. This day and many others on this little lake were among the highlights of our years there.

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