Mother Nature’s Sand Castle contest.

That's what Michael Combs called this sight at Cooks Beach. The storm waves washed away much of the sand on the beach, leaving behind stones piled high with sand "castles."

The storms washed in a LOT of driftwood too.

Now the beach has a chance to recover and build back up its sand. Cooks Beach is a very popular pocket beach at the northern end of Gualala. Here's a link to the Redwood Coast Land Conservancy to learn more about this special place: http://www.rc-lc.org/

Thanks to Michael for allowing me to share his photos with you here.

Today is like a gift, weather-wise. Now is the time to visit, with no rain in the forecast for at least five more days.