Before dusk yesterday, the Gualala River was full nearly to the brim. It looked like it could open at any time. This morning the river was open and Rozanne Rapozo photographed it. Notice the Bald Eagle on the north side of the sandbar.
Those Steelhead I showed you yesterday have surely exited the river, entering their next journey in the Pacific Ocean. Hooray!
Thanks to Rozanne for allowing me to share her photo with you here.
Another storm is forecast for tonight. Bring it, Mother Nature!
It was a high tide and high swell event, so the breach wasn't dramatic. I, and others, watched as it slowly opened to the Pacific Ocean for the first time in months, as the big sandbar had kept the river closed. It opened at the extreme far north end. Teresa Denniston photographed the river the next morning.
Here's what you shouldn't do when the river is breaching the sandbar.
Those people were very fortunate that the sandbar they were sitting on didn't give way. The best place to watch the river open is from the Gualala Bluff Trail.
As I watched on Sunday, bull kelp that had been swept into the closed river by the high tides, was swept out to sea. Steelhead and hopefully Coho Salmon were also swept out to sea to begin the next stage of their lives. Other fish will be entering the river to spawn. There are lots of comings and goings on the Gualala River!
The river did close again two days later, but with all the storms stacked up over the next week, the river will once again open. We are fortunate that it is so easy to observe the fascinating Gualala River.
Thanks to Teresa for allowing me to share her photos with you here.
Clouds are piling in after a sunny morning. Rain is in today's forecast, with a bigger storm due Sunday. Batten down the hatches!
The Gualala River, closed to the Pacific Ocean by a big sandbar for months, finally opened last Sunday night or early Monday morning. Bob Rutemoeller found it open at the north end when he checked mid-morning on Monday.
Steelhead, trapped in luxury during the summer and early autumn months, were swept out to sea to begin the next stage of their lives. The Gualala River didn't stay open long, though. It filled once again, and then reopened. And as of Saturday, it was closed again. With the high tides, King Tides, the river might be closed for a while. We will be watching!
Thanks to Bob for allowing me to share his photos with you here.
A big sandbar once again closed the Gualala River to the Pacific Ocean for much of January. While the river opens and closes regularly during the winter with the tides, it is very unusual for it to close in the winter for weeks. I've recently posted photos of the full Gualala River. With the help from a big rainstorm, the river breached the sandbar on Friday, Feb. 6th around 4 pm and began to surge into the ocean. Mike Mee was there to see it happen.
It is very exciting to watch this phenomenon as the pent-up river churns its way into the ocean. The sound alone is amazing.
We are waiting for yet another soaking storm. And while there have been many power outages, including us for two days, we are grateful for this bounty from Mother Nature.
Thanks to Mike for allowing me to share his photo with you here.