Last Thursday, Jinx McCombs and Paul Nordstrand had one of the rarest sightings of all – a Fata Morgana. Jinx wrote, “As we were driving down the coast, headed toward Jenner, we saw something odd in the familiar view offshore. Beyond Bodega Head and further out, it seemed we were seeing Point Reyes as taller and clearer than we both remember ever seeing it, and it seemed to have structures above the land."

If you look at Jinx's photo above, it shows dark blocks to the right. That is open ocean with no land.

“We stopped several times to take photos, and it kept changing – at times hardly visible, at other times showing a dark shape at the right and separate shapes like cranes on the left.

We considered the idea of a ship, but it stayed in the same relative position and we realized a ship that looked like this would have to be a mile long. We concluded it was an optical phenomenon. We were amazed and awestruck.”

Fata Morganas are photographable mirages and are called superior mirages. They are named after the Arthurian sorceress Morgan le Fey. They are caused when rays of light are bent when they pass through different temperature layers in the air.

Thanks to Jinx for allowing me to share her unusual sighting with you here.

We still have smoke from the Butte County fires, but not as bad. Still doing a rain dance!