The Benches Of Mendocino County: Navarro Point

It would be nearly impossible for me to choose just one favorite view along the ruggedly beautiful Mendocino Coast, but I can easily pick my favorite bench found there: the ruggedly beautiful memorial to Deborah Bove at Navarro Point.

The bench sits along the short-but-stunning Navarro Point Preserve and Coastal Trail, which at first glance does not look like one of the best places to walk along the Pacific Ocean, but it has become one of my favorite stops along Highway 1 in Mendocino County.

First, of course, because it is one of the first places to park along Hwy 1 after you complete the windy, but glorious, drive through the redwoods along Highway 128, and have emerged along the Navarro River to face what I think of as the coast’s Sophie’s Choice: Turn left over the bridge, or stay right and head up the hill?

Fortunately, this agonizing decision actually has no heartbreaking consequences, since turning left will take you to one of my favorite views on the California Coast, the spectacular cove at Greenwood State Beach, then later to one of my favorite trails on the coast of California, which begins in the southwestern corner of Mendocino County at Gualala Point Regional Park.

And staying to the right on Hwy 1 at the Navarro River will get you to Navarro Point, which I must admit I only stopped at that first time because it had a parking lot and, I hoped, a bathroom. But while I didn’t find restrooms that first day, I found plenty of other things to love about this trail, starting with how I usually have it all to myself.

I think the wind and fog keeps most people from lingering at this spot, but the cold weather at Navarro Point is just another one of the things I fell in love with, since the gray clouds above the green cliffs make me feel as if I’ve suddenly been transported to the coast of Ireland or Scotland, enjoying similar views and atmosphere without a long and expensive flight across the Atlantic Ocean.

And during my most recent visit to Navarro Point, I found something else to love: Perched along the trail with an astounding view of the ocean is perhaps my favorite memorial bench of all. Made out of large pieces of salvaged wood, the large bench is a unique piece of art, placed there as a touching memorial to Deborah Bove, who the Mendocino Land Trust describes as a “longtime California Coastal Commission employee who did much in her short life to help conserve the California Coast.”

“Deborah loved the coast, and she really loved Mendocino,” said Linda Locklin, Public Access Program Manager for the California Coastal Commission, explaining that while Bove lived in Daly City, she came out to the Mendocino Coast as much as she could.

After working for the Coastal Commission for two decades in its legal department, Locklin said that Bove died from an illness in 2001 while in her 50s.

“Her family then asked me if I could please help them find a place to put up a memorial on the Mendocino Coast, which she loved,” said Locklin, recalling that her subsequent call to the Mendocino Land Trust was very lucky, as it put her in touch with Louisa Morris, who told Locklin about the then brand-new Navarro Point trail.

Also with Morris’ help, Locklin hired a local artist named Daryl (multiple attempts to reach Daryl or uncover his last name were unsuccessful) to construct the bench out of salvaged wood, with the main direction being that “the family wanted it to be large enough for her eight brothers and sisters to all sit on it together.”

The cost of the bench was paid by donations made by Bove’s family, friends and colleagues, “all people who knew and loved Deborah,” whom Locklin described as helping ensure public access for countless beautiful places along the coast of California, long before a bench in her honor was placed at one of the most beautiful places on the coast of Mendocino County.

(Ukiah Daily Journal)