Eureka - Samoa Peninsula Questions (Vista, Arcata: to live, dangerous, airport)

[freepelican]

Hello. I visited Eureka and other N. Cal areas a while back with the idea of maybe relocating there. I am drawn to the ocean so I was checking out access. Further north of Eureka/Arcata, the coast is more beautiful but amenities are lacking. I explored Samoa Peninsula, hoping there was a spot where one could just drive up and watch the sunset from the comfort of the warm dry car and maybe a take a jaunt on the beach but still be able to jump back in the car (I'm not young). On the north part of the peninsula, it is about a 1/2 mile walk across the dunes to get to the beach and you can't see the water from where you park. Further south on Samoa Peninsula, I found several unofficial spots where it was short walk up a fairly steep hill to the water but you could not see the water from where you park and I heard car breakins are a big problem there.

I did find one place that I think the locals call "The T" where you could park and look right out on the beach. The spot isn't too far south of the 255 bridge so I thought that spot had real potential. HOWEVER, there was a BIG ugly power plant right across the street pumping out GIANT plumes of black smoke. I started coughing as I was driving back. It seemed such a shame that the best ocean spot would be spoiled by such an ugly polluting industrial thing.

I'm wondering if anyone here knows more details about this place:

1. Does this plant pump out that kind of pollution all the time?
2. Is there wood pulp plants beside it? I've read conflicting reports online. Some sources say they have shut down for good but not sure.
3. What is the plan for industrial development in that area? I've read online about wave power and windpower but that was older articles and I can't find anything more recent.

4. Is there any plan to build a nice park on the Samoa Peninsula in the general same area (maybe a big further away from the big power plant) where one could just enjoy the sunset from the car and walk/play on the beach? Seems a shame not to have a park like that there!! Don't understand why the county doesn't build one? Has there ever been any talk of doing so? Besides Samoa Peninsula, Eureka residents would have to drive about 30 min to the north to find a good ocean beach or go to the south peninsula which is a time-consuming drive.

5. Does this ugly power plant significantly pollute the air in Eureka? I had vaguely thought about trying to live on the peninsula but after seeing and smelling that plant, I rejected that thought.

Thanks in advance for all responses.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

I doubt you'd see black smoke from any PG&E power plant. They only burn natural gas. They stopped using coal and oil several years ago.

[nightlysparrow]

Re development:

Coastal commission approves Samoa Master Plan development; milestone reached in 10-year process to develop on the peninsula - Times-Standard Online

[freepelican]

Originally Posted by BayAreaHillbilly

I doubt you'd see black smoke from any PG&E power plant. They only burn natural gas. They stopped using coal and oil several years ago.

Don't think this was a PG&E plant... I think it was called "DG" on the sign and I've seen it referred to as the Fairhaven Power Plant. The plumes were huge and they were definitely black/grey. Super ugly.

[TheDragonslayer]

Samoa peninsula is not the best, nor only place to view the ocean from when you are here in Humboldt county. One of the best places is at the Mad River beach west of Arcata, you can drive up to a parking lot that is only a few hundred feet from the beach, or there is Clam Beach in McKinleyville with access or at Vista Point just across the highway from the airport here in McKinleyville one can watch the ocean and beach. In Ferndale there is Centerville beach or out at Loleta on the jetty at the south side across the jetty from Samoa.

[freepelican]

Originally Posted by TheDragonslayer

Samoa peninsula is not the best, nor only place to view the ocean from when you are here in Humboldt county. One of the best places is at the Mad River beach west of Arcata, you can drive up to a parking lot that is only a few hundred feet from the beach, or there is Clam Beach in McKinleyville with access or at Vista Point just across the highway from the airport here in McKinleyville one can watch the ocean and beach. In Ferndale there is Centerville beach or out at Loleta on the jetty at the south side across the jetty from Samoa.

Thanks Dragonslayer. Here were my impressions.

The road leading to the park at Mad River is a long ways out.... not something I consider convenient access... something I might do once in a while. The day I went, I was just scouting. The restrooms were locked, not leaving a good impression. As a result, I didn't stay long. I don't think there was a place to park and see the water and it was not obvious how to get to the water.

Clam Beach had several entry points it seemed but they all involved a significant trek over the dunes to get to the actual beach and you could not see the beach from where you parked. I was also afraid I might get a car break-in. So, if I lived there, this would be something I might do occasionally perhaps but not convenient access and not nearly as convenient as driving a few more miles up to Trinidad/Moonstone/or further north. From Eureka, Clam beach would have been about 30-35 min on the interstate I think, then tack on another 5-10 to the more easily accessible beaches. If the county built something on Samoa, this would be maybe 5-15 min, depending on where you start from and where exactly it were built.

Vista Point would be dramatically improved without the steel bars in plain view... perhaps I wouldn't have noticed them as much as it not been so foggy the three times I stopped there... but I do think it could be improved a great deal. Plus, I'd add a restroom!

I tried to reach the beach off the jetty but after nearly getting run over by two different trucks, I turned around... looked like it would have been quite a trek. Not convenient and not worth the time/effort with that type of traffic in the area.

Centerville is WAY out there. I definitely plan to go at some point because I hear it is beautiful but it would take a lot of time to do so.. the day I tried, the sun went down before I could get there.

[oldtrader]

If you want to be able to drive to where you can sit and watch the ocean, or park by an area of the beach for a walk like in Southern California, Oregon, etc., then that part of Humboldt County is not what you are looking for.

What you have seen, is really as good as it is going to get. Humboldt people are not beach people on the most part. Weather, fog, and not a very hospitable ocean do not make it for really good beach conditions, so money to develop what you want is spent where it is more appreciated by the locals and visitors.

Fairhaven Power Plant you are talking about, is certified by the State of California as a renewable energy generator, and as such the state of California is very proud of that facility, as California is into renewable energy. It burns over 250,000 tons (over 500 million pounds which is over half a billion pounds) of wood waste of all types from local lumber mills. What you are seeing, is wood smoke and the amount of wood smoke you see will depend on what they are burning that day, and how wet the wood they burn is. As they are burning wood waste from lumber mills, it is green wood and sawdust not the dry wood you want to burn in a fireplace. The greener and wetter the wood, the more it will smoke.

[freepelican]

Originally Posted by oldtrader

If you want to be able to drive to where you can sit and watch the ocean, or park by an area of the beach for a walk like in Southern California, Oregon, etc., then that part of Humboldt County is not what you are looking for.

What you have seen, is really as good as it is going to get. Humboldt people are not beach people on the most part. Weather, fog, and not a very hospitable ocean do not make it for really good beach conditions, so money to develop what you want is spent where it is more appreciated by the locals and visitors.

Fairhaven Power Plant you are talking about, is certified by the State of California as a renewable energy generator, and as such the state of California is very proud of that facility, as California is into renewable energy. It burns over 250,000 tons (over 500 million pounds which is over half a billion pounds) of wood waste of all types from local lumber mills. What you are seeing, is wood smoke and the amount of wood smoke you see will depend on what they are burning that day, and how wet the wood they burn is. As they are burning wood waste from lumber mills, it is green wood and sawdust not the dry wood you want to burn in a fireplace. The greener and wetter the wood, the more it will smoke.

Interesting comments but I'm not sure I can agree. Tourists flock to Arcata Marsh and other parks in the vicinity as do the locals. I suspect the same would be true for Samoa Peninsula, especially since I saw a lot of people trying to park (dangerously) on the edge of the road to get to the beach. It wouldn't take much in the way of trail development or any buildings to speak of. A parking lot positioned so cars would face the ocean, a restroom, maybe an interpretive panel or two, and a security camera to deter car break-ins would be a nice touch. The beach and the ocean provide the nature and walking trail :-)

I'd like to learn more about the Fairhaven power plant. Are there online resources? I'm wondering about particulate loads, chemical pollutants, and plume direction/reach. I'm all for sustainability/renewable energy but not if the negatives outweigh the positives. Hopefully, what I saw was a really bad day.

[SandyCo]

I want to keep this spot all to myself, but I loved Black Sand Beach in Shelter Cove! It's not really sand; it's a bunch of dark rocks, but it's beautiful. It's not very accessible. For most people it's a pretty good hike from the parking lot. Even if you're handicapped, you'd have to walk down a trail to reach the beach itself. However, it's like nowhere else on Earth!

[TheDragonslayer]

Originally Posted by freepelican

Thanks Dragonslayer. Here were my impressions.

The road leading to the park at Mad River is a long ways out.... not something I consider convenient access... something I might do once in a while. The day I went, I was just scouting. The restrooms were locked, not leaving a good impression. As a result, I didn't stay long. I don't think there was a place to park and see the water and it was not obvious how to get to the water.

Clam Beach had several entry points it seemed but they all involved a significant trek over the dunes to get to the actual beach and you could not see the beach from where you parked. I was also afraid I might get a car break-in. So, if I lived there, this would be something I might do occasionally perhaps but not convenient access and not nearly as convenient as driving a few more miles up to Trinidad/Moonstone/or further north. From Eureka, Clam beach would have been about 30-35 min on the interstate I think, then tack on another 5-10 to the more easily accessible beaches. If the county built something on Samoa, this would be maybe 5-15 min, depending on where you start from and where exactly it were built.

Vista Point would be dramatically improved without the steel bars in plain view... perhaps I wouldn't have noticed them as much as it not been so foggy the three times I stopped there... but I do think it could be improved a great deal. Plus, I'd add a restroom!

I tried to reach the beach off the jetty but after nearly getting run over by two different trucks, I turned around... looked like it would have been quite a trek. Not convenient and not worth the time/effort with that type of traffic in the area.

Centerville is WAY out there. I definitely plan to go at some point because I hear it is beautiful but it would take a lot of time to do so.. the day I tried, the sun went down before I could get there.

It only takes 15 minutes to get from Eureka to McKinleyville, not 30 to 35 minutes. I can get to Fortuna from McKinleyville in 35 minutes and never break the speed limit. The Mad River beach has no restrooms, only a parking lot and that is only a few hundred feet from the beach, you can walk up on the dune and still see your car. It is accessed by Mad River road in Arcata and is real easy to get to by car or bike.