Fortuna, CA ~ what's it like to live there? (Santa Rosa, Redding: high school, friendly)

[DCMann2]

Originally Posted by Evelyn123

Hi everyone, I am thinking about moving to Fortuna, ca from MO. Seeking one bedroom senior complex with washer and dryer included because I don't drive ,72 yrs old, can afford up to $500.00 a month rent.

Don't do it. Affordable housing is a massive problem here and the medical system here is mediocre at best. Most major shopping is in Eureka and the public transport system here is also mediocre at best. I'd suggest looking in Oregon.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Evelyn123

Hi everyone, I am thinking about moving to Fortuna, ca from MO. Seeking one bedroom senior complex with washer and dryer included because I don't drive ,72 yrs old, can afford up to $500.00 a month rent.

Why did you chose Fortuna? Just wondering. I've changed my goal from the Puget Sound area to the N Coast, for the time being, due to the extreme fallout in NW due to British Columbia fires, eastern WA fires, etc. It's been like a nuclear winter in Seattle & around Puget Sound the last couple of weeks. I couldn't live with that. Looks like it will be an annual event, as it was last year, but without the ash raining from the sky.

How did you chose Fortuna, among the various Humboldt options?

[oldtrader]

Some of the reasons people choose Fortuna over other Humboldt Towns.

Slogan Sunny Fortuna. It is Sunny especially in the summer, and not fog covered as is so common in Eureka and other county towns right on the coast.

Near enough to go to Eureka for work, and shopping. Just over 15 miles.

Less crime and homeless problems.

Nice friendly town.

I was third generation in Fortuna, but left the spring after the big Christmas time flood of 1955, which ruined the area economy, and I had a young family to support.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by oldtrader

Some of the reasons people choose Fortuna over other Humboldt Towns.

Slogan Sunny Fortuna. It is Sunny especially in the summer, and not fog covered as is so common in Eureka and other county towns right on the coast.

Near enough to go to Eureka for work, and shopping. Just over 15 miles.

Less crime and homeless problems.

Nice friendly town.

I was third generation in Fortuna, but left the spring after the big Christmas time flood of 1955, which ruined the area economy, and I had a young family to support.

Good to know that it's friendly, and there are fewer crime issues. Thanks.

I'm wondering if it rains less on the North Coast than it used to. One of our members here moved there a few years ago, and reported that there was less rain in the summers, a little more heat, in the 2-3 years he'd been there, after moving.

Anyone else notice a trend?

What are the fresh water sources in the Humboldt area?

[DCMann2]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Good to know that it's friendly, and there are fewer crime issues. Thanks.

I'm wondering if it rains less on the North Coast than it used to. One of our members here moved there a few years ago, and reported that there was less rain in the summers, a little more heat, in the 2-3 years he'd been there, after moving.

Anyone else notice a trend?

What are the fresh water sources in the Humboldt area?

Based on the data I have from the NOAA station out on Woodley Island, rainfall totals have stayed relatively flat since 1948. I'm unsure of patterns because I haven't examined the data to determine whether changes in rainfall patterns have occurred, but anecdotally I've heard that there used to be more drizzle/light rain over long periods whereas now we tend to get hard hitting, more intense storms over shorter periods with higher rainfall totals per storm. If true, this is consistent with climate modeling predictions and is expected to continue and intensify over the next century.

I have also heard anecdotally that there is less fog and more sunshine during the summer, but there does seem to be evidence of that in that the coastal redwoods are being impacted by decreasing summer fog. The fog is a bit of an unknown however because changes in ocean temperatures and currents are less understood compared to atmospheric effects of climate change.

As far as fresh water sources go we have several rivers, and of course a large source of the area's water comes from Ruth Lake. Some years ago during the height of the really bad drought the Eel River failed to reach the ocean and Ruth Lake got concerningly low. When you're used to ~40" of rain every year only getting 13" is obviously very concerning.

[Ruth4Truth]

Thank you for being so generous with your time and information, DCMann2.

The Eel River is a huge system, that reaches down almost to Clear Lake. For it to run out of water, and not reach the ocean is quite a statement! I'm wondering--the Eel must be a salmon-spawning river? Can salmon be seen heading upstream, during spawning season? Or have the salmon runs dwindled to almost nothing, in NorCal?

[AsFarSouthAsSouthGoes]

I seem to remember that the DOW was trucking salmon upriver to spawn during the drought. I think it was the Eel but it might have been another western river.

[AsFarSouthAsSouthGoes]

So maybe I’m confusing it with the Sacramento River:

https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt...-pacific-ocean

[CaliforniaPlaya]

Perhaps I need to look into Fortuna a little more as a place to consider moving my family to. Right now, Crescent City to Gold Beach is on the list. Haven't spent much time in Fortuna at all except for an unexpected trip to the hospital there when the wife wasn't feeling well on a trip from the Bay Area to Crescent City. Stopped there, a Taco Bell close by, and then back on the road we went.

[Snort]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaPlaya

Perhaps I need to look into Fortuna a little more as a place to consider moving my family to. Right now, Crescent City to Gold Beach is on the list. Haven't spent much time in Fortuna at all except for an unexpected trip to the hospital there when the wife wasn't feeling well on a trip from the Bay Area to Crescent City. Stopped there, a Taco Bell close by, and then back on the road we went.

Yep. I think you sucked the culture out of Cretin City right down to the marrow on that trip.