Senior News July, 2004 Vol. 25. No. 7

 

Published by the Humboldt Senior Resource Center in Eureka, California. HSRC is a non-profit community-based organization offering services for senior citizens, multi-generational families and caregivers.

New guide to natural swimming holes is now available

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Remembering Spirit - Edilith Eckart

Sacred land restored to Wiyot tribe

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Albert Miller of Rio Dell has just published the third edition of his Guide to Natural Swimming Holes in the Eel River Valley and Mad River Wilderness. His guide gives the exact locations of more than 30 natural swimming holes, many of which are in well-marked parks or groves and easy to find. The rest are in unmarked locations known only by long-time local residents on the North Coast, and their locations are given in accurate field-tested detail.

Miller was a newcomer to Humboldt County when he contacted Senior News to offer his Rio Dell Journal in August 1998 - an occasional column exploring his new territory. Then when we published our first "Vacationing at Home" issue in July 2001, we asked him if he could tell us about cool places to visit along the river. First published in four installments in the Senior News during that summer and fall, he has enlarged the guide from 20 to 30 swimming holes and added photo illustrations of selected swimming holes. It is available in black and white for $5 and in color for $10.

Part 1 includes detailed directions to find swimming holes in the Van Duzen River along Hwy. 36 including Fisher Road Bar, Pamplin Grove, Van Duzen County Park, Swimmers' Delight, Owen R. Cheatham Grove, Loop Trail, Grizzly Creek State Park and Goat Rock.

Part 2 lists swimming holes in the Eel River along Hwy. 101. Miller includes the end of Painter and Davis streets, French's Rock and Portagee in Rio Dell; Concrete Jetty and Nanny Creek in Scotia; and Summer Bridge, High Rock Bar, High Rock and Dyerville Bar in Humboldt Redwoods State Park.

Part 3 guides you to Bull Creek along Mattole Road in the Rockefeller Forest including Lower Bull Creek Flat and Big Trees.

Part 4 covers the South Fork Eel River including Leatherwood Bar, Women's Federation Grove, Gould Bar, Burlington Campground and Garden Club of America Grove.

Part 5 takes you northbound along Hwy. 299 through Blue Lake to swimming holes on the Mad River including Fish Hatchery and the "Mother of all Swimming Holes" at Mad River Beach.

"Swimming in Humboldt County rivers is usually best from June through October," Miller writes in his introduction. "For swimming-hole comfort, bring a beach towel, folding chair, umbrella and a flotation device." He advises swimmers to wear sandals or rubber shoes for walking over rocks at the edge of swimming holes or when wading - and of course, to take precautions.

Don't dive into a swimming hole until you have personally determined the depth. If the water is moving fast, don't go in. If you get caught in a fast moving river, don't try to swim across against the current. Head downstream and aim toward the shoreline. Above all, swim with a buddy.

The third edition guide is available for sale in Fortuna at Sport & Cycle; in Rio Dell at E&J Liquor & Deli, CSS New & Used, Humboldt Gables Motel and River's Edge RV Park; in Redcrest at the Redcrest Resort Gift Shop and Eternal Tree Gift Shop; and in Weott at Mama Su's Place.

Spurred by popular response, reader input and further field work, Miller is working on the fourth edition of the guide which will include several more swimming holes. He anticipates publication next spring. If you know of swimming holes not described in the guide, please contact him at albertmiller@cox.net.