Noyo N H arbor

Fishing Charters

The harbor offers excellent sportfishing opportunities; a local guide can draw from firsthand experience on these waters, supply the proper gear, and show you how to catch that monster fish. Charters are available from the harbor and can accommodate almost any ocean fishing need. The harbor and surrounding coastal areas are teeming with fish including rockfish, lingcod, halibut and tuna, and are some of the best places onthe West Coast to catch Chinook salmon. If it’s the land you love, yet you would still like to enjoy the ocean, take a walk down the Noyo Jetty. No fishing license is required to fish from it.

KAYAKING

Touch, taste and smell the harbor at water level from a kayak. Visitors can bring their wn kayaks, rent them in the area, or employ local outfitters for guided tours. Kayaking in the harbor is a great experience for the beginner, the expert, or anyone at any skill level in between. When the tide is right the beginner can paddle down the Noyo River to enter the ocean, taking in the views. For the more experienced, or if kayaking with a guide, the harbor has spectacular sea caves to explore, abalone diving and even fishing from the kayak. Whether sightseeing, sport kayaking or fishing, kayaking in Noyo Harbor is a healthy, delightful way to spend a day, and a fun way to connect with family and friends.

DINING & LODGING

Enjoy the ocean view, taste the catch of the day and sip a local Mendocino wine. The harbor has a variety of dining options to choose from, the food is fresh and the atmosphere and views are free. Several lodging options are available on the harbor; choose from ocean view rental homes, enjoy the personal touch at a nearby bed andbreakfast, or camp at the mouth of the Noyo River at Sportsmans RV Park. Whatever your plan or price range, you can wake to an ocean view or watch the sun set over the Pacific Ocean.

36 Noyo Harbor

One of the West Coast’s most scenic harbors, Noyo Harbor is the perfect place to start a day of adventure on land or on the high seas. Highway 1 passes over the harbor along the Noyo Bridge; the harbor itself is located at the mouth of the Noyo River at the southern end of Fort Bragg. Here the towering redwoods sprawl to the edge of the continent, stopping just short of spilling into the vast Pacific Ocean.

Gorgeous views and warm hospitality make Noyo Harbor a great place to meet the ocean from the land. The harbor is home to abundant wildlife, extraordinary fishing and whale-watching opportunities, and world-class lodging and dining. It is a must-experience destination for outdoor recreation.

Communing with nature is a way of life in Noyo Harbor. Harbor seals, sea lions and even river otters bask in the sun, play, and poke their smooth-looking heads out of the water all around the bay. Waterfowl, including osprey, cormorants, pelicans and gulls, patrol the waters looking for their next dining opportunity. Nature lovers have plenty to marvel at, with the wide variety of wildlife that calls the harbor home.

Annually, over 20,000 California Gray Whales travel south along the coast from Alaska to winter in their breeding grounds in Baja, Mexico. In the spring they return north to begin the cycle again. Often you can see these graceful giants from the shore, but chartering a boat from the harbor is an excellent way to meet them on their own terms, in their world — so don’t forget your camera. A local professional guide can educate guests about the habits and history of these awe-inspiring creatures, and increase the number of whales they are likely to see, even on a short visit. During the whale migrations many charter fishing outfits offer fishing trips combined with whale-watching tours. In March, you can celebrate during the annual Fort Bragg Whale Festival, an experience the whole family can enjoy. Take part in guided whale-watching walking tours, sample clam chowders with the kids, and take a free trolley from the festival grounds to the Point Cabrillo Lighthouse. Adults can sample good beer and great BBQ at the microbrew and barbecue tasting.

WHERE: at the South end of Fort Bragg, under the bridge.

MORE INFO: mendocinocoast.com

TheBeachcomberMotel.com

38 Noyo Center for Marine Science – Discovery Center

Visit the world’s largest killer whale skeleton on display at the Noyo Center’s Discovery Center, located in the heart of downtown Fort Bragg. This 26’ long orca skeleton is gracefully displayed in mid-dive, jaws wide open with massive teeth greeting all who enter. Learn his story, what he ate, how he died, and the incredible community science project he inspired in our local community. Explore the world of Rotifers in our newest exhibit, in partnership with the Exploratorium, and be sure to check out the Ocean Immersion Dome, the Sea of Skulls, or walk through a giant bull kelp forest. The Discovery Center store is full of interesting marine themed gifts, unique work by local artists, clothing, books and guides. Come be a part of the Noyo Center’s mission to advance ocean conservation through education, exploration and experience. Fun for all ages!

Open 11am – 5 pm , Thursday – Monday (closed Tues. and Wed.). Call or go online for seasonal hours.

WHERE: 338 N. Main St., Fort Bragg

MORE INFO: 707-733-NOYO (6696)• noyocenter.org

Noyo Center For Marine Science – The Crow’s Nest

Get an up-close look at a sea star and other intertidal creatures in the aquarium, look through whale baleen, zoom in on migrating whales using high-powered spotting scopes, and walk next to a life-sized terra-form blue whale. Those are just a few of the things you can do when you follow the Fort Bragg Coastal Trail to Crow’s Nest Interpretive Center, located along the southern part of the Coastal Trail, with closest access through the Cypress Street entrance to the Noyo Headlands Park. Staffed by a dedicated group of volunteer ocean stewards, the Crow’s Nest is home to engaging, interactive, and dynamic exhibits telling the story of the Mendocino Coast and opportunities to learn more about what you can do to support ocean conservation. Fun for all ages!

Open 11am –3 pm , Thursday – Monday (closed Tues. and Wed.). Call or go online for seasonal hours. Admission is free.

WHERE: South Fort Bragg Coastal Trail near the Cypress Street entrance, or the trailhead at the western base of Alder Street from downtown Fort Bragg.

MORE INFO: 707-733-NOYO (6696) • noyocenter.org

Slack Tide Café in Noyo Harbor

Visit Noyo Center’s newest location, located in the Carine’s Landing building in the Noyo Harbor, for a cup of great coffee, pastries and morning fare, or soups and sandwiches for lunch. You will also find a nice selection of local wine and beer, and Slack Tide logo apparel and other items in the retail store. The deck overlooks the Noyo River where you can check out the wildlife and the activity going on in the harbor. Open Thursday-Monday, 8 am -3 pm

WHERE: 32430 N. Harbor Drive, Fort Bragg

MORE INFO: 707-962-8808 • noyocenter.org