Lawson’s Landing

It was opening weekend for recreational crabbing season.  One must book sites at Lawson’s as soon as the booking window opens (16 weeks ahead) if you want a good site here this  particular weekend.  We didn’t even have the RV when I booked this site.  I anticipated and hoped we would have one so I booked for a maximum of 38 feet-knowing we didn’t want to exceed that length in a motor home.  We still had the pick up camper and this weekend is special to Mike so we knew we wanted to be here regardless of where we were in our RV search.  While I wasn’t quick enough to get a sea wall site, we were able to get the backside of the sea wall, site 740, not a bad site.  Lawson’s is pricey for dry camping, $76 per night for the sea wall, but it’s worth it for the view and easy access to launch for crabbing.  We love Lawson’s.  

Mike drove the RV and I followed in the Jeep. It’s a windy steep road down in to the campground and we figured we had plenty of time to practice towing on flatter roads.  When we arrived, there was no line to get in-highly unusual!  I walked up to the shack to register and while the paperwork only took a couple of minutes, the line had started to form.  While I was confirming license plate numbers, the gal checking us in said, “Your toad isn’t hooked up.  You will either have to hook it up and tow it in or move to a designated two vehicle spot.”  I was floored, as was the other gal assisting in the check in shack.  “Are you serious? It’s got the tow bar on it, it’s obviously a tow vehicle.”  She would not budge.  Something about state park laws and you must be connected when passing through the gate.  If she could only see the eyes of her coworker behind her!  We were both dumbfounded and the line was quickly growing behind us.  So, we hooked up as fast as we could.  I didn’t time it, but I am certain Mike got that baby hooked up within about 3 minutes.  Fortunately I was following him so we didn’t have too far to line things up.  An apology to the line waiting behind us, we weren’t aware of this “state park rule”. We had just stayed at Beal’s Point and had driven in separately? That’s a state park…..Who knows.  But I did feel bad that we were holding up the line at check in.  Fortunately no one said anything.  

We have camped here so many times over the last 10 years.  There is something special about crabbing weekend.  So many different walks of life gathering together in this cow pasture that has access to Tomales Bay.  When the tide is low, we kayak over to clam island and dig giant geoduck clams-so dirty and so fun.  Geoducks are the most phallic looking animals I have ever seen!  Here’s Mike and I a couple years ago on our first clam dig.  Thanks to Mark Witt for showing us the way!  

I wish Sherman would have been home just a few more days.  He and Mike shared great -and scary-times crabbing over the years.  They used to take a port a boat out to drop and pull pots.  This port a boat is basically a plastic fold up boat that you put wood planks in for seats and mount a motor on the back.  Sherman got to be first mate and pull pots.  

One year he and Uncle John went out to pull the last pots for the day near sunset.  They got out there and something happened where they lost power and had no radio, the sun was setting quickly and the tide was pulling them out. Sherman says it was one of the only times he ever heard Uncle John cuss.  Quite a frightening experience!  Mike had been just about ready to call the coast guard and was trying to figure out how to tell me he had lost our son when they were towed in.  

Lawon’s can be dangerous. I remember the first time Mike came here. Opening day was on a weekday so he and Sherman left early and Hannah and I drove over on a Saturday. They had no cell reception at that time.  As I got closer, I saw tons of flashing lights, helicopters in the air, fire trucks and ambulances at the launch.  No idea where my husband and son were at the time.  They weren’t at the camper.  I was frightened. 

As it turned out, an inexperienced group took a boat out through the mouth of Tomales into Bodega Bay under too rough of conditions and capsized.  I remember that a small boy was still inside.   He had found an air pocket to stay alive while they towed the boat to shore.  They cut him out right there at the launch while we watched. Several people were flown to the hospital.  I believe there were deaths as well.  Always respect the ocean and know your abilities, and the weather.  Mike has been very cautious as he learns to ocean kayak and I don’t think he will ever lose respect for the ocean.  

Ultimately, Mike was too tired to even go out this weekend.  This move was a lot-still feeling very surreal. We knew we had a 15 day stay booked just up the coast and we could take our time to unpack and set up the gear.  We were tired of packing and unpacking for the moment.  So, we just hung out and visited with people and tried to learn a little more about this RV.  

While I was hoping for walks on the beach with the dogs, Louie B is still limping from his jack rabbit chase so we needed to take it easy.  We got around the campground for short walks.  

Louie, Kiya Coco and I met a few new friends that were much larger than the dogs they were used to seeing!  The cows are all fenced in now, and can’t wander through the campsites like they could in past years.  I remember the first time we camped here years ago, they were everywhere.  Louie was a pup and these guys freaked him out.  

While Mike didn’t crab, our brother in law David Hamakawa was also at Lawson’s crabbing with his family.  He stopped by to say hi and traded us a couple crab for some ling cod we had from Mike’s last kayaking adventure. 

Since we loved our air fryer at home, I didn’t want to live without one when we got on the road.  While it uses a lot of power, it makes the best “fried” foods  We had fresh fish, fresh crab, and tots for dinner!  Not a bad meal at all!  I also decided to use the time to play with the convection oven.  I don’t know why I feel guilty using the generator, but I do!  Maybe it’s from all the years camping in the pick up camper.  We never had a generator and I learned how to be very conservative with power to help that one battery last for several days.  When you are camping at Lake Pyramid in December, heat is the priority and I became quite the master at getting by without using much battery.  We did have a propane oven in the pick up camper.  Our RV has a propane stove top but an electric microwave/convection oven. I got a ton of bananas at Grocery Outlet for $1.00 just before we left so banana nut bread was on the menu!  It came out pretty darn good!  I stuck to the time and temperature I would have cooked in a regular oven and was really happy with how it turned out.  I like a nice crust on my sweet breads and I most always glaze them. 

Since we haven’t figured out which satellite we want to install yet, we had antenna television only and I have done pretty good figuring out the Verizon jet pack. We were able to stream the Warriors game on the laptop so we haven’t felt deprived of amenities just yet.  We need to learn about the Automatic generator system a little bit more and get our battery bank checked out. For now, we just turn on the generator for a couple hours in the morning while I’m making breakfast and a couple hours at night during dinner.  We had a great breakfast with our camping neighbors.  I’ve been working with sourdough for about 9 months or so now.  I’ve named my starter Henry.  He of course made the RV living cut. He did a great job making waffles before we left on Sunday.

Through social media we learned some dear old friends of Mike’s were camping at the other end of the bay. Dolores’ kids, Benny and Tina, were Mike’s childhood friends and he has so many great memories with them.  While we missed seeing Tina, we did get to stop by and see Dolores on our way to our next adventure, Timber Cove Boat Launch

Thank you Lawson’s landing for a restful couple of days.  Til next time!