The Tides Inn, Shelter Cove's Newest Inn

info@sheltercovetidesinn.com (The Tides Inn) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 19:49:00 +0000

Well, we've had a couple of days of ice on the mountain so you couldn't get down here unless you really wanted to - but the Cove has had some beautiful weather. It is sunny and almost warm here today. The road is clear now so you can come over the mountain without chains or worries. So - come here!!! I wish you and your families and friends a VERY Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

The picture above is from the road after a snowfall. Beautiful, huh?

I'm Embarrassed

info@sheltercovetidesinn.com (The Tides Inn) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:45:00 +0000

My promise to myself was that I would spend a few minutes every day here on this blog to let everyone know what great thing happened during the day - but, alas, I have been very remiss. I'm going to try to be better. There is so much to write about.

It's been kind of overcast the last day or so. Makes you want to bundle-up in a soft, comfy blanket and watch the fire. I leave my blinds open, my fire going, and sit back in my recliner and wonder what I did so right to end up here. Even on days like this, it is just too beautiful.

I'm hoping for sun and no clouds this weekend, though. The boss now has a plane, so getting him up here depends on clear skies. He wouldn't even think about driving here now. Think he's spoiled. His son loves to fly up here, too. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I get so much done when he's here.

We're beginning to paint the inside of all of the rooms. They look so fresh and new. We've added "down" comforters, lots of extra pillows and an in-room Continental breakfast. Lots of goodies in a nice-sized basket: pastry, juices, pop-tart, health bar, hot chocolate, water, water-flavor packet, coffee, teas, cookies, flavored creamers - and whatever else I find when I go shopping. Everyone comments on how much fun it is to go through these baskets. So - one more reason to check us out or come back if you're an "old" friend of ours.

I have a dear friend here in the Cove who has the most beautiful voice. She just opens her mouth and this "gift" flows out. She has just finished a CD and has shared it with me before it "gets out there." She is a very spiritual gal and has written all of her own songs celebrating her "gift." I'm listening now and enjoying her music and the sound of the waves -- sitting, of course, in my recliner with a great blanket and fire. Aren't you jealous???

You should be here!!!

You, me and the sea

info@sheltercovetidesinn.com (The Tides Inn) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 02:45:00 +0000

Shelter Cove is an idyllic destination for those who just enjoy lazing around
FALL IN LOVE WITH NATURE At Shelter Cove
It is just the place. A place which offers "hum tum ek kamre me bandh ho, aur chaabi kho jaaye" kind of romantic privacy that honey-mooners yearn for. We are talking about Shelter Cove, the idyllic little get-away hugging the Pacific.
In California, beaches and privacy are a contradiction in terms, more so on week-ends when we see people filling every inch of space like the Olive Ridley turtles on the Orissa coast. Imagine, against such a grim scenario, the prospect of 'just you, me and the sea', as promised by Shelter Cove. Wow!
As a family seeking escape from the sickening din of every-day life, we hit highway 101 from the City of the Golden Gate. We drive through the famed redwood country and climb up a magnificent hill-range. As the spiralling road takes you to the top of the range, a stunning spectacle unfolds suddenly, leaving you awe-struck. The sight of the mighty ocean, its waves lashing the foot of the hill-range below. The sun is just dipping behind the horizon. The sight remains framed firmly in the mind's eye for a lifetime. A writer has rightly described it as the place where 'the sea and the land meet with a vengeance'.
Excitement mounts as we hear that Shelter Cove has a 'mystery' dimension too to it — it's called the Lost Coast. History and geography have conspired to keep this part of the Pacific coast out of bounds for people until mid-19th century. This stretch of coast as well as land remained unknown long after the rest of the United States was mapped. Hence, the name, Lost Coast. The only deep water port over a long rugged coastline, Humboldt Bay here remained obscure from sea-farers because of its narrow and treacherous opening. It was witness to many shipwrecks. Reaching the bay by land was not easy either, because of the rugged coastal mountains that stretch 150 miles inland.
Chill winds blow as we reach Shelter Cove, also known as 'Paradise' and 'Gem of the Lost Coast'. We check in at 'Tides Inn' where every suite offers a spectacular view of the Pacific. 'Look ma, the sea is so close. I can't believe it', Kaivallya, my grand-daughter, screams in delight. Yes. The waves almost lap the base of the hotel building!
It is a long holiday, yet you do not see too many people. Cars do not choke the roads. The rich fly in by small aircraft that land on the daylight airstrip. Barring a handful of beach-combers, tide-pool gazers and tourists taking in the beauty of the setting sun or waiting to glimpse friendly seals or sea-lions, you are virtually to yourself. What a perfect get-away. A few steps over the rocky edges into the water, you see star fish, sea urchins and other marine species trapped in the tide pools. We count 17 star fish! Thanks to Julie, the ever-friendly inn-keeper, who offers us a powerful torch to watch them in dark.
We wake up to a thrilling sight the next morning — deer frolicking on the beach! The horned beauties come down from the nearby coastal mountains.
A short drive away, we walk down the hill slope to the ocean below. Quite unlike those in India, the beach here is carpeted by millions of fine black sand granules and pebbles. Sign-posts warn people not to venture into the dangerously unpredictable sea at this point. Trekkers heading for the nearby trails are also warned of bears that appear smelling food in trash cans.
Another compelling sight beckoning the tourist at Shelter Cove is the Cape Mendocino lighthouse. Originally set up at a place 20 miles away, it had served mariners for over 80 years until in 1951 it was deactivated by the Coast Guard. Years took their toll on the neglected tower when a group of heritage-conscious volunteers raised funds for its restoration. It was relocated, piece by piece, at Shelter Cove in 1998 and fully restored. The lighthouse, open to public, is easily accessible.
If you are of the lazy kind and wish to do nothing but lie down, you can still spend hours and hours watching the waves rush or recede or watch hopefully for spouting of a distant whale. It is difficult not to fall in love — with Nature.
How to get there: Take Highway 101 from San Fransisco and exit at Garberville or Redway. Shelter Cove has hotels offering accommodation with all amenities. There is an airstrip with day landing facility.
DASU KESAVA RAO
© Copyright 2000 - 2008 The Hindu

Been too busy

info@sheltercovetidesinn.com (The Tides Inn) — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 03:19:00 +0000

Wow!!! We have been so busy here that time has slipped by too fast. I've missed signing in here and talking about the marvelous things going on in the Cove - specifically - The Tides Inn.

We have a family of guests here now that have been down to the tide pools and reported (excitedly) that they saw 32 starfish. They were so busy counting starfish that I hope they didn't miss all the other sea dwellers in those pools. They are going to send me some pictures of their finds, so stay tuned... I'll post them as soon as I get them.

Everyone has had a great time this summer. The weather has been absolutely beautiful. Very few days of anything but sunshine, blue-blue water, and crisp horizons. The sun rises and sunsets are indescribable. You really have to be here.

We had a storm that blew everything around, soaked everything that even thought it was dry, and then disappeared. The ocean seems to be so angry during a storm. Beauty at a new level. If you don't mind inclement weather, you can be here sitting by a fire in your room and watching the most marvelous scene take place outside. The waves roll in here because we have a beach. The waves crash with a tremendous force down the road less than a quarter of a mile, hitting the rocks so hard that sometimes the force takes a deck from a house with it... As annoying as that sounds, the residents don't mind - they just rebuild. They know what an honor it is to live so close to this powerful and beautiful force - the ocean.

The owner was here this weekend with his son; made some repairs, power-washed the building, and cooked two great dinners! I didn't give him much time to relax or spend with his son. They brought a remote control airplane and were able to spend a few minutes flying that. They were going to play golf over there at the golf links, but I'm afraid I ruined that for them - just too much to do when he gets here. But I think his son (Robert) had a good time anyway. One of our guests let him sit in the cockpit of his plane - he couldn't have been happier. Our guests are going to send pictures of that. Robert really wants his Mom to see that!! Robert and Dad left this afternoon. Hope they had a nice trip home. I have a really nice boss... and boss's son...

Don't forget to check-out the guestbook. The link is on the left side of the homepage.

Guestbook quotes

info@sheltercovetidesinn.com (The Tides Inn) — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 20:09:00 +0000

8/3/2007, 11:34 am, PDT | Joel

Drove over the mountain and was amazed at the view. I was so excited that I had made the decision to stay there with my 13 year old daughter on a driving trip up the Pacific coast Highway. The view was really awesome from the property. Only to find out that I had booked the hotel for the wrong night. The lady was extremely nice and found me a room at another local property during the weekend in the middle of my panic. Thank you very much for the kindness!

7/31/2007, 7:34 pm, PDT | Stan and Barb

Wow, we had a great time at the Tides Inn. Don't know when I've felt so relaxed and peaceful. Julie was kind and helpful and we felt like we'd known her for years. Next time we plan on staying a full week. We might even bring the kids too!

7/30/2007, 9:32 pm, PDT | Roney Soares

We had a great time at the Tides Inn. Julie gave us the best wellcome we never had before. We got there just to take a look, and we decided to stay. It was very nice, very clean, and we felt being at home, and certainly we will return. Its worth driving 600 miles. Thanks Julie, keep doing this wonderfull job.

7/30/2007, 6:43 pm, PDT | Don Steffens

We loved the winding road from Redway and then the beautiful location on the ocean was fantastic. The coffee tasted extra good on the deck with cool seabreezes and the pounding surf. What a spot God has created.
Don Steffens, Andover, KS

7/29/2007, 10:50 am, PDT | jackie malc and ben

We stayed in May and competed in the Land of the Giants Marathon near Weott. We arrived in the dead of night in rain and strong winds to find the fire burning, supplies in the kitchen and a very warm wlecome from a worried Julie.The journey was stressful but we soon wound down and felt nothing other than relaxed and stress free throughout our stay.The views were outstanding with whales swimming across the sea infront of our apartment on more than one occasion.As far as Jackie was concerned that was a real high point.The shelter cove deer came right up to our apartment one evening when we were playing cards.We frequently met them whilst out running round the lanes.Amazing!
The only low point was that Julie -our lovely hostess- had to go away for a few days and we had to say an early goodbye.However her replacement could not have been more lovely,kind and helpful and we were more than satisfied.She really put herself out for us when Ben stayed out overnight and we are so grateful for her patience and understanding.
The overall impression of our stay was one of personal,high quality service.The apartment was spacious,spotless and very well equipped with modern, high quality furnishings.
Bathroom and kitchen supplies and towels were replenished and replaced daily. We had no complaints at all and I would strongly recommend The Tides Inn.
As for Shelter Cove-it is the perfect place to escape from the fast and furious daily pace of life.Our only reget is that we may never be able to experience the wonders of the place again-England is just so far way.

7/24/2007, 5:40 pm, PDT | Marian & Mark

What a wonderful find. Your inn is delightful. I only wish you were not all the way across the country, so we could often visit.
Thank you!

7/24/2007, 10:12 am, PDT | Lorenzo and Alessandra

This little inn is fantastic. The room was immaculate, the view spectacular, the little town cute and peaceful. In our opinion, the 40-minute drive on the winding road just added to the charm of the place. We let Julie know that it was our wedding anniversary, and we found a bottle of wine and glasses in the room upon check-in!!!

We'll certanly keep coming back over the next many years.

Thanks for a wonderful hospitality.

Alessandra and Lorenzo

7/23/2007, 1:56 pm, PDT | Mike and Pam

We thoroughly enjoyed our brief stay at the Tides. The birthday duck made my 11 year old daughter feel special!
We plan to extend our next visit!!

7/23/2007, 10:09 am, PDT | Sarah

Julie ~ Thank you so much for the added newly wed touches. That was amazing and we got the best room in the house with views facing the ocean and facing south to see down the coast. It was beautiful and relaxing. We will stay longer next time!

Sarah and Marty

7/21/2007, 6:41 pm, PDT | Bill mabry

Julie
Thanks for taking such good care of us. Having the garage for the bikes was a real plus. The room was spotless and the view was incredible. This was our third stay and we wouldn't think of staying any place else!
Bill

7/17/2007, 9:00 pm, PDT | Martha Redmon

Julie, thanks so much for a great weekend getaway. I was stressed out at work and needed to relax. The Tides Inn was just what the doctor ordered. Bob and I lounged on our balcony, walked out among the tidepools, and generally had a wonderful time. Hope we can come back for several days next time. Thanks too for the cute rubber ducky. He's sitting on our tub at home, a cute reminder of the Tides Inn and Shelter Cove.

A family of guests

info@sheltercovetidesinn.com (The Tides Inn) — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 01:39:00 +0000

This family visits often. They are building a home in the Cove and spending their "free" time exploring the tide pools and enjoying their two little boys. This picture is taken from the ground floor of The Tides Inn. Click on the picture for a little more detail.

Seal Rock

info@sheltercovetidesinn.com (The Tides Inn) — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 00:10:00 +0000

I guess every ocean community has a "seal rock." This picture is of a baby playing in the beautiful water surrounding HIS rock. Click on this picture to see this little cutie. The color of the water in this picture is typical. Blue, clear, vivid... You can't beat a view like this from your room. Wake-up in the morning and step out of your door to the most beautiful ocean views ever!!! One of our guests star-gazed in the middle of the night right outside her door. There are more stars out here than I've ever seen before. I wish my little camera could take a picture of the skies at night. Unbelievable how small we are in the middle of all this.

Our guests write to us

info@sheltercovetidesinn.com (The Tides Inn) — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 17:46:00 +0000

An email from our guests:

----- Original Message -----

From:

To: 'The Tides Inn'

Sent: Friday, June 08, 2007 7:07 AM

Subject: RE: The Tides Inn Guestbook

Hi Julie,

We had a lovely stay with you all! I took a few pictures, and I wanted to share them with you.

Thank you so much for making our Anniversary so memorable!!!!

E & T

Check out the guestbook, too.

June - a busy month

info@sheltercovetidesinn.com (The Tides Inn) — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 19:48:00 +0000

We have been so busy here this month that I haven't had a chance to tell you how beautiful it is. Today, it is about 65 degrees, lots of sun, blue skies, lulling waves, beautiful beaches, - what else? It probably couldn't be any more beautiful. Hiking, fishing, diving, or doing nothing - you couldn't have a better day - unless of course, you 're here tomorrow. Everyday is different and all days are beautiful...

Comments from our guests

info@sheltercovetidesinn.com (The Tides Inn) — Thu, 31 May 2007 02:01:00 +0000

Here are a few comments from our guests. You can see them all if you click on the "Guestbook" on the home page:

"The worst part of our stay at the Tides was that it was only one night. We were making a whirlwind trip through N. Calif. The room was great...clean and when Julie said right at the ocean, she wasn't kidding! It was practically in the room with us. We love sleeping to the sound of the ocean. This is not a place for those wanting some night life or a shopping mall. This is for peace and quiet exclusively. Julie was great and it was my birthday when we arrived so I was surprised to see a complimentary bottle of wine in the fridge. Great touch for sure. We loved it and would stay again for sure!"

"My husband and I enjoyed a restful stay. Shelter Cove and the Tides Inn takes you away from it all. A very nice studio with fireplace, but the best part of the room is the view - the Pacific is right there, part of living room! We slept with the sliding door open at night to take in the sea. Thank you Julie. "

First view of ocean from Shelter Cove Road

info@sheltercovetidesinn.com (The Tides Inn) — Sat, 26 May 2007 16:26:00 +0000

This is one of the first views of the ocean from the road on the way down here from the King Range from Redway. It is BREATHTAKING!!

Weather for Memorial Day weekend

info@sheltercovetidesinn.com (The Tides Inn) — Fri, 25 May 2007 17:41:00 +0000

I was so disappointed this morning when I got up and looked outside. You couldn't see the horizon line because of the overcast skies. About 10:00 the overcast burned-off and it's a beautiful day AGAIN at The Tides Inn. This weekend is going to be busy and I was so hoping that all of our guests would enjoy the whole weekend of fun with sun and beautiful weather. Looks like it's going to happen. Very rarely does the Cove have bad weather and eighty degrees is a heat-wave! The picture is of Black Sand Beach - a beautiful site.

Redtail

info@sheltercovetidesinn.com (The Tides Inn) — Thu, 24 May 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Here is one of our guests showing-off a red-tail that she caught out here. At The Tides Inn, you can do just about anything you'd like: fish, dive, surf, hike, whale-watch, play golf, sun on the beach, read a book, or do NOTHING (I think sometimes that's my favorite!)!! It's been a little windy here, a bit cool, but nothing bad. Might be pretty cold out on the water right now. BUT - the sun has been out and, as usual, it's beautiful here.

Tide Pools - again

info@sheltercovetidesinn.com (The Tides Inn) — Mon, 21 May 2007 00:04:00 +0000

I couldn't resist posting another picture or two of the Tide Pools right outside the doors of The Tides Inn. Click on the pictures to make them larger.

Muscles

info@sheltercovetidesinn.com (The Tides Inn) — Sun, 20 May 2007 23:57:00 +0000

You probably thought I meant the "work-out" kind of muscles. No, these are muscles found is huge fields under the water. These are easily seen when the tides are really low. These pictures were taken this morning. Click on the pictures to get a better look.

Tide Pools

info@sheltercovetidesinn.com (The Tides Inn) — Sun, 20 May 2007 23:49:00 +0000

Another of the advantags to the tide being so low is that the Tide Pools are incredible!!! Take a look at these pictures taken just this morning.

Whales

info@sheltercovetidesinn.com (The Tides Inn) — Sat, 19 May 2007 19:50:00 +0000

Saw some whales yesterday. The Mom's are pretty close to shore with their babies. Quite a site... No pictures, though. A fleeting moment. Camera not ready. I'm trying. If you'd visit us at The Tides Inn, you could see them, too...

Abalone

info@sheltercovetidesinn.com (The Tides Inn) — Sat, 19 May 2007 00:37:00 +0000

Well, today a guest GAVE me an abalone! He cleaned it, showed me how to fillet it, and gave me his secret recipe for cooking it. I cannot WAIT(!) to get home and fix it. The ocean was at its lowest tide this morning. About 10-12 divers on our beach. The picture was taken early in the morning (not much sun) and shows the low tides and abalone divers getting ready to go in the water. Hard to imagine from this picture how beautiful it is. Every little nook and cranny in the dark rocks has sea life. The tide pools are incredible here. I'll get a better picture early morning tomorrow. In the meantime, click on this one, it will expand and make it easier to see.

Lowest Tide - Abalone Divers

info@sheltercovetidesinn.com (The Tides Inn) — Thu, 17 May 2007 17:02:00 +0000

Today and tomorrow are two of the lowest tide days of the year. The picture shows the tide at its lowest today. We have three groups of Abalone Divers staying with us at The Tides Inn now. There are abalone that measure eight and nine inches across. Goin' be some good food for dinner tonight!

Mornings at The Tides Inn

info@sheltercovetidesinn.com (The Tides Inn) — Wed, 16 May 2007 19:59:00 +0000

This is what I woke up to this morning. Can you beat it??? Are you jealous? Come and spend a couple two or three days with us here at The Tides Inn. You'll get to see this, too.

The Avenue of the Giants

info@sheltercovetidesinn.com (The Tides Inn) — Tue, 15 May 2007 20:42:00 +0000

My last post referred to the Avenue of the Giants. This is a picture from The Avenue. It is just so beautiful. The tallest tree in the world(!!!) is in this group of Giant Redwoods. If you are in Northern California, you can't miss this Avenue of Giant Redwoods.

Little foggy today

info@sheltercovetidesinn.com (The Tides Inn) — Tue, 15 May 2007 20:16:00 +0000

As you can see, it is a little foggy today, but still as beautiful as you can imagine. This would be a great day to check out the Avenue of the Giants. It's always hot up there, but would be cooler today. The Avenue of the Giants starts about 25 miles from us. A beautiful drive with a very interesting Visitors' Center. Check it out on the Internet. One of the many side-trips when you're staying here, in the Cove - at The Tides Inn, preferably...

I'm back!

info@sheltercovetidesinn.com (The Tides Inn) — Mon, 14 May 2007 19:02:00 +0000

I got back late Saturday - just after sunset. The sky was still colored with oranges and purples. I wish the photographs could do justice to this beauty. Coming over the last hill and suddenly being able to see the ocean and unbelievable views made me realize just how much I truly missed this piece of paradise. I am very lucky to be living here right on the water and waking-up every morning to this beauty.

Yesterday, there were Abalone divers right outside my door. I saw a whale cruise by in the afternoon. Haven't seen the sea-otters yet, but I'm sure they're out there swimming around raising havoc with the Abalone but generally having a fun time.

I have a few notes from guests that you might like to hear:

"Everything was fresh and airy. Loved the view, the sound of the surf, and the rubber ducky (it's a keeper)!" To explain: There is a yellow patriotic rubber duck in every bathroom who wants to go home with our guests.

"...the sound of the ocean is the perfect sleeping aid at night. Awesome!" It's true. It was hard for me to sleep for the whole week that I was gone; I am so used to the lulling effect of the waves against the shore.

You are invited to spend some time here in Paradise. Just call us. Toll-free 888 998-4337

Mother's Day and Gift Certificates

info@sheltercovetidesinn.com (The Tides Inn) — Fri, 11 May 2007 23:34:00 +0000

The Tides Inn is wishing all Mothers a very Happy Mother's Day. Give your Mom the gift of a mini-vacation at The Tides Inn. What a wonderful way to show your Mom how much you love her. We have gift certificates for any reason. Give one to an employee for a job well done. Birthday? A night or two at The Tides Inn will certainly celebrate a birthday! Anniversary? Wow! What a gift! Impress her with a mini-suite with a romantic fireplace and balcony overlooking the Cove. Let the waves lull you to sleep.

Comb the beaches and explore the Tide Pools right outside your door. Watch for whales cruising by with their babies. Do some abalone diving or salmon fishing.

Take a look at our Guestbook and see what everyone says about our little peace of paradise.

Checking in from Fernley, Nevada

info@sheltercovetidesinn.com (The Tides Inn) — Thu, 10 May 2007 02:10:00 +0000

I'm in Fernley, Nevada right now anxious to get back to the Cove. I'm really missing the sound of the waves. I'm sure everyone is finding whales, diving for abalone, and celebrating the Avenue of the Giants Marathon winnings. We have a young man staying with us that won first place in his class with a half marathon. His Mom and Dad also ran. Everyone is so proud... This same young man just got back from Afghanistan in time to travel with his parents from England to The Tides Inn. (Thank you for your service) I've checked, and it seems they're having a great time. Might not have a chance to write anymore until I'm home (in Shelter Cove). I'll be back Saturday - the time is going pretty fast.