Talk:Goat Rock Beach

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I'm starting this discussion page in the hopes that sooner or later other folks will come by who have an inerest in working on this page. I grew up in Sonoma County and Goat Rock Beach was always one of my favorite places. I added the photo for the page, but the article itself can use a lot of help. -- Xaven 01:05, 1 February 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Proposal for a Full Article about Goat Rock

Given it's only a stub now, perhaps it's dreaming to think this page could be taken all the way to Featured Article status. But Goat Rock Beach has the potential to be that; it's very tied to the history of the Russian River and has no shortage of interesting and colorful history. Among things I think the page could use:

• The information about the beach in Rex Grady's Let Ocean Seethe and Terra Slide: A History of the Sonoma Coast and the State Park That Shares It's Name. He writes an entire history of the Sonoma Coast State Beach; I checked it out from the Santa Rosa Library when I read it.
• The names and dates of the people who have died on the beach (Grady had all these up until its point of publication; the rest should be available from the Ranger Station at Salmon Beach.)
• The history of Goat Rock -- how it was cut from the mainland for gravel which was shipped by a short line of rail along the beach (still visible in places) to barges on the Russian River. If I recall correctly, much of this gravel went to San Francisco where it was used for road base -- that may have been gravel from Annadel State Park, though (I can't recall.)
• The state park once had plans to turn the parking location next to Goat Rock into a paid RV camping location.
• Information about the outdoor rave's that used to be moderately common in the early era of the rave scene. Stories about these circulate among some Sonoma County residents but I've never dug for specific dates or events. The park rangers would probably remember though.
• The story behind the abandoned concrete jetty to tame the mouth of the Russian River; the ruins of it jut to sea near the north end where the seals sleep at the river mouth.
• A list of nearby features:
  • Jenner Beach across the river mouth.
  • Arched Rock, with its own viewing turnout on the road down to the beach.
  • Half-Mile Rocks and Mile Rocks, out to sea from the beach.
  • Acatcatiu, the hill above/behind Goat Rock where natives left their dead. It's been too many years and I can't recall the details.
  • Peaked Hill, the tallest hill coastward from the highest point in the road down to the beach.
  • Sunset Rocks, on the plain into the park, which are a favorite practice location for rockclimbers.
• Information about films with scenes shot at Goat Rock Beach, like The Goonies.
• Information about the protected seal and sea lion area at the north end of the beach.
• Information about whalewatching (from the Arched Rock viewpoint parking lot atop the cliffs.)
• Its relationship with travel up the Russian River, such as it's tendency to join Jenner Beach and close the river mouth.

That's just what I can think of off the top of my head. Goat Rock is not short of interesting and varied history. I'm happy to do what I can to help this article, but I'd rather have a few folks who share my passion for the beach to work with. It'll take time. Thoughts, anyone?

-- Xaven 01:05, 1 February 2006 (UTC)