As positive cases of coronavirus creep up in Sonoma County, tourists swamp coast and river: so many complaints will county respond? Reports from locals talk about traffic cones being thrown down cliffs, concrete blockades moved for parking, neighborhoods filled with cars….anything to get to the beach or river. Will we get shut down again?
Locals speak out:
“My understanding, from the State’s website, is that Sonoma Coast State Park is still closed with the exception of walk- or bike-up, and that parking on the road is prohibited. All consistent with the current health officer order.
However, there are currently 17 vehicles parked on both sides of the road around the (closed) entrance to the parking area of Russian Gulch Beach, and 47 people on the beach. I called the sheriff, which connected me with State Parks dispatch, yesterday to report similar conditions, but it would appear nothing is being done about it.
As you probably know, the roughly 1,000-ft trail to the beach is about 1.5-2 feet wide, with dense vegetation (including poison oak) on both sides, so I don’t see how social distancing is possible. Bi-directional encounters are awkward on this trail in normal conditions.
Do you have any idea what can be done about this situation? The flaunting of health orders in a time of public health crisis is itself concerning, but this situation in particular seems to increase everyone’s risk (and deny locals the safe opportunity to access these places).”
name withheld for privacy