Shelter Cove, California
“The Lost Coast remains one of the most untouched and remote areas of California’s North Coast. It earned its name in the 1930s when steep terrain and high construction costs made it impractical for highways or roads, leaving the region isolated from the rest of the state. Signs in the small town indicate Shelter Cove has more to offer: hiking trails, a deli, a coffee shop, restaurants, a general store, and some inns and gift shops. It also has a small airstrip, a boat launch, and RV parking. When we visited, the airstrip was flooded, and the only small aircraft there sat covered by a tarp—an oddly nostalgic sight for me.”—Chiara-Sophia Coyle
Clicks & Relativity
By Chiara-Sophia Coyle
SONOMA California—(Hubris)—April 2025—Spending five days in Shelter Cove on the Lost Coast of Humboldt County, California, and having it rain for four and a half of those days meant one thing—when the sun finally appeared, I had to make the most of it. That brief window of light became an opportunity for me to embrace the wild beauty, breathe in the fresh ocean air, and watch sea lions lounging on the single big rock comprising their home.
If you know me, you know water is where my soul feels most at home. Naturally, I ended up capturing every water-related moment on offer—the ever-changing weather, the fleeting sunshine, and a sunset that stood out as one of the most breathtaking I’ve seen in a long time.
At first glimpse, Shelter Cove itself doesn’t seem to offer much in the way of attractions. Our Airbnb overlooked the ocean, which I finally got to see in full on our last day. Perhaps that was exactly how it was meant to be—an invitation to slow down, to simply “be” with my people. We played games, watched movies, laughed, cooked, and thoroughly enjoyed the rare opportunity to unplug with zero expectations.
The Lost Coast remains one of the most untouched and remote areas of California’s North Coast. It earned its name in the 1930s when steep terrain and high construction costs made it impractical for highways or roads, leaving the region isolated from the rest of the state.
Signs in the small town indicate Shelter Cove has more to offer: hiking trails, a deli, a coffee shop, restaurants, a general store, and some inns and gift shops. It also has a small airstrip, a boat launch, and RV parking. When we visited, the airstrip was flooded, and the only small aircraft there sat covered by a tarp—an oddly nostalgic sight for me.
A local coffee shop owner told us that tourism keeps the town alive in the summer, something they are all grateful for after the legalization of marijuana devastated the local economy. With only about 600 residents, the oceanfront homes we passed all had one thing in common—a pickup truck and a boat parked in the driveway.
Yes, I would go back in a heartbeat, even in the dead of winter.
Chiara-Sophia Coyle
Born in the United States in the 1960s (then, transplanted to a very small, remote Greek island at the age of three months); brought up in a bilingual and frequently culturally conflicted environment; repatriated to Homeland No. 1 some 25 years ago; descended from four generations of photographers, Chiara-Sophia Coyle was acquainted with photography from an early age; always pursued by her mother, Rolleiflex at the ready, recording and sharing scenes of family life with absent grandparents and her children's working-at-sea father. Photography became Coyle's own escape as a young teenager. Kodak Instamatic in hand, the sound of the twist and the advancement of the film music to her ears, she began exploring all the elements of the Aegean: water, light, white, blue. While never an income generator, photography is what kept the artist sane as she navigated the challenges of single parenting, and endured the endless longing and aching for Homeland No. 2. Experimenting, early, with Emulsion Transfers, Coyle moved on to printing in her own dark room; then, to digital and iPhotography, constantly experimenting and exploring the new. Based in Sonoma, California, Coyle is an Expat Life Coach and Retreat Leader and continues to travel, photograph, and work with what feeds her soul, wherever she may be: the people, the water, the reflections, the abstract. Her current art may be found on Instagram (@chiarasophia1); contact her at [email protected]. (Author Head Shot Augment: René Laanen.)