Shelter Cove is one of those delicious anomalies. Jutting from some of California's most rugged shoreline is a palm-sized chunk of smooth ground, almost defying the Pacific to take it away. And, perhaps just as incongruous, there's an airport right in the middle of this grassy plain, ringed by a small golf course and houses rising out of the coastal meadow. You'll find it in your GPS's database under 0Q5; see also the information in AOPA's Airport Directory ( www.aopa.org/members/airports/). Shelter Cove was featured on the cover of the 1998 Airport Directory. For general reference, think of Shelter Cove as about the midpoint along the shore between Mendocino to the south and Eureka to the north.
In the winter, Shelter Cove is often pelted by strong Pacific storms and, lacking an instrument approach, is not easily accessible by air. But come summer, the weather clears and the area becomes a seaside paradise, particularly for pilots from the parched Central Valley. But you must keep an eye on the weather here, even in summer, because a pesky stratus layer can form quickly. Often, when the winds are right, a low-lying cloud deck can form over just half of the airport, leaving the approach to one end of the runway clear. What's more, because there's no weather reporting on the field — indeed, it's not officially attended at all — you'll have to get creative in building a mental picture of the conditions before you start out. At least there are several airports nearby to provide an out in case Shelter Cove is fogged in.
On days when it's brutally hot in the farmland of the Central Valley, Shelter Cove can be cool and breezy. For this reason and many others it is a seductive stop. Pilots love Shelter Cove as a relaxed lunch destination, an excellent overnight camping site, and a desirable vacation spot if your idea of roughing it includes walking along the beach and an excellent seafood restaurant.
Another real beauty of Shelter Cove is the ease with which you can reach all of the area's attractions once you land. You could arrive by air and never really need four wheels. Good thing, too: No rental cars are available, nor is there avgas on the field, so don't arrive with the needles on E. All of the major inns and hotels are within walking distance of the 3,400-foot-long asphalt strip. Take a short hike from the south end of the field and you'll be at Mario's Marina, which has a good deli and an even better restaurant. Or stroll from the north end of the field — there's parking at either end — and have a bite at the Cove Restaurant. Before or after your meal, take advantage of the opportunity to explore gorgeous beaches or hike the treelined trails.
According to Gem of the Lost Coast, a history of Shelter Cove by Mario Machi, "Early trade ships from Spain are known to have been in the Cove; Russians explored the coast and founded a community farther south at Fort Ross. It could be assumed that they probably stopped here, as one of the reasons for their settlements and explorations was the seal trade. Shelter Cove has been inhabited off and on since the thirteenth century, when it was occupied by natives. These people may have belonged to [the group that] is currently known of as the Sinkyone Indians." An 840-foot-long pier existed between 1865 and 1920 but was toppled by an earthquake.
Shelter Cove is part of California's so-called "lost coast," so named because the famous Pacific Coast Highway was built several miles inland, effectively cutting off the area from car-borne tourists. Indeed, the one road leading into Shelter Cove is twisty enough to make you want to bring your mountain bike along. Such relative inaccessibility greatly reduces the Winnebago factor.
Much of what you see today in Shelter Cove can be traced back to a development boom in the 1960s, when roads were built, lots created, the golf course laid out, and the runway paved. Even with typically infectious optimism that was common in California during that period's building craze, Shelter Cove never quite took off. Part of the slowdown stemmed from the crash of a chartered DC-3 that skidded off the runway, killing 17 passengers. Not long after that, the Finley Creek fire charred 13,000 acres around Shelter Cove.
The community has rebounded nicely, with the campground busy most weekends during the summer, good fishing, and a new real-estate boom. Although there are big plans for the area, only about 300 homes have been built. For visiting pilots, Shelter Cove is a treat, a getaway from the heat of the city. Paradise found.
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