The Salinas River wetlands grow on you

Sunset, March, 1992 by Peter Fish

THE JOINING OF THE Salinas River and the Pacific Ocean doesn't rank with the meeting of the Amazon and the Atlantic, or other great conjunctions of rivers and oceans. For much of the year, the Salinas doesn't even get its feet wet in ocean water, but dwindles to ponds landlocked a hundred yards from the surf. In short, the initial impression is less than heart-stopping.

But try telling that to the snowy plover and other bird species that make the Salinas River wetlands a permanent or seasonal home. To them, this stretch of coast just south of Castroville makes for one of the best feeding, resting, and roosting stops in central California.

A REFUGE FOR PLOVERS AND PELICANS

Managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Salinas River National Wildlife Refuge takes in 518 acres of dunes, marshland, and brackish ponds. You park in a dirt lot, then walk 3/4 mile down a road to the refuge's South Marsh; from there you head to the beach and stroll north to the Salinas River's mouth.

As you do, you'll probably find the place growing on you. The beach runs long and clean and is marked more with seashells than shoe prints.

The dunes system--brightened this time of year by beach evening primrose and sand verbena is impressive in its expanse. Dunes nearest the ocean are a few hundred years old; those inland and to the south, thousands. (The latter lie off-limits to hikers but can be viewed from the road and the beach.)

One important dune dweller is the small and sand colored snowy plover, a candidate for endangered species status. It suffers from the predatory attentions of red foxes, which the wildlife service has attempted to thwart by building wire-mesh exclosures around nest sites. Nesting runs from April through June; if you visit then, take care to stay away from the exclosures.

Other birds on the beach, in the dunes, and in the marshes include curlews, sandpipers, and the endangered brown pelican.

The refuge is open from dawn to dusk. There are no signed trails, kiosks, or rest rooms. From Castroville, take State Highway 1 2.2 miles south to the Del Monte exit; turn north and follow the signs across a field to the parking area. For information, call the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in San Francisco: (415) 792-0222.

A good nearby stop is Salinas River State Beach, where boardwalk trails lead across the dunes. It's reached from Molera or Potrero roads just north of the wildlife area. For more details, telephone (408) 384-7695.