Coming home to a place I'd never been before
It was 40 years ago today that I first visited Humboldt county: an event that ultimately changed the entire future course of my life.
Back then, I published a national newsletter that focused on the conservation of river otters. For the next issue, I wanted to write a lead article about otters in California, and the only person studying them at the time was a grad student at Humboldt State University. I'd actually met Kent Reeves at a research workshop in Florida two years before, so when I wrote and asked him if I could interview him for this article I was planning, he said come on up!
Long story short, I fell in love with Humboldt at first sight. Everything about the place was a revelation. Only disappointment was that I didn't get to see any wild otters, but Kent said you'll just have to come back this summer and we'll camp out on Redwood Creek and we'll see otters then for sure. I did, and we did! And only 14 months after that first visit, I made Humboldt my new home. Ended up studying wild otters myself here for 25 years, and living happily ever after. 🙂
Back then, I published a national newsletter that focused on the conservation of river otters. For the next issue, I wanted to write a lead article about otters in California, and the only person studying them at the time was a grad student at Humboldt State University. I'd actually met Kent Reeves at a research workshop in Florida two years before, so when I wrote and asked him if I could interview him for this article I was planning, he said come on up!
Long story short, I fell in love with Humboldt at first sight. Everything about the place was a revelation. Only disappointment was that I didn't get to see any wild otters, but Kent said you'll just have to come back this summer and we'll camp out on Redwood Creek and we'll see otters then for sure. I did, and we did! And only 14 months after that first visit, I made Humboldt my new home. Ended up studying wild otters myself here for 25 years, and living happily ever after. 🙂