Hundreds gather on Russian River beaches in Sonoma County to beat Memorial Day heat

The Woods family was huddled in a circle a stone’s throw from the river at Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach, hiding from the beaming midday sun under the solace of their canopy.

For the family of six Irish expatriates, it was just their second nonessential trip beyond the sanitary confines of their Windsor home since Sonoma County’s stay-home order was first enacted in March to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The first trip was Sunday night to a newly-reopened restaurant for dinner, said mother Roheisa Woods.

They joined hundreds of people seeking the cool waters of the few county beaches open, with restrictions, on Memorial Day. It was the first day of a nearly weeklong heat wave this week with temperatures expected to reach the upper 90s, and for many, a dip in the Russian River was an ideal way to spend the final day of the holiday weekend.

“We’re keeping our distance and keeping to ourselves,” said Paul Woods, head of the Windsor family.

Sonoma County seemed to be better behaved on its beaches during the holiday weekend, at least when compared to extremes like Lake of the Ozarks and Osage Beach in Missouri where crushes of people were partying without masks in close proximity.

Making sure people stay 6 feet apart was the primary directive for Sonoma County park rangers, who were actively patrolling each beach and documenting crowds for county leaders to review as they weigh the next steps for reopening.

Many of the current rules aimed at reducing the chances of large gatherings were more challenging to enforce on a holiday weekend, said park ranger Ryan Conradi. “We’re trying to let people police themselves … but for the past two days, it feels like people have been trying to social distance on the beach.”

The most recent health order prohibits sunbathing, picnicking and barbecuing at river beaches. Umbrellas, shade structures, tents, coolers and beach chairs are also not allowed.

Conradi stopped several visitors hauling coolers on their way down to the Healdsburg shore, but as long as beachgoers were respectful of others, shade structures and beach chairs seemed to get a pass on a sweltering Memorial Day.

“It’s not the mean Mister Ranger coming around,” Conradi said. “We’re all in this together. I want the parks open.”

With parking lots serving beaches along the Sonoma coast still closed under public health rules, many flocked to beaches along the Russian River over the holiday weekend.

Parking lots were open at the Healdsburg beach, Riverfront Regional Park, Steelhead Beach and Sunset Beach, although each closed at various points throughout the weekend when lots reached capacity and it became harder to social distance along the shore. Many would-be visitors were turned away while more determined drivers parked on neighboring residential streets and walked in.

Large inflatable rafts dotted portions of the Russian River east of Guerneville.

At the Steelhead riverfront, where tree lines can create a bottleneck for beach spots, making social distancing even tougher, some families fished, others swam, and groups of friends gathered to commemorate the holiday weekend.

Brandon Montalbo, 26, of Santa Rosa joined Zoe Colaso, 23, and Cindy Pettibone, 34, of Sonoma hovering around a snack table as a group of nearly a dozen basked on the beach. Their setup, a tight-knit group of friends close together with coolers, chairs and shade structures, may have been ideal on any other Memorial Day. But on this one, it conflicted with many of the current health rules for the beach.

Colaso shrugged her shoulders. They felt safe, she said.

“Everyone’s already taking their own risk,” Colaso said. “It’s hard to stay inside during Memorial Day when it’s perfect weather.”

You can reach Staff Writer Yousef Baig at 707-521-5390 or yousef.baig@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter ?@YousefBaig.