Barstow or Big Lagoon, whats it gonna be?
by HEIDI WALTERS Big Lagoon is a lilting side dish of freshwater loveliness 30 miles north of Eureka, separated by a narrow three-mile strip of sandy land from the crashing ocean which, ideally, breaks across the barrier once or twice each winter to flood the lagoon with saltwater and allow anadromous fish to enter and find their way up a tributary to spawn. The isolation and occasional breakthroughs make the lagoon unique, exotic and home to a mix of species. It’s recognized officially as an important stop for migrating birds within the Pacific Flyway. The lagoon and its wooded environs is also home to a small, jointly-operated community of cabin owners, some individual residences, a county park, state park lands and the Big Lagoon Rancheria’s reservation. The tribe is made up exclusively of the 27 members of the Moorehead family. But although there is a tribe at Big Lagoon, there is, as of yet, no casino, nor any real commercial development to speak of, these days. And in a settlemen
