Lake Talawa is located about 5-miles from
Crescent City, near Pacific Shores, in the Coast
Ranges. At one time, the Smith River emptied to
the sea through these lagoons but it has now cut
an outlet channel several kilometers north.
Portions of the area surrounding Lake Talawa and
Lake Earl are private.
Lake Talawa and Lake Earl are connected by a
channel are similar to the shallow lagoons
found in other parts of California. The
water varies from relatively saline in Lake
Talawa, the smaller of the two and the
closest to the ocean, to fresh in Lake Earl
in the vicinity of the tributary creek. Salt
grass and pickerelweed, potamogeton
pectinatus forms dense blooms in the summer
that may cover up to two-thirds of the
surface of Lake Earl and Lake Talawa, making
power-boating virtually impossible.
To the west of the lagoons there is a series
of wind-and-wave-formed dunes. These lagoons
are important stops on the Pacific Flyway
and during the migratory season, up to
100,000 birds may be seen in the area. Ducks
are abundant. 250 species of birds
have been observed in the vicinity of the
lagoons, as have at least 50 species of
mammals.
Paddling on Lake Talawa with your line in
the water can be quite mesmerizing as
you
gaze into forests and watch the animals
frolicking along the shore, the shadows
dancing on the water surface, until you feel
that big tug that says you have a caught a
big one.
