The Roots of the Roots

May 14, 2023August 15, 2023 slvpost.com

By Dorice Ann

Have you noticed the giant redwood root ball that mysteriously showed up on the beach along the Boardwalk? If you happen to be wondering where it came from, I have a story for you.

I have lived in a small cabin in Boulder Creek since 1993. Among my favorite features of the property when I first arrived 30 years ago was the stand of seven old-growth redwood trees at the edge of the creek. One of the trees was especially huge with a trunk over 20 feet around.

In 1998, a torrential storm pummeled Santa Cruz County. It caused extensive damage in neighborhoods all throughout the area. The beloved grove of established redwood trees on my property crashed unexpectedly into the creek.

When the creek’s flow was blocked by this surprise introduction of trees, true to our nature in mountain towns, the locals rallied to assist. Plenty of muscles and chainsaws were put to work to clear the obstruction (and bring good fortune to redwood slab collectors). In the end, only the ball of the biggest redwood’s root system was left where it landed in the creek.

That root ball held court in the creek behind my cabin until more heavy storms arrived in 2017. The rising water then lifted the root ball and carried it downriver to my neighbor’s property. It didn’t float very far before getting stuck in a bend of the creek.

During the recent storms of 2023, the root ball was dislodged again and washed away. This time, it traveled for miles — all the way to the mouth of the San Lorenzo River, where it settled on a stretch of beach near the Logger’s Revenge flume ride at the Boardwalk.

The root ball appears to have been embraced in its new home. As I visited this old friend, I noticed decorative items that people had placed in its crevices. My dream is for the City to leave it as it sits and allow visitors to enjoy its massive glory, continuing to adorn it with trinkets and treasures befitting its incredible journey.