Slack Tide Cafe
Coffee, Treats, and Harbor Views with a Side of Marine Science
by Torrey Douglass | photos by Clara Shook
In recent years, the Noyo Center for Marine Science has been eyeing various properties down in Fort Bragg’s Noyo Harbor, casing the joint like a would-be burglar, albeit with better intentions. They were seeking a permanent location that would grant them harbor access for observation and research projects, a spot that could serve as both an education and a research facility. Such a property would add a new and necessary dimension to complement their other locations: the Crow’s Nest Interpretive Center—a bluff-top A-frame by the ocean, and the Discovery Center—their downtown exhibition space and retail store in the heart of Fort Bragg.
The center particularly wanted their new space to include a dock for launching boats to give them and collaborating organizations easy access to and from the ocean. A harborfront location would also allow researchers the opportunity to study the harbor’s unique ecosystem, work on projects such as the Red Tide Program, and potentially have space for a wet lab. After investigating several properties with the usual mix of potential and problems, the center eventually took ownership of their own patch of North Noyo Harbor in February 2022 at the former site of Carine’s Fish Grotto, a Sicilian seafood restaurant and local institution from 1947 to 2014, run by three generations of the Carine family.
Richard Millis, II, worked for the Noyo Center for Marine Science as a part-time Marine Mammal Specimen Collections Coordinator for seven years before becoming involved in first the renovation and later the management of Slack Tide Cafe. Richard oversaw the many projects required to make things safe for visitors and to bring the building up to code. The location had sat empty since the restaurant closed in 2014, and while “the bones were good,” the space needed some significant renovations, including repairs to the interior, kitchen equipment updates, deck refurbishing, rebuilt railings, and the replacement of an aged ramp structure to the dock.
All that work made for a busy spring and summer of 2022, as the renovations and improvements slowly reshaped Carine’s Fish Grotto into Slack Tide Cafe. Because the organization was working with a tight budget, volunteers, staff, and board members were essential to preparing the cafe for its September opening. From deep cleaning the spaces, to sanding and painting the walls, to donating a shiny new espresso machine, the Noyo Center’s support network showed up with willing hands and infectious enthusiasm to get the space safe and ready for customers.
The planning team focused on a short list of goals when developing their vision for the cafe. The first and foremost was to bring something new and needed to Noyo Harbor, and the area lacked a morning coffee spot for the harbor’s various workers, sailors, and visitors. At first they considered leasing the food business. As Board President Dave Turner shares, “We weighed renting the restaurant property out and simply maintaining our ocean access goal … but the location was too beautiful, and the team overwhelmingly wanted to provide a ‘Noyo Center’ take on a sustainable coffee shop and lunch cafe.” Additional goals included generating revenue for the center’s educational and research programs, as well as creating jobs in the community.
Slack Tide Cafe is now the only place that serves morning coffee among the harbor businesses, offering up java and espresso drinks thanks to their partnership with Black Oak Coffee Roasters. Besides coffee, customers can enjoy a selection of delectable pastries, sandwiches, salads, and breakfast burritos. Everything is fresh and tasty, and management is keeping the menu simple for now so they can expand it intentionally as they get a feel for what works best.
The cafe’s vibe is casual and friendly. Large windows let in generous natural light, brightening the entry room where customers can order at the counter or browse a small retail section with shirts, jackets, books, mugs, and more. A separate room of tables provides seating for relaxing and visiting away from the traffic around the register, or guests can head out back to an expansive deck that looks out over the water. That deck warms up nicely on sunny days, and from pretty much any seat in the house (or out of it if you’re on the deck), you might see a harbor seal poke their head up from the water’s green depths and return your curious stare. Sea lions, river otters, and a variety of birds might be spotted as well.
As summer brings more people down to the harbor, the cafe plans to host science talks, develop educational programs for student groups, and host other marine science exhibits. The facility is also available for rent for private events, and there are plans to feature live music on Friday and Saturday evenings during the spring and summer months.
Future plans include a program for developing restorative seafood by ranching purple urchins. Purple sea urchins have decimated the bull kelp forests and in many cases are undernourished due to their high numbers. The program would be modeled after similar urchin-ranching efforts that collect live sea urchins, hold them in tanks, and feed them kelp-based nutrition to result in a sustainable commercial product. An abalone breeding program is also being considered.
As well as providing a location for hosting future scientific efforts, the space also honors the past. Photos of the Carines and their decades serving homestyle Sicilian seafood to the community are on display, along with other mementos from the family. The site bears the name “Carine’s Landing” to ensure the original owners, who transformed a former fish shack into a long-running and beloved local restaurant, are remembered.
For now, it appears that the cafe has succeeded in adding something unique to the harbor community. “It’s a spectacular place to be,” remarks Interpretive Facilities Manager Trey Petrey. “It’s part of the history of Fort Bragg and a great place for drinking coffee and watching wildlife on the river.” A busy dining area on the morning of my visit indicates that folks agree, appreciating the friendly atmosphere as the air fills with laughter and the rich scent of coffee.
Richard’s friendly and attentive manner make him an excellent choice for managing the cafe, as does his previous experience in carpentry, bartending, and barista-ing. “We lucked out,” he remembers. “There were lots of repairs to do and they all went smoothly. I’m grateful for the full-time work, and I love the people. This place has nothing but potential.”
Growing into that potential will be a long and deliberate process that will take years, but there’s time. In the meantime, the cafe is doing just fine living up to its name. A slack tide is the pause that occurs after low tide has finished piling its waters into the lap of the Pacific, a moment of stillness before the process reverses and the sea doggedly shambles back up the shore. If you need a moment to pause and escape the pull of life’s competing currents, head down to North Noyo Harbor in Fort Bragg. Slack Tide Cafe offers the welcoming ambiance, excellent coffee, tasty nosh, and harbor seal sightings to take your mind off the grind.
Slack Tide Cafe
Carine’s Landing in Noyo Harbor, 32430 N Harbor Dr, Fort Bragg
(707) 962-8808 | NoyoCenter.org
Open Thursday - Monday 8am - 3pm
Friday & Saturday 8am - 7pm
