Tag Archives: shore

Trumpeting Over the Sound of the Surf

Do you ever see an advertising image of someone doing something artistic outdoors and you think to yourself, “No-one ever does anything like that.  It’s so contrived.”  How about a guy standing on a rocky outcrop above the pounding surf playing the trumpet?  That is exactly what we came across on the shore in Santa Cruz.  This guy was just standing out there playing his trumpet.  What a strange thing to see.  It did sound pretty good though.  He was a pretty decent player!

Lime Kiln State Park

B11I8501.jpgFurther up the coast from Grandma’s Cove was Lime Kiln State Park.  The area used to be a hive of lime production – hence the name of the park – but now the focus was on the lovely shoreline and the great views.  The inclusion of a lighthouse certainly did nothing to harm the view.  There were also the remains of a fortification of some sort on a headland which we had seen from further away when traveling towards to the park up the coast road.

B11I8489.jpgThe lighthouse provided a base for a volunteer group that was tracking the wildlife in the area.  They had some signs identifying which whales had been seen in the area and when.  We did not time our visit there well to see the whales although we did catch some later in the day further up the coast.  The volunteers had binoculars to lend out to visitors if they needed them but, with no whales to be seen, we didn’t require them this time.

AE7I9640.jpg

Rialto Beach

AE7I9453-Pano.jpgIf you mention going to the beach, most people will initially visualize a sandy stretch with the sun in the sky and the waves lapping the shore.  While that is certainly nice, I also love a rugged beach on a rough weather day.  We took a diversion during one of our day trips and headed for Rialto Beach.  There was rain in the air and the wind was certainly blowing but this enhanced the atmosphere of the beach.  Just offshore, large rocky outcroppings rose from the water.  Their tops were almost obscured by low cloud and the waves were crashing up against them.

B11I7999.jpgThe shoreline was covered with debris that had washed ashore.  Logs were stacked up at the high water mark where the waves had pushed them as far as they could go.  The bark was stripped leaving the core wood polished and exposed.  The stones that made up the beach were ridged based on how high the tide and the waves would push them.  Everything looked dramatic in the damp and windy conditions.  The attraction of the place was obviously high because plenty of people were there.  Whether walking their dogs along the beach, taking a walk along the water’s edge or just standing up near the logs and staring out to sea, they were there in numbers.

Ridgeway’s Rail

AU0E2370.jpgThe shore of San Francisco Bay is home to many varieties of bird life. I was walking along the water’s edge with my friend Roger one afternoon when he asked me whether I had ever seen a Ridgeway’s Rail. I confessed I had no idea what it was so also had no idea whether I had ever seen one. He told me that it is a species that is not widespread and mainly confined to the Bay Area. They are shy birds and so not common to see.

AU0E2522.jpgIt can’t have been too long after this conversation that Roger spots – you guessed it – a Ridgeway’s Rail. Not only did he spot this thing but it then decided to try and disprove any thoughts about it being shy. It wandered along in front of us feeding constantly. Occasionally it would go out of sight as it dropped into some thicker foliage but it would soon reappear and keep feeding, occasionally looking up at us to make sure we were taking its picture. We found the most demonstrative example of the species apparently.

AU0E2484.jpgIf you have never seen a Ridgeway’s Rail, this is what it looks like. If you want to see one for real, meet up with Roger and have him tell you about how rare they are and this guy will surely show up shortly afterwards!

AU0E2394.jpg

Surf is Up Again

C59F6521.jpgIf you have a nice Sunday morning with nothing planned, heading to Santa Cruz is worth it. The shore on the north side of the bay is a great place to hang out. Everything is so laid back. I guess people don’t go there if they are up tight. It always seems that everyone is having a nice time. That includes the regular contingent of surfers.

C59F6575.jpgThe conditions on our last visit were mixed for surfing. Occasionally a good swell would come ashore and everyone would jump on the opportunity. Most of the time things were calmer and the surfers would sit on their boards waiting patiently. There is a line close to the rocks that offers more but seems to be the territory of the more capable surfers.

C59F6208.jpgTo get pictures needs as much patience as the surfers have. Of course, it is Sunday morning so I am not in any hurry. I am happy to wait and see what happens. Every once in a while, someone comes in so close to the rocks that you don’t realize that they are there until they are past. In that case, you miss the shot and instead appreciate the skill.

Anemones Sunbathing

wpid13407-C59F6807.jpgAside from the mussels on the rocks at Pescadaro, there were also some anemones. It was slightly surprising to see them so far out of the water. Unlike the mussels that can seal themselves in to stay moist, the anemones were more exposed. They used their own moisture to stay okay during their time out of the water. I imagine they are happy to be back under the surface when the weather is hotter and they are more prone to drying out.

wpid13415-C59F6875.jpg

Mussels

wpid13401-AU0E6401.jpgThe tide was obviously low when we were at Pescadaro State Beach. The exposed rocks were showing all sorts of signs of what might live under the water. There were large outcrops of mussels attached to the rocks. They were sealed up tight waiting for the tide to come back in when they could open up again to feed.

wpid13399-C59F6781.jpg wpid13417-C59F6880.jpg

Pescadaro State Beach

wpid13395-AU0E6366.jpgNancy and I included a trip to Pescadaro State Beach as part of our weekend in Half Moon Bay. There are a number of lovely looking beaches on this stretch of the coast but the guide books suggested this was a good one so we headed there. It is a lovely location with a lot of rocky outcrops upon which the waves crash. We strolled along the shore and enjoyed the waves thundering into the rocks, sometimes sending plumes of spray way up into the air. I love waves and could watch them for hours.

Seaweed Sea Monsters

wpid12645-AU0E4181.jpgI am fascinated by waves. I can easily spend hours at the shore watching the waves come rolling in. They are always changing and that is, in itself, interesting to me. Another thing I love is seeing the color in the water as the wave grows and breaks. As the wave gets close to breaking, the light shines through the water as it thins creating a green color that I love. However, on the visit to Santa Cruz, there was something new to see.

wpid12647-AU0E4184.jpgThere is a lot of seaweed along the shore and it floats just below the surface. As the waves roll in, the weed floats along with them. The front of the wave rises up and the weed is just below the surface. As the light starts to come through the wave, the shadow of the seaweed shows itself. Strange patterns appear. They appear to move as if they are creatures lurking just below the surface. This is the area where a lot of the surfers are and it is almost as if some sea creature is hiding from them just out of sight. Then again, I might allow my imagination to get away from me some times!

wpid12643-AU0E4174.jpg