California_Coast_R/T

Hello All,

I have made it back home to Davis, CA once again, this time for a longer spell I think. After 5 months in San Diego I did return to Davis and began to settle back into life here.  I jumped right back into the UCD Craft Center and some small and big wood projects like the workbench project I had started a while ago, but I had an ache to travel a little bit locally and to see a new place – The Channel Islands. I had never been, but people I know have been going there for a while. So, off I went down the coast to Ventura, CA – mostly on the scenic and slower route of the Pacific Coast Highway (once I was past Half Moon Bay). I do not love driving but the coast route is indeed a nice drive. First stop was Monterey, CA on Sept 20th as I had booked a trip with Shearwater Journeys a while back – (as this is there last year of pelagic birding). The day before going out on the boat though, I knew I wanted to chase sea-otters a bit around Moss Landing. That time was well-spent as the inner bay, tidal flats, and marina are all quite fun to pass an easy day around. Had luck seeing many otters, some probably being otter pups and their parents chilling out in the protected harbor. Shorebird migration is under way so plenty to see there too. After a day chasing otters I headed to Monterey. From the Fisherman’s Wharf docks we went out in a fairly large swell for the day and many of us including me got a little sick from the rolling sea. It was an okay trip overall, but not a huge amount of sightings. A few pods of humpback whales, a few Black-footed Albatross, a Buller’s Shearwater, and the usual cast of characters for that area gave us something to focus on periodically for the 8-hour trip. Not my best pelagic trip, but always interesting to be out on the bay. From Monterey I head right into Big Sur down the windy-hilly section of the PCH. When I was 17 yrs old, I flew out from NYC and biked from SF to Ventura on this road. It’s hard to imagine doing it now, but the amazing scenery and youthfulness for sure made it easier then. Elephant seal females and some young males have been hauling out at some spots along the coast, so I stopped to see them further south. In Santa Barbara I rested a day, got my Channel Island map, and stumbled upon the memorial for the Dive Boat Concepcion that went down in flames out in the Channel Islands this September. After sending a few photos of this to friends and family, I learned the next day from a good friend that someone she knew was on that boat with her husband and they both perished. A humbling experience to be at that memorial along the docks in the harbor. On South from Santa Barbara. Once in Ventura, I jumped on the Island Packers ferry to Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa. We stopped briefly at Santa Cruz and then went to Santa Rosa. I really loved the island. spent 5 nights there. Day-hiking from a base and backcountry camping with a heavy load (too heavy). My photos document the incredible vistas, wildlife, ocean views, huge scale of beaches, and some of the interesting history of Rosa. For anyone who hasn’t been to the islands, highly recommended. From the island, I dropped down to San Diego for a couple nights to see friends and then hauled quite fast up the 15/395 to Bishop where I met with a real-estate broker. Buying a piece of land or a house is on the radar right now and Bishop is high on the list as an affordable place to do that – maybe I will be a homeowner soon?……enough said for now though….hope you enjoy the slides…..have fallen into a spell of hip-hop club music so using that some as background music….as for that last video that was up, I pulled it down off Vimeo as it probably was breaking some USGS/federal copyright rules…but, I will send copies to anyone who wants them……give thanks and be thankful for as many things as you can every day!!!