Elkhorn Slough [Moss Landing, CA]

It stopped raining for about 20 seconds today so I finally got to make a coast run. Rain forced me to put away the camera just when we got close to the sea otter pups. Bummer!

Moss Landing is about halfway between Monterey and Santa Cruz. It’s an excellent spot for sea otters & other semi-small sea beings. I was on a pontoon boat, but would recommend a kayak for this trip.

Kind of a scary looking Pelican, huh?











Young Sea Lions just hangin'.....





















A Sea Otter with a clam snack...











A Sea Otter raft [a group of otters traveling together]

And that's all from California today. We're expecting more rain, but I'm hoping to get down to Monterey in the next week. If that happens, then I hope to be back with a few more pictures. Have a good week.

Stormy California

Well, I didn't plan to write today. However, I have readers
:-) and things are very strange here... it's the 4th straight day of storms. Winds gusted up to 85mph. There was another small earthquake up the street last night. Cliffs continue to erode 10ft per day. The Southbound lanes of The Great Highway [Ocean Beach, San Francisco] are closed due to further erosion. Here's a link to a picture of the eroding cliffs in Pacifica: http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/gallery?section=news/local/peninsula&id=7176635&photo=18

The roof at the house is actively leaking in 5 places. And in the words of the clerk behind the desk at the hotel where I live I had "lots of boyfriends last night." As I have never referred to ANTS as boyfriends it took a minute to realize she understood my need for service early this morning. I chuckled along with her joke until she shouted upstairs [where breakfast is served!] to the maintenance man, "Room 1 - - had lots of boyfriends last night. Make sure you get in there before housekeeping."

So, there you have it. Life in California....you can't make up this stuff!!

Just another rainy day...

When I promised you a snorkel tale I had no idea the universe would deliver in such grand fashion. I’m using the local YMCA for snorkel practice by order of the trip’s captain [for info about the trip: http://www.consciousbreathadventures.com/ ]. This afternoon was practice #3.

After finally settling on a wetsuit today I decided to relax with a trip to the Y’s outdoor pool, especially since the storm passed and we had sunny skies. The wetsuit warrants a post of its own; however I must protect any remnants of dignity! Briefly, wetsuits are the equivalent of a human shedding skin and then putting it back on in one piece from feet to head after it turns into a thick and clingy rubber. There is nothing sexy about the wetsuit process! Back to the safety of the pool….

I asked the lifeguard how she smiled with snorkel and she gave me a suggestion. The gray-haired man sharing my swim lane asked, “Problem with the snorkel?”
Me: No, Well, yeah I guess. I need to practice smiling with the snorkel….
Him: Why?
Me: I was instructed to because I’m going on a whale encounter trip and people tend to smile while underwater.
Him [judgmental laughter]: The whales don’t care if you’re smiling. They won’t be close enough anyway.
Me [not correcting either fallacy!]: I don’t think he suggested we practice for the whales…

About two minutes later I’m swimming along and nearly burst into laughter at the spontaneous replay of his foolishness. And guess what? Using the lifeguard’s tip to lightly bite the mouthpiece while “gritting & grinning” worked!

On the very next lap the sky darkened and lightning struck. A different lifeguard, fearful I would not exit pool, kept saying “Mam, mam you have to get out now!” I don't think it's appropriate to say "mam" when the person looks like a creature that lives in a sea cave. I tried to reply but with a mask, snorkel & fins I’m pretty sure I just came out like some deep sea creature hoping to evolve into one that could speak & walk!

Entries won’t always be so long, but this’ll make up for the days I don’t write.
ps Thanks for your enthusiastic responses!

Welcome!

One of my dearest friends has been blogging for nearly three years. I have tried to be a faithful reader but often play catch up, reading a week or two at a time. I don’t know that I ever took seriously the idea of having my own blog until she asked if she could post a funny story and some pictures from emails I’d sent.

Now here I sit in California. . .6.5 months into this transformational moment. I’m as relieved as I am sorry that I haven’t been blogging since mid-June when I made the decision to leave Florida in preparation for my mother’s death.

As much as I might want to publish I am equally determined to show no weakness. Well, as little as possible! I’m pretty sure that’s a genetic trait inherited from my mother who relied on only Aleve as the cancer dominated her body and took her life. This is as good a time as any to rewire that genetic predisposition. . .

I’ve made plans for the first round of once-in-a-lifetime trips as I continue with the daily chores of cleaning out a house, probate, and eventually returning to Florida. My first trip to swim with Humpback Whales is fast approaching! It seems the perfect time to create a blog and invite you along on the adventures. I hope you’ll come back and visit again.