Sadly it was late evening before I managed to get away from the phone and computer. Some days a just like that. When I finally emerged from the house and started walking along the ‘front’ as we call it there was a barking and a whining coming out of the gloom off shore. The seals habitually lounge on a rock just off the point on West Cliff Drive. You can see where that is on the map. When I reached Lighthouse Field State Beach surfer were pealing off their wet suits on the sidewalk (pavement). About a dozen hopefuls were still bobbing around below but there was hardly any swell at all. When the surf is up one gets a grandstand view of Steamer Lane beside Lighthouse Field Beach. If you think surf and Santa Cruz that’s the place to go gorp!
Whether one is in the water or a dedicated watcher I can see how very compelling this surfing business can be. As I walked along West Cliff Drive last evening there was a certain thrum of anticipation that’s infectious. I catch it every time I find myself in Santa Cruz, which isn’t that often. Clearly people can live their lives centered around the state of the waves, wind speeds etc.
One could live for worse, I guess. And….The means of training are thousand fold but pure Zazen must be done. Zen Master Dogen – Rules For Meditation. In other words surfin’ sitting OK, AND sitting sitting is essential.
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This is how our trip over the mountains and back looked like day before yesterday. At ‘B’ we took a tourist boat to the small island on the right, Anakapa, in the Channel Islands.
And this is what we saw soon after getting out of harbour….
Thanks to Wikipedia and the photographer for this picture of the Common Dolphin.
Being witness to these joyful creatures as they arched in and out of the waters as they collectively rounded up breakfast was quite something else. And then all of the excitement as they and a flock of Brown Pelicans tucked in. Later we cruised along the coast of Anacapa a volcanic Island being told about Kelp Forests and sea caves, ship wrecks and a French hermit who lived there for 25 years. Many sights, sounds (those Sea Lions can bark up a storm) and smells to get attention.
On the drive home we stopped off for a hot drink and this poster caught my eye.
There are very many more than two sides to every story and while California has plenty of everything it’s worth remembering that there is indeed plenty of EVERYTHING.
No time to respond to the comments because I’m driving out of this part of the world this morning heading to Santa Cruz where at least one reader will be waiting for me to take photographs of the SURFERS. Right Pascal?
Coming around a corner this fledgling Pinyon Pine caught my attention
and then, zooming in, this fungus.
This morning as I was taking an early walk I realized my brain is adjusting to the sharp California light and with that I’ve a renewed and deeper sight. The subtle shades of green for example are quite unlike anything I have encountered before. I super saturated these two images and rather liked the result. No, the shadows are not this beautiful blue!
Tomorrow we will be traveling on California State Highway 33, a twisting and turning road over the mountains to the coast, loved by bikers. Much like Hartside Crossing in the UK. Perhaps there will be some photographs of marine mammals in the next post. California 33 is also know as the Petroleum Highway. I’ll have to post the video, taken near Maricopa when I was passing through the oil fields earlier this month.
Thanks for the small rash of comments. And thanks for the e-mail R. I’m doing my best to get back to regular posting because I know there are those of you who log in each day in hope of something new to look at.
The crickets are chirping away in the night and cool air on a light breeze is wafting in the window. Wonderful! This is high country and the air at the moment is dry and thin. Sounds travel remarkably long distances. A dog is barking now, or is it a coyote. I hear tell of wild flowers, abundant in spring, and of seasonal rains and even a drop of light snow in winter. I’m so glad to have been able to spend these days here with two close fellow monastics. It has been a tonic.
Links removed from this post because they didn’t work so well.
Walking up the hill in the early morning
to find Hotei had arrived already. Full of joy – together.
Later, in town. Oranges – on a tree!
and from Disneyland, or maybe outer space….these trees!
Film Review: K-PAX. This is a film in which a psychiatrist comes up shining, compassionate, thoughtful and kind. And patients get better. What could be better! Serious matters such as life and death and cause and effect are set against a backdrop of mystery. All this, coupled with humour, making this a must watch again film.
