A Day Made for Ocean Kayaking

The serenity of a sunrise

It all started when I stepped out the door and inhaled. The early morning colors and the crisp, cool ocean air seemed to imbue my senses, wrapping me gently in blue and golden hues.  The stately palm trees sensed it too, a warm sunny 75° day unfolding.

Sun’s peaceful reflection

We have been anticipating this day for the past few weeks, when we would launch our kayak out into the ocean and paddle to the kelp beds.  We had to wait until the surf was fairly flat and this day the gods were smiling on us as the ocean looked to be as serene as an alpine lake.  The surfers were none too thrilled I’m sure, but they have had plenty of opportunity to catch some big waves with all the high surf warnings we’ve had around here lately.

For the past few weeks, standing atop the bluffs, we have seen several whales spouting from beyond the kelp beds and we were hoping to see some up close from the water.  Dolphins have teased us with their surfing skills as well, joining in right alongside the other boarders.

What is it about floating on the water that can soothe even the most restless part of me?  The sight of the paddle dipping into the water as we propel ourselves forward,  sun’s shimmering rays dancing on the water’s edge, pelicans soaring just above the water’s surface…simply divine.

Brown pelican skimming the surface

We managed to get the kayak into the water and beyond the break  without swamping the boat, a good first step.  Pointing our boat west we headed out, hopeful for new discoveries.  Looking down into the depths, we watched huge schools of silver fish dart to and fro, as tiny white jellyfish gently floated by. Seals lazily glided through the beds, looking for their next snack, but keeping a wary eye on us all the while.

We found friends Bill and Lisa out on the water, enjoying this sun-kissed day balanced upon their paddleboards.  They shared with us some of their great finds – moon jellies, zebra fish and leopard sharks, unfortunately none of which we saw, but a couple of surprises still awaited us before day’s end.

Lisa, looking like a beautiful blonde mermaid

Bill enjoying a picture-perfect day on the water

Just when we were about to call it a day, we spotted a pod of five dolphins.  Our best efforts at closing the distance between us and them were not good enough, as they toyed with us, managing to stay far enough away to avoid a photo. Suddenly we felt something glide beneath our kayak and a curious dolphin broke the water’s surface.  I clicked away in the hopes of getting at least one usable photo.  Sometimes luck is all one needs!

A lovely acrobatic dolphin

We couldn’t think of a better way to end our day, except maybe to see a whale or two, but that wasn’t happening.  Time to head back in, which can be the tricky part when in a kayak, particularly for a couple of novices.  If you don’t catch the wave at the right angle, you can end up getting pulled sideways and flip.  We took a deep breath, prepared for the wave coming our way, and proudly rode it into shore.  A most excellent way to end the day!

Two blissfully happy kayakers

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Feeding Body and Soul in San Diego, CA

Sunrise on a cloudy day

Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better.  ~ Albert Einstein

I love the early morning, that quiet time before the pace that takes over the rest of the day kicks in.  Today is my day to do sprints, a way for me to “shock” my body, taking it out of its normal routine and kicking up the cardio a bit.  I know this is not for everyone and some days my body seems to be asking me, “are you sure this is what you want to do?”, but after it’s over I feel invigorated, so for me 30 minutes once a week works.  Being on the beach is the perfect place to do this, a nice soft surface, a cool breeze, the pounding surf, and the salty air.  What could be better?  Ok, a nice gentle walk along the beach, but I digress.

All together now ~ surf’s up!

Exercise time is over so I kick off my shoes and walk back in the surf, another great resistance exercise for the old bod.  The water is a refreshing 64º, that ‘just right’ mix of a little gasp when the waves rush over your feet and that feeling of utter bliss when the tide pulls back again and the sand is running through your toes.

Brown pelicans in flight

This is my time for reflection, meditation by the water if you will, and at times I find my thoughts moving back through time to the beautiful, rugged Oregon coast where we spent a few months earlier this year, and thanks to Gunta and her amazing photography, I get my regular fix.  San Diego is equally as beautiful and we feel blessed to winter here.

Paddle boarder catchin’ a wave

Wipeout!

Today began with a mixture of clouds and sunshine.  Mother Nature seems unsure which direction she wants to head, enticing us with a little sun, then pulling the clouds back like a nightshade, bringing a little chill to the air.  Whichever she decides, it looks to be a glorious day with temps around 70º.

Kelp~the sea’s gift to the shorebirds

My walk back has me jumping over large masses of seaweed which the ocean has presented as a gift for waiting shorebirds.  There are a large number of kelp beds off-shore near San Elijo State Beach and what may be viewed as large buggy masses to us is a veritable feast for these birds, and the kelp beds themselves are recognized as one of the most dynamic ecosystems on Earth.  Everything has its place in the world…perfect harmony.

Back at the RV, time for some breakfast of my own. Today I’ll share with you one of many smoothie recipes I throw together.  We like to get most of our carbs from vegetables, the green leafy kind being most dominant but berries just cannot be beat blended into a smoothie and are oh-so-yummy!  Here is what was on the menu today, should you be so inclined to whip yourself up one of these ice-cold treats.

Bluff along the beach.

Berry-Spinach Smoothie

(use organic ingredients when possible~makes 2 large drinks)

2 c. frozen mixed berries

1 c. water

1 scoop protein powder

3 large handfuls spinach

Juice of 1 lemon

1/4 avocado

1 T. flaxseed oil or ground meal

Blend and enjoy!

Mother Nature has spoken; looks like another warm sunny day in paradise.  I hope wherever you are, even if the sun isn’t shining, you are having a marvelous Saturday.  Now off to work I go with a very big smile on my face.

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Sun, Surf and Sea Air ~ Cardiff, CA

For a second year we are back to work as Camp Hosts at San Elijo State Beach and tomorrow begins the big work week.  Imagine if you will a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean at one of the best surfing spots on the West Coast and that is where our RV sits.  With near perfect temps, pounding surf to lull you to sleep at night, and intoxicating sea air, how can this be called work?  Yes, what we do classifies as work, but there is plenty of time for play and if we don’t get more than our fair share of exercise, shame on us.  We literally can walk or bike most any place we need to go, unless of course we want to head a few miles south to do more San Diego exploring, and we will be doing plenty of that.

For now I will leave you with a small sampling of the sights right outside our door:

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One Last…

One last sunset at San Elijo State Beach.

One last walk on the beach on the busy Memorial Day Weekend, marking the first of summer for families .  The weather was divine!

One last Eli Howard Surf School class to watch – beginner surfer dudes (kooks)!  Wish I could capture the look of excitement on the kids’ faces when they catch their first wave!

This was going to read one last strawberry balsamic gelato from Chuao Chocolatier, and it is amazing, but we decided to get a little crazy and go to Blue Ribbon Artisan Pizzeria and have something we have not had in months, a pizza.  We walked away remorseful that we had not found this place earlier in our stay, everything was that good, all local ingredients and made on site.  When we walked in we said that it reminded us of a quaint little pizzeria in downtown Phoenix and later learned from our waitress that it was modeled after that very same restaurant.  The pizza was one of the best we ever had; the Eel River craft porter was delish;  and we were talked into staying for dessert, so no gelato, but the award-winning dessert we had was divine.  I am not a fan of butterscotch pudding (Terry loves it) but I must admit that the addition of some malted sea salt in this decadent dessert made it, well, heavenly.

One last view of the ‘Unconditional Surrender’ sculpture at the San Diego Harbor, depicting a sailor kissing a nurse to mark the end of World War II.

One last visit with the terrific young men and women Park Aides at San Elijo.

One last walk through the meditation gardens.

Today wraps up our first workamping experience and what a great first it was!  A big shout-out to the wonderful staff at San Elijo State Beach.  We could not have asked for a greater group of people to work with and our Camp Host teammates were a delight as well.   Tomorrow we hit the road again, to spend time at some of the National Parks in northern California, to reconnect with nature until time for Terry’s medical tests later this summer.

Lots of memories for us in San Diego and a great way to spend part of a winter and spring.  Today is the one last day to say goodbye to the staff and campers and breathe in the salty air at San Elijo State Beach, that is until we return later this year.

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It All Started Here ~ Cabrillo National Monument

September 28, 1542 is when it all started here, California that is, at Point Loma.  The Cabrillo National Monument displays the sandstone icon commemorating the exploration of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, which aptly overlooks the San Diego Bay.

Cabrillo was something of a mystery man.  No one knows for certain where he was born or where he is buried.  What we do know  is that he was a Spanish conquistador and explorer and the first European, along with his expedition, to set foot  on the West Coast of the U.S., right here in San Diego Bay.  He had grand ambitions when he sailed north from Mexico, to chart the mythical passage from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic and search for gold, just to name a couple of his dreams.

After a six-day stay to wait out a storm, Cabrillo’s flotilla continued to sail north, sighting the islands of Santa Catalina and San Clemente and on to what is now San Pedro Bay near Los Angeles.  No one knows for certain just how far he sailed as his original navigation log was lost.  Details of his voyage and the events of his death came from an accounting that was gathered after the expedition returned to Mexico without him.

On January 13, 1543, his exploration goals short-lived, Cabrillo allegedly died on one of the Channel Islands from an apparent infection that set in after he suffered a broken leg.  Although he did not live to see his exploration dreams fulfilled, the knowledge gained of winds and currents and landmarks charted made later exploration safer.

From the Cabrillo monument, on a clear day you can catch views of the San Diego Harbor and skyline and Coronado Island, along with the Naval Air Station North Island, dubbed the “Birthplace of Naval Aviation”.  Although a little hazy when we were there, we were thankful the marine layer stayed further offshore during our visit.  While standing out on the point we were fortunate to see (and hear) a squadron of fighter jets take off from the Naval Air Station, out on maneuvers.

Naval Air Station North Island Operations

San Diego is headquarters to the Eleventh Naval District and is one of the busiest and largest U.S. naval ports in the world.  Many of the Pacific Fleet’s cruisers, carriers, destroyers and amphibious ships are stationed here.  The U.S. Coast Guard, part of The Department of Homeland Security, conducts extensive operations out of San Diego.

U.S. Coast Guard Facilities

Another prominent structure standing watch over San Diego Bay is the Old Point Loma Lighthouse.  Built in 1854, it was one of the first lighthouses on the West Coast.  It was taken out of service after 36 years as fog and clouds could often shroud the light.  It was lit for the first time on November 15, 1855 and its light was extinguished on March 23, 1891.

The lighthouse stands 422 feet above sea level and, at the time, it seemed like the perfect location for it.  Sandstone was carved from the hills for the walls and the floor tiles were taken from a Spanish fort ruins.  A five-foot tall 3rd order Fresnel lens, which was tops in technology at the time, was shipped in from France.  This lens made the light visible at sea for 25 miles, that is when fog and clouds weren’t obscuring the view.    There was no foghorn at the time so a shotgun was fired to warn ships away from the menacing rocks below.  Today the interior of the lighthouse, which has been refurbished to its 1880′s appearance, and the out buildings, are open to visitors.

Located at the southern tip of the Point Loma Peninsula, a Pacific gray whale display can be seen, with sitting areas to watch these majestic mammals make their southerly 12,000 mile migration from the Arctic to the Baja.  Gray whale sightings are fairly common here from December through March but are not seen at all making their trek back north in May.

Display of the migration of the Pacific gray whale

We timed our visit here to coincide with low tide so we could check out the tide pools, which are some of the best around we have heard.  All things finally came together to make for a near perfect day.  After watching a 30-minute film on the intertidal zones, we headed to the western side of Point Loma, where from late Fall until Spring the tide pools are visible.  Within the tidal zone is the 4 square mile Point Loma kelp forest, the largest on the West Coast.

There are two low and two high tides every day in California, something new to me.  The low tide that would have been best for viewing life in the pools was at 3:00 am but we were hoping for a good showing for the one at 1:00 pm.  With three intertidal zones (high, middle, and low), we would be viewing the high and hopefully some of the middle.

Terry, waiting for low tide

Although the tide wasn’t as low as we would have liked and we did not see any of the stars of the pools (sea stars that is), the pools were still teeming with life.

Sea star, compliments of marinebio.net

Treading lightly and close inspection is what is needed to find the diverse life here.

Wading in the pool, searching for the unusual

Camouflage is the name of the game as sea life here have many natural-born enemies.  The tide pools are really a window into the rest of the ocean.  Here is just a little of what we were able to find:

Starburst anemone ~ a voracious eater!

Owl limpet

The owl limpet has a muscular foot that holds its body and shell tightly to the rock.  It is a hermaphrodite, beginning its life as a reproductive male and if lucky to live long enough, transforms itself into a female.

Sea lettuce

Sea lettuce is a bright green algae that can tolerate heavier levels of pollution than most sea life.  Where there are large populations, pollution level alert!

Barnacles draped with sea lettuce

Barnacles live upside down, attached by antennae to rocky outcroppings.

Conspicuous chiton nestled in a rocky depression

Hermit crab sitting atop a disguised sea anemone

These “squatters” take up residence in empty shells of other animals, moving on when they outgrow their homes.

Striped shore crab

I chased this skittish little guy around for a while before he agreed to just one photo!

So much going on where it all started and so much left unseen in the low tidal zone, these mysterious creatures of the sea.

It’s a balancing act!

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