Easter Week - Cork and Cathy arrive from Redding on their spring break. We are all in a celebratory mood as Cork has just retired the week before. To fully enjoy this beautiful day and we pack up and head for
Point Lobos State Natural Reserve. Being Easter Week, we're not too surprised to see a sign at the entrance announcing the park is full with no more parking. We stop at the booth anyway and the ranger tells us we can come in, but parking is pretty tight as the park is crowded. We steer towards the windy northern shore where we believe it will be less crowded. Peter's parking karma is working like a charm and we have no trouble scoring a parking space. So we tumble out, adjust our boots and head out on the
Cypress Grove/North Shore Trails.
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| Entrance to Point Lobos SNR |
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| The winds have carved rocks into strange shapes |
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As expected, we meet several others along the trails.
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| Father taking photos of his son |
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| A young couple enjoying time together in a sheltered cove |
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The winds have scrubbed the air clean and the colors are sharp. The blues of the ocean are especially amazing along this section of rocky coast with its many coves.
The wildflowers are out as well.
After finishing the Cypress Grove Trail, we move over to the North Shore Trail. Our first stop is to admire a very large old cypress tree, a favorite subject of local
plein air painters. We continue following the trails as it winds around many beautiful coves.
Above one of the most protected coves is a sign asking people to be especially quiet so as not to disturb the harbor seals below. Apparently this small sandy beach is used by harbor seals as a maternity ward and nursery. We stand transfixed watching the mother seals teaching their pups how to swim in the sheltered waters and land safely on the beach.
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| This lady seal looks like she's about to give birth |
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Come on Junior,
time for your swimming lesson |
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| Good job - now stop playing and let's practice landing |
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| Time for a snack... |
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| and a nice nap. |
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We wrap up the afternoon feeling blessed we were able to watch such a touching vignette between the mothers and their pups. The next day, Cork and Cathy continue on south to visit family in Morro Bay.
A few days later, we share Easter Brunch with our friend Christy at
Edgar's in the Quail Lodge in Carmel Valley. Again, it's a beautiful spring day and we very much enjoy our brunch on an outdoor patio. Sorry - missed taking photos of the Easter Bunny practicing golf swings on the driving range. After brunch, Christy takes us to walk the trails around
Carmel Meadows Beach (aka Ribera Beach). She shows us a log book stored underneath a bench where people can leave their thoughts while contemplating this wonderful stretch of coastline.
On the way back we pass a large wooden cross - a replica of one erected by the early Spanish explorers. Nearby is a rock with following inscription:
- "On December 10, 1769, the Portola-Crespi expedition from Mexico erected a cross on this hill to signal its long-overdue supply ship, San Jose. A message at the cross state that they were suffering great privation and were returning to San Diego. The San Jose had been lost at sea."
We feel very fortunate to have shared these experiences and this time of year with great friends.
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| Cork, Cathy, and Peter @ Pt Lobos |
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| Marti and Christy @ Ribera Beach |
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Looks like you have some pretty nerdy friends that you hiked with at Pt. Lobos . . . :)
ReplyDeleteLOL... it's a toss up who's the nerdiest, if you ask me.
DeleteDefinitely one of the two guys!
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