Patti's 88th Birthday

Since Patti's birthday is late August, I fly south to join in on the celebrations. Alaska/Horizon's daily non-stop round trip between Monterey and San Diego makes for an easy trip. The only problem is the early morning departure from Monterey, but the ease of boarding makes it well worthwhile. For example while standing in the security line, the only people in front of me is a family with two young children. The husband, who's not flying, asks the agent if he could accompany his wife to help with the children until she can board.  Much to my surprise, the agent just smiles and waves the family into the gate. This agent's humane family treatment would never happen in a larger airport. Gotta love small town airports in these complicates daze of travel.

U of Oregon teams must use this plane

Drippy morning before take off

It's Car Week in Monterey which draws 1%ers from around the world and where individual cars can sell for millions of $$$$$$$. This popular event lines the runway on both sides with luxurious private planes. It's hard to image people's lives who can afford such planes and cars.

Private jets parked alongside the runway

Up up and away into the wild blue yonder

Santa Catalina Island through the fog

Coronado Bridge and downtown San Diego

Circling for landing at SAN

Holly, my sister-in-law, and I make contact via text and she picks me up shortly at Arrivals. We both laugh about how much harder travel was before cell phones and text messaging. Along the way back to Leucadia, we pass two disparate religious centers, each representing the schizophrenic nature of the culture in the San Diego area - ultra conservative to ultra liberal.

Mormon Temple

SRF ... Swami's Self Realization Fellowship

We stop in downtown Encinitas at a store specializing in used clothing items for Burners. Holly needs a few items to round out her costumes for this year's Burning Man.

Yes - a whole store just for Burners

Oooh - nice boa

Holly's completed outfit

Patti opens her presents and cards that evening as Holly is leaving tomorrow.

Patti opens BD cards

Humm - wonder what's in here

A froggy fountain for orchids & African Violets

I stay on with Patti to help her learn how to use her new Kindle and recuperate from a recent illness. Late one evening I visit the Simons to catch up with Suzy and her wonderful garden.

Turin (who Jamie calls "Urine")

Suzy

Tuna patrols the garden boxes looking for critters to catch

Hummer feeder

Flowers for cutting

Tower of Tomatoes

The heart of the Simons' garden is an inviting sitting area

The morning of Patti's Birthday starts out with a bang - literally. A hurricane traveling up the coast of Baja has sent a rare thunderstorm over our skies. We are both wakened around 6am with such a large thunderous clap that it shakes the whole house. Patti goes back to bed while do morning Yoga  and watch the storm evolve through the front windows.

Rainbow and blue sky

Clouds with silver linings

Yes - it does rain in Southern CA

Rain filled birdbath

Happy plant

Raindrops on succulents

The storm disperses quickly, leaving blue skies and clean air behind.

The house got a nice bath

Ahh - clean air

and fresh smelling garden.

That evening as requested by the birthday girl, we are having a few people for Patti's birthday dinner and the Simons join us later for dessert.

Table set for dinner

Karen toasts with wine

David and Patti slice the roast

The evening is so nice we decide to have dessert and drinks on the patio.

Patti chatting with Suzy

Make a wish

Jamie enjoys a joke

The day after the party, it's time to pack up and head home.

SAN plane hub

Mission Bay and marinas

Sun setting over Santa Catalina Island

Almost home - Morro Rock in the deepening dusk

Whale Watching in Monterey Bay CA

This summer has brought back large schools of anchovies to the Monterey Bay and feeding on them are many pods of humpback whales. Since friends and fellow shutter bugs from Kona are visiting for a few days, we decide to book a whale watching trip.

Planning pow-pow after breakfast

Discussion over maps

We sign up online with Sanctuary Cruises out of Moss Landing. It's a foggy afternoon for our whale watching trip.  There's a few tense moments before we go on board as their computer apparently assigned too many people to our trip. It was helpful to have a print out of our reservation in hand.

We huddle at Moss Landing - Liza, Paul, David, me and Peter

Crew member counting noses before the trip

One couple spot a friend going out on his own boat, so they decide to jump ship leaving enough room for everybody. We all happily climb aboard the Sanctuary.

David points out some sights

Liza and Paul are ready with their cameras

We're ready too

We cast off and chug slowly through the harbor out towards the bay.

Commercial fishing boat at dock

Sea Lions casually watch our passing

Another fishing vessel at dock

As we pass the rock jetty bordering the harbor, notice a large flock of brown pelicans. These birds have come back from the brink of extinction after almost being wiped out from DDT. Photographers with expensive long lens are also out on the rocks going for the perfect pelican shot.

Brown pelicans on rock jetty

Pelican photographer

Oooo - now that's a LENS

Although it seems longer, we are soon past the jetty and in the main channel. The bay is teeming with life - birds, sea lions, and whales - all come to feast on the anchovy run.

Almost free of the harbor

We first see large flocks of murres

Then fast moving sea lions keep pace with our boat

For several anxious moments we don't see any sign of the whales, and then  ...

Thar she blows!

Humpback back with other blows

and lots whale tails

Whale flipper slapping water

Flagging whale tail

Diving whale tail

Liza captures a great sequence showing unusual whale hunting behavior. A line of whales move in unison breathing and diving while feasting on anchovies.

Of course we all want to get a great shot of a whale breaching full body out of the water. We scan the bay and rarely see any breaches at all. Then suddenly a large humpback breaches right next to us. We are so amazed at the sight that none of us has the presence of mine to grab our cameras in time. Liza does get a snap of the enormous splash left behind. Sigh, these kind of shots take practice and lots of luck.

Major splash left after a breach

The time passes quickly and before we realize, it's time to turn back towards the harbor. As we do, a large raft of sea lions race towards us with amazing speed and agility through the water.

Here come the sea lions

Wow - they are fast

One last dive and they're gone

Power plant by Moss Landing Harbor

Fishing boat passes us as we head back to the dock

Cormorants roosting on old pilings

The sea lions seem to call us to return another time

Moss Landing cottage

We wander to Phil's Fish Market in search of fresh fish and are rewarded with freshly caught halibut.

Peter greets a local

and releases his inner Rocker.

Paul & Peter at Phil's

On our way back home, the fog is finally starting to lift.

Snowy egret in Elkhorn Slough

Back to sunny Corralitos

It's been a great day - one to remember.

Peter, Paul, Liza, me & David

Sun bursting through the redwoods