According to the Great All Knowing Wikipedia, California's coast is 840 miles long or 3,427 miles (depending on the method used), putting it in 3rd place for longest coastline behind Alaska and Florida. Regardless of how it's measured or ranked, for anyone who's driven the length of California on Highway 5 or 101, it's easy to get an idea of just how vast this state is. For most native Californians, I'm sure you share the same appreciation for the diversity of wildlife and wilderness we get to enjoy within a couple hours of whichever city we call home.
I have called the SF Bay Area "home" for most of my 27 years but I have also been lucky enough to live along the Central Coast and now in So Cal. So I've had the priviledge to explore much of the state while traveling home to the Bay. However, I've always wanted to explore the actual coastline of California for a few years now. There's so much beautiful and untouched wilderness that I've been dying to frolic through. My most recent trip home to NorCal for a wedding, gave Trevor and I an opportunity to start some of this exploration and made us realize that it's impossible to fit it all in in one or even two days! But oh did we try :)
The goal was to see has much of the coastline on the way back from NorCal. We'd take Highway 1 and we planned on seeing/photographing a few specific things and then enjoy the rest of the drive and the endless scenery.
First I wanted him to see the monarchs, in a grove I've been visiting since I was a small child, and a stop in Monterey was an obvious choice. Then we also wanted to see the sea lions, elephant seals and sea otters and make a stop in Big Sur and San Luis Obispo. Besides these few things, we were open to whereever this adventure took us and, personally, I think that's the best way to adventure :)
Or you won't find weird random things like outhouses in the middle of salt marshes....
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Whhaaaat??
This is what I spotted from the highway on a drive up to Santa Rosa.....Yea, in the middle of a salt marsh with no obvious path leading out to it! I remembered where the turn off was and told Trevor we were going to go out there and see what it was all about....the next day after our visit to California Carnivores....we did just that!!
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Cool hawks nest we came across
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
And a little crab exoskeleton :)
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
I had to hop up and get a shot on the toilet haha
This brings us to the beginning of our Rules for Successful Adventuring...
Rule #1 of Adventuring: Be Spontaneous! --- or you could miss out on something weird and wonderful and very memorable :)
The day of our departure to So Cal started a wee bit later than we had planned...but my dad makes the best breakfasts...that brings us to Rule #2 of Adventuring: Eat Frequently and Well --- Being a hungry grouch can kill the adventure mood so bring snacks & drinks and stop in at any cool diners/dives you see along the way (See Rule #1)
Our first stop was..... well Starbucks ;) but our first actual stop was Natural Bridges State Park in Santa Cruz, CA. Santa Cruz is a total outdoor adventure hidden gem. The weather is always nice and the proximity of beautiful forests right next to the ocean makes it a wonderful place for hiking, camping, and mountain biking.
There are a couple awesome things about Natural Bridges and the first one we checked out was the Monarch butterfly wintering grove that the park has preserved for as long as I can remember.
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
The eucalyptus (E. globulus) grove is located down a shady path next to a sunny pond. Something about the wood walkway down to the grove brings a sense of peace and tranquility. This haven for migrating Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) provides over-winter shelter for as many as 100,000 butterflies from mid-October to late January.
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Declared a state natural reserve, this grove is a wonderful opportunity to get up close and personal with one of nature's great wonders. Every fourth generation of monarchs is specially built to migrate about 2,500 miles to Mexico and parts of Southern California to avoid the freezing temperatures of North America's winters and to gain access to the milkweed that their larvae need to develop.
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
These eucalyptus groves provide shelter from predators and allow them to cluster on tree branches to conserve body heat as the weather cools. This particular area is protected from wind and keeps the area that much warmer for the butterflies. Additionally, eucalyptus will bloom throughout the winter and provide a food source for the butterflies so they don't have to heavily rely on their fat reserves.
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Monarch groves such as this one, are scattered down the coast of California, as far North as Fremont all the way to San Diego, and are open to the public for viewing and education.
Rule #3 of Adventuring: Learn Something New --- There is so much to observe and discover on adventures. Let yourself be inquisitive and open to learning something new. Maybe you'll pick up a new hobby or simply gain a deeper appreciation for something small and beautiful. Either way, you have something to bring home with you.
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Protecting these wintering monarchs is essential to the survival of the entire species because they will be the generation to continue the species after the long winter. If you're interested in helping out your local Monarchs, I encourage you to incorporate Monarch friendly plants to your garden. Milkweed is essential to the breeding and larval stages of Monarchs but it is not the most pleasant smelling plant and can be toxic if accidentally eaten. However, there are many other flowering plants that adult Monarchs will drink the nectar of and also look attractive in your yard. Here are a couple resources to check out:
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
the colorful bark of Eucalyptus globulus
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Natural Bridges State Park also has a nice little beach and...a natural bridge!...that the park was named for. It was such a pleasantly sunny morning that we had to walk the beach for a bit and take it all in. I've missed NorCal beaches. Rule #4 of Adventuring: Don't Be Afraid to Detour --- if time isn't restricted then spend a little extra time in a location and enjoy the weather or some quality people watching. Who know's what kind of beautiful photos you could end up with :)
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
One of my favorite shots from the trip
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Happy to be home!!
Next up was Monterey Bay for lunch and a little bit of wildlife photography!
From our outdoor table at Gilbert's on the Fisherman's Wharf, we saw such a diversity of wildlife. The food hit the spot and the weather was flawless. After filling our bellies, we strolled along the boardwalk photographing the wildlife just within reach.
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis)
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
California Sea lions (Zalophus californianus)
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina)
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Fishing charters coming in with the morning catch were a fun addition to the routine chaos of the dock...and made me kinda hungry again haha
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
The sea lions definitely provided the best entertainment
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Their rambunctious behavior and loud vocalizations made for some fun photography and quite a few laughs from all the onlookers.
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
After our jaunt we realized time was wasting and we had to get back on the road. Monterey is such a gorgeous town and worth staying the weekend. Next time we'll stop in at the aquarium and see Cannery Row.
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
This European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is such an invasive species but it is a beautiful little bird and sings such pretty songs. We saw these flying from tree to tree in the parking lot of the wharf and had to take a second to appreciate them.
The next stop on our list was Point Lobos State Natural Reserve in Carmel, CA. Trevor had never seen a sea otter in person (crazy right?) and I knew this would be the perfect place to catch them hanging out in the kelp beds.
So down to the coast we hiked...
So down to the coast we hiked...
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
It was absolutely breath taking!
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Below we saw some deer that were such a dark brown they blended perfectly into the brush. I had never seen deer of such a dark shade! It seems like an insignificant observation but for me it was one of those moments where my education met the real world and that lecture on natural selection that I had struggled with suddenly made so much sense. A true "Ah-Ha" moment.
Rule #5 of Adventuring: Stop to Appreciate the Little Things --- sometimes the seemingly little things can turn into something much more. When this thought clicked for me, it felt like I suddenly saw the whole scene in a new light...maybe a slightly more nerdy one haha but I definitely began to appreciate it for a little more than what it seemed at first glance.
Rule #5 of Adventuring: Stop to Appreciate the Little Things --- sometimes the seemingly little things can turn into something much more. When this thought clicked for me, it felt like I suddenly saw the whole scene in a new light...maybe a slightly more nerdy one haha but I definitely began to appreciate it for a little more than what it seemed at first glance.
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus)
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
I love the movement of this photo. There's so much going on :)
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris) relaxing in the kelp beds.
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
See them? Look a little closer....
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
This little elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) was spotted on the shore. When we got to the park Marine Mammal Care Center (MMCC) representatives were on the scene talking to the park rangers and securing the area to protect the seal from the public. When a marine mammal is on the shore the public is required to stay at least 50 feet away from the animal...this might seem unfair but...just look at that face!
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
So peaceful and happy, napping in the sun :) Also... elephant seals can get pretty aggressive so it's best to enjoy these mammals in their peaceful state from a safe distance.
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
We continued down the coast and through Big Sur making stops on the side of the road to stretch and take photos :) I have seen pictures of this drive and dreamed of one day standing in those same places and it was an absolute dream come true to finally get that chance.
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
We made San Simeon by sunset and were rewarded by such a gorgeous sunset.
We pulled over to photograph it and enjoy, I was happy to see other travelers pulling over to do the same :)
As we turned around to get in the car, Trevor pointed out two huge herds of wild elk (Cervus canadensis) right across the highway from us! Neither one of us expected to see these animals in person or this close to the coast. We quietly approached and the elk were very aware of us as we got closer but Trevor took some great shots.
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
It was incredible hearing the large stag bugling in the fading light, very haunting.
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Such a wonderful end to a wonderful day :)
But the adventure was not quite over...in fact we were still about 6 hours from getting home...
yikes!
Our last stop was the elephant seal cove in San Simeon. We drove very fast to get there because I was very close to puking at this point (Highway 1 is very very curvy)...and the light was fading fast. Thankfully, we got there right in time!
But the adventure was not quite over...in fact we were still about 6 hours from getting home...
yikes!
Our last stop was the elephant seal cove in San Simeon. We drove very fast to get there because I was very close to puking at this point (Highway 1 is very very curvy)...and the light was fading fast. Thankfully, we got there right in time!
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
If you have never heard elephant seals, you need to put it on your to-do list. They sound like....aliens or space! There are really no words. You think of seals and imagine the typical sea lion noises but these are otherworldy animals. Hearing these noises in the darkness is confusing and slightly unsettling but also super neat.
Author: Barbara Lutes, Mar. 26, 2010
This video was taken at MMCC and gives you a pretty good sampling of their crazy sounds :) Enjoy!
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
So adorable! We had to get....too close for these shots...which is my last rule for this blog
Rule #6 of Adventuring: Don't Be Afraid to Break a Couple Rules --- we definitely crossed some (literal) boundaries but ooooh! was it worth it!! :)
Rule #6 of Adventuring: Don't Be Afraid to Break a Couple Rules --- we definitely crossed some (literal) boundaries but ooooh! was it worth it!! :)
Photo Cred: Trevor Adler
Look at that beauty :) So ready to cuddle!
Having fulfilled our adventure goals we stopped in San Luis Obispo for some sushi and made a mad dash for home. It was a rough stretch but many energy drinks and a lot of good conversation later, we arrived safely. It was a whirlwind trip and took us a few days to fully appreciate but looking back at these photos brings it all back...except the nausea.
Maybe one day we'll get to do this trip again, but at a more leisurely pace, and maybe one day each of you will get to see and appreciate the breathtaking views that are in our very own backyard. But where ever your adventures take you, keep the rules in mind and most of all, Enjoy the ride :)
Having fulfilled our adventure goals we stopped in San Luis Obispo for some sushi and made a mad dash for home. It was a rough stretch but many energy drinks and a lot of good conversation later, we arrived safely. It was a whirlwind trip and took us a few days to fully appreciate but looking back at these photos brings it all back...except the nausea.
Maybe one day we'll get to do this trip again, but at a more leisurely pace, and maybe one day each of you will get to see and appreciate the breathtaking views that are in our very own backyard. But where ever your adventures take you, keep the rules in mind and most of all, Enjoy the ride :)
