2017 CROSS-COUNTRY ROAD TRIP - 4-29-17 - THE LIGHTHOUSE AND THE RITZ-CARLTON

Saturday, April 29th, 2017. 

It is 9.22 p.m. and we have had a full but very enjoyable day. 

Gregg's sister and her husband took us out for a drive around the area.  We started off by visiting Santa Cruz Wharf, and having lunch at a place called "Splash", another restaurant with a great view of the water.

I was intrigued by the enormous oyster shell filled with ice.  It was on our left as we walked in the door.  This young lady was shucking oysters.  I have never tried them and still haven't, but I know they are popular.  I am not that adventurous with certain things, but the image of that large oyster shell made me smile.

I did, however, try steamed clams for the first time in my life, thanks to my sister-in-law who ordered them as an appetizer.  My taste buds must have changed as I thoroughly enjoyed them. (Gregg just had a chuckle when he saw these photos.  He said, "All those years of family 4th of July picnics, and you never touched one steamed clam."  I told him, "It was a different time dear.")

This was my lunch, a lobster roll with fries, coleslaw and let's not forget that melted butter I poured all over the lobster.  It was delicious!

As I didn't think it very polite to stick a camera in everyone else's face, I don't have pictures of my my sister-and-brother-in-law's meals.  I held myself back - unusual - and yes I am smiling.  Also Gregg's meal I can't remember but when I asked him he thought it was fish and chips.  He said the coleslaw was great.

After lunch we took a walk to the end of the wharf and discovered.....

a raft of seals.

There was quite a racket going on.  As we studied the scene further, it became apparent that there were more seals who had hoisted themselves up onto the wooden framework below the wharf.  We watched as this seal tried his best to do the same.  However, the tide had gone out, and that much prized resting place he was after was now out of reach.  It didn't stop him from trying though, honking noisily in the process, and his large family group honking back.  Translation, "I told you not to dilly-dally matey!  You have to wait for the tide to turn now with the rest of your brothers and sisters."  And the raft was getting larger.  Lots of dilly-dalliers that day apparently.

I read about rafting behaviour at this site.  It said, "Often sea-lions will sleep in small or large groups, a behavior called rafting, with only a flipper or tail visible to regulate their body temperature.  Periodically a nose will pop out of the water briefly for a breath and then disappear.  It is an unnerving sight to those unfamiliar with this behaviour."

You can find out more information if you go to the link I have provided above.  

"Too late to get up here now son, go join the raft and wait for the tide.  And don't dilly-dally next time!"

A little further along you could look down in the middle of the wharf and see the rest of them snoozing, or honking.

We have seen a lot of seals in California.  I truly believe we have been given a gift.

 

There is a great site here telling you all about this beautiful animal.

Here is Gregg wearing his Bombay Hook hat.  He has had comments about it at various stops all along our route since leaving Virginia.  They always peer at the embroidered mosquito and look a bit puzzled.  He has fun with the conversations it starts.  (We are looking forward to another trip to Bombay Hook NWR very soon.)

This is Gregg's sister and her husband.  

Time to get back to the car and enjoy the rest of the day.

We stopped at a lighthouse next, or it may have been to watch the kite surfers.  Not sure of the sequence now but I will start with the lighthouse.

There is a major fund raising campaign to restore the lighthouse, which is crumbling due to its exposure to the elements over these many years.  It has been closed to the public since 2001. 

Gregg and his sister.

We walked towards the back of the lighthouse...

and the views were amazing.

This is a very pretty spot for gazing out at the ocean.

The lady in the red coat told me it was a great place for whale watching.

There is a hostel here also.  You can stay in one of four houses.  They have a wonderful display of healthy geraniums in front of one.

And other pretty flowers.

We also had a great time looking at the kite surfers when we went down to the beach.  

Gregg's sister and her husband have been to watched them several times, but had never seen this many before.  What I thought were tents on the beach turned out to be more kites.

It was certainly an impressive sight.

After this they took us to the Ritz-Carlton at Half Moon Bay.  We were dressed very casually and a little concerned about our clothes, but we needn't have worried.  Apart from a large company party going on where everyone was dressed up in cocktail attire (you can see all the tables set up in the center of the photo below) everyone else was like us, and some wearing shorts like Gregg.  

On the far side of this photo there is a patio where we had to wait for a table.  By the time we sat down the sun was getting lower in the sky.  My sister-in-law ordered us each a glass of Prosecco, then another, and we also ate hors d'oeuvres.    

It is interesting to see the golf course. There were a few still playing.   

Gregg and his sister.

While walking to get a better view of the sunset, one of these went by.

The place is very interesting and there is, of course, more people watching, one of whom I recognized.  Hello Gregg!

My brother-in-law plays golf, neither of us do.

It was idyllic watching the sun go down, and to herald this event, a bagpiper.  I haven't heard a bagpiper at an event since we gave a party for a group of friends from Gregg's ship back in the 80s, and one of those friends brought his bagpipes.  He was an American with Scottish heritage, and an excellent piper.  We made sure our neighbors were aware as we had an inkling beforehand. He was great and the neighbors were okay with it, even told me how much they enjoyed hearing them.  We had a much bigger yard back in those days, the sound was diluted somewhat, but of course the pipes can carry a ways.  It also brings back memories of a bagpiper at a friend's wedding many, many sunsets ago, this being a few years before I met Gregg.  

 

So here we are hearing them again and it was marvelous.

We made sure we had photos taken with that beautiful golden orb as our backdrop.

We can rely on one constant in this world, the sun sets and a new day will rise.

I don't often mention the many sad events happening in the world.  I read about them daily, in the morning and at the end of the day.  The latest news of what went on in Manchester is heartbreaking.  My heart goes out to all those who were the victims of this terrible act, and to those families and friends who have lost loved ones.  I will never forget you, or any who have suffered because of this kind of conflict.