Sea and Shores Home - So Cal    Russian River
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Past Pismo, Past the farms of Santa Maria. Now it changes. It's more dry. It's more Coastal Chaparrel. Now it is wine country where the intense sun makes the grapes produce sugar contents unmatchable further north.
Follow Hiway 101 past Pismo, past the farms of Santa Maria. Now it changes. It's more dry. It's more Coastal Chaparrel. Now it is wine country where the intense sun makes the grapes produce sugar contents unmatchable further north.
This used to be strawberry fields, but grapes are more valuable and use less water.
Past Santa Maria are the Santa Ynez Mountains that extend from the coast at Point Arguello south behind Santa Barbara to Ventura.
Hazey, oak filled valleys wind their way through the mountains making vast farmlands. Eventually you will reach the Central Valley.
All its length are the bells to mark the El Camino Real - The King's Road, that linked all the missions of California. Basically, that was most all there was of foreign presence for hundreds of years. Then there was gold.
This is the Beach at Ventura. It's good here for the surfers, but that's about it. On the other side of the pier though is where the sandy beaches start that go for 20 or so miles. ... Ventura, Oxnard and Port Hueneme Harbors are where the dive boats start out from for the diving of the Northern Channel Islands.
Point Magu Rock is a funny place. I don't know why they cut through it instead of knocking it into the ocean when they built Hiway 1. Now it is one of the most recognizable features of the So Cal coast. I climbed it one morning at 5am when the warm Santana Winds were blowing, to watch the patterns of the sunrise on the ocean. I decided later that it is a surprisingly dangerous place to climb, because the rocks crumble easily.
OK, jump way forward to Palos Verdes, basically a coastal mountain in the middle of Los Angeles. This is very very expensive real estate and it also is constantly moving. I bet it keeps some lawyers busy.
(Wide) Point Fermin is where Santa Monica Bay ends and The South Bay of LA and Long Beach begins. This side is all marine reserve. At one time, this was the most lush and vital kelp forest in California.
Mel went off looking for White Sea Bass and Yellowtail. I communed with the birds, who weren't near as friendly as in Morro Bay. Then, as happens on a gently rocking boat, I fell deeply asleep.
Kelp is pretty on the surface, but far prettier below in the thick of the forest.
This is a good lobster hunting area.
Kelp is pretty on the surface, but far prettier below in the thick of the forest.
I have had some very good times on the Rapture. Fun times. Fun places. Good people. .. Missing it as I think back...