Tide Pools, Friends, and Explanations

                                My last full day here in Southern California was fulfilling in a way, but anti-climactic also. One of the last things that I needed to do was find some tidepools. One of our favorite activities back when we lived here was to go down to the ocean and visit the tidepools which, at that time, were brimming with anemones, sea urchins, crabs, little California lobsters and a host of other critters. While these guys live all over the place around here, it is only in the tide pools (at low tide) can they be seen by us landlubbers who only want to get their feet wet and nothing else.

                        I tried the first day to get to an area that I thought would have some tide pools, but the terrain was of such a nature that I knew that I would end up either wet, broken, (or both) and when carrying an expensive camera around, one tends to be a little more conservative when it comes to climbing slimy, wet, pinnacles that fall off into the sea.

                        So, it was a ‘No Go’ for the Tidepool Mission, maybe another spot on another day.

                        Looking at my favorite way to discover cool places, aka Google Maps, I spied a place that had potential, and it was closer to me here in San Pedro. Getting there this morning I realized that this was the spot that we used to go to back in the day! Eagerly anticipating a visit with my little friends, I gingerly made my way out a bit, balancing myself on the small somewhat slimy rocks closer to shore. My goal was the larger and deeper tidepools that were still about 20 yards or so away.

                        Well, that never happened for several reasons.

                        First, as I made my way out, I was increasingly uncomfortable with the footing available to me in my attempts not to get wet. I had no water shoes with me and the rocks and shells underneath my feet made going barefoot a Bad Idea. You know how those Sharks are! One cut, blood in the water and Bam! A Twenty -Foot Great White would find me as I was hopping from rock to rock!

                        Second, as I looked underfoot, I could not find anything that resembled a critter (alive). Now I knew that I still had aways to go but I did remember that there were some little guys even this close in. If there wasn’t anything left to see, then making my way out to the further pools that had even bigger sharks waiting for me, why take that chance? I turned around and started my retreat.

                        A few steps later I looked down and spied some movement! Hah! The little guy thought that he was safe! So, inch by inch he scurried (?) along, taking his home with him. Feeling a kinship with his chosen mode of travel, and I had no desire to eat him, I just snapped a photo, mostly for proof that I did, in fact, see something!

                        I then surmised what had caused my current dilemma and situation. Back in ‘63 there were probably (judging by the number of homes built since I was there) maybe 300% less people living on the Peninsula than now. That means a possible 300% increase in folks looking to do what I was doing, and we all know what happens when Humans start to invade the Haunts of the Wild.

                        They just disappear.

                        This was confirmed a little later when I visited the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium right down the road. Inquiring about tide pools I was directed to the Marine Sanctuary Area when they all went to live after the Invasion. But it was High Tide, so this venture will need to be put on the Future Trip’s Agenda.

                        Back to my balancing act on the rocks. I did make it back to shore with only one foot having found a need to submerge itself for the sake of the rest of the body. Not too bad, it was sunny, and we all soon dried out. I now needed to be content with trying to photograph big waves that were crashing into the outer parts of the ‘reef’ which meant standing still, holding my camera perfectly aimed and hoping to catch the Big One at just the right moment. I was mildly successful, at least enough to show you some examples.

                        While doing this I ran into some new friends, Holly Ann, Ron, and Doug. They were sitting nicely on the rocks having a bite of lunch when I asked them if they wanted a group photo taken of them. They enthusiastically agreed and when I indicated that I would just use my camera (as I was a good thirty feet away) and lens, they posed, I clicked, and then I made my way over to them, sat down and we made formal introductions and an info exchange. I explained that I would go back, process the pics, and email the results to them. We had a very nice conversation, they were ‘locals’, I had my ‘story’, and they shared some chocolate chip cookies with me (homemade) and all was right with the world. Holly Ann took advantage of this situation and reciprocated, sneaking a pic of me sitting there. See results below.

                        It was after all of this that I made my way over to the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium. Which was under construction and/or renovation. The part that was open was very nice, the staff very friendly, and I would put this on that ‘Return To’ list with the tide pools.

                        I am finishing this Post the day after, and today is my Return to Reality Day. Lo and Behold, in this morning’s New York Times, an article about exactly what and where I am visiting popped up with a few graphics that highlight some of the photos from yesterday about the land movements here. I will share them, (complete with annotations by me!) here below.

                        My flight was cancelled, and I was put on another flight that gets in about eight hours later than the first one, which reminds me of a Post from January 2, 2021, named “Is This Any Way to Run An Airline?” If you care to check it out, I promise that it’s a hoot. Just go to the Archives (found at the bottom of any Post (if you are on the Website). If you have the emailed version in front of you, scroll back to the top and click on “Read on Blog” and then scroll down to Archives and choose January 2021.

I hope that you find it amusing and that I don’t have a repeat of that day!

                                    As always, Thanks for reading!