Trip Report
20160320
The photos below are
what we saw.
This pelican
was hiding on the cliff among the spring flowers.
A view
of La Jolla cove from the east end. No shortage of
folks. The good news is that the surf war quite tame.
There
are always a number of seals present at the cove. The come
seeking peace, quiet and rest, mostly unfulfilled on a busy
tourist day.
This
time of year, most of the cows have pups and they bag some rays
in the sun.
The
rank-and-file tourist is not very wise concerning the ways of
the wild. These seals hunt for their food and they are
strong, fast and have big teeth. It is a really bad idea
to attempt to pet them as they will likely bite and it will not
be fun. Touching a pup is double-trouble as you will have
mom mad at you in addition to the pup.
The dark
gray bull charged the fellow with the towel.
When people
come close, the seals wake up instantly.
They
look like fur blobs on the beach, but they are swift, agile and
effective hunters in the water.
The surf
has reduced in size somewhat from the past few weeks but still
large in an absolute sense.
Sea
kayakers and the cliffs of Torrey Pines are visible in the
distance.
The seals are social
and tend to clump together on the beach. Anything to get
out of the cold water for a few minutes.
A form
fitting rock is the perfect pillow.
Fresh
out of the ocean this fellow heads for the dry sand.
These
two bulls were having a dominance dual. Barking loudly,
teeth out, pushing and shoving, but no blood was drawn.
Neither
bull got a decisive advantage so the barking continued.
This
young seal just wants a nap but the close proximity of the
tourists would not let that happen.
Note
that the sea cave has been concrete reinforced to prevent a
collapse.
The park
at La Jolla cove has a huge dracina tree.
As we
returned to the parking area we got a nice view of the surf cave
and La Jolla Shores in the distance.
Our next stop was the
Torrey Pines Glider Port. Hang gliders of all types
launch and land here on these cliffs. The cliffs and the
prevailing winds, not to mention the view, make this an ideal
soaring area.
Things can get a bit
busy.
Getting full control
of your wing before launch is critical.
And, of course, avoiding
a mid-air collision is also a nice thing to do.
A well-timed launch
prevents many problems.
There were many
pilots setting-up for launch.
Look Ma, no hands!
Getting the kite inflated and facing into the wind can be challenging.
The glider port
offers tandem rides. Above, a young child gets a tandem
ride.
San Diego
has plenty to see and La Jolla Cove and the Torrey Pines Glider
Port are two of the nicer spots. Should your travels take
you to San Diego, be sure to see them both.
Copyright Bill Caid 2016. All rights reserved.