La Jolla

I had always heard how beautiful La Jolla is. And to all those people who have told me, wow were you right on. It is pristine and spectacular.

Overcast again today, apparently part of what is referred to as June Gloom around here. I filed out of the Padre Trail and decide to spend the day looking around different communities to think about places to live. I'm a beach person, and the ocean calms and excites me like no other entity, so I was heading toward Ocean Beach. I had been there before, but I wasn't as familiar with the area as I am with Pacific Beach. On the way to OB, I decided I didn't feel great about the route and turned off towards Mission Beach, another place I had been too a couple times in the past. I kept heading north along the main streets, to the right of the shore, and Mission Beach turned to Pacific Beach and then, without any intention, I was in the kingdom of La Jolla.

I still didn't quite realize where I was, but the landscape kept improving. Along the mainstreets, there was less congestion, no longer houses, restaurants, and shops stacked on top of each other. They were still there, but laid out in a way where you could actually focus on them, instead of having 5 blur into into your brain during a single gaze.

I turned off on a side street to head to the shore. I parked on the street, for free and walked down a little slope onto a pristine beach. Waves massaged the shore in a powerful lull. The water touched my feet and I didn't feel any chill in my bones, just the slight tap of cold followed by a caress of warmth. As I looked to my right I saw the jagged coast line weaving its way north. I followed along the path. For about half a mile I was on an exquisite beach, feeling tickled to be in such a magical place. I walked alongside a very nice man from central Pennsylvania out here with his family for his son's wedding. He was incredulous at the beauty of San Diego. He had been here once before and dipped his feet in the water. I told him that on this trip he owed to himself to fully submerge.

I walked further and saw a few people looking down to an abandoned stretch of beach. Abandoned my humans, fully populated by harbor seals. Playing and thrashing in the water, some lying out on a rock, and one brave little guy who made his way onto the shore to hang out. I couldn't believe I was seeing seals.

Walking further, a massive bird startled me with its size as it flew above. He landed about 10 feet ahead in the company of his fellow pelicans. I couldn't believe I was seeing pelicans.

Still going up the road, I saw the literally hundreds of students of the Junior LIfeguard Academy. They start the fitness training very early out here. I know I'll have to work extra hard to get in shape. One of the lifeguards leading his platoon of junior life savors told a passerby that they were looking at seals down below, but there were sea lions up ahead. Sea lions?! Are you kidding me?

Sure enough, there was a whole school of California Sea Lions relaxing on the rocks, napping and sunbathing. At this point my mind was blown. Sea lions? How incredibly awesome is this! Ahead just a bit further I saw another phalanx of junior lifeguards out in the surf, treading water just about 30 feet from the sea lions. Those kids have got it made. How lucky they are to have such a phenomenal experience at such a young age. I did take a dip into the surf myself, but it was in an area less populated by both humans and other wildlife. Maybe one day I'll be ready to swim with those guys.

So I've made it here. I've been welcomed by friends and given a post from which work to establish myself. Tomorrow is July 1st. I'll be starting the month here, beginning my summer here. Much work ahead, but I think I made it here at the right time.

Hope you like the photos. I took 95 today. In the old days I would have run out of film, one thing you can advocate for digital. I was completely awestruck by what I saw today. Seals, pelicans, sea lions, all along the public shore line. No litter, beautiful walking paths, white sand, excellent surf. And it doesn't cost you a thing, you can park your car along the road for two hours absolutely free. So now I'll echo what I'd been told in the past, if you're out in San Diego, be sure to go to La Jolla Cove.