Sea Life (The life that we see in the sea)

October 2008
We are so fortunate to be living ‘in’ the water. Yes we go ashore and tie up at docks often but life down at the docks and out at anchor is so alive with the animals, fishes and birds. It takes you away from your personal thoughts and puts you right there in the present moment watching these animals who live along side of you. (Photos from the Monterrey Aquarium: Left: Leafy Sea Dragon sea horse about 10" in length, Right: jellies)

The brilliantly colored orange billed puffin birds with their formal tuxedoed of black and white stunning against the sea as we turned the corner in NW Washington.

The packs of sea lions in Monterey and Morro Bay feeding on the smaller fishes in the bay by cruising back and forth making loud breathing noises as they dive past. And the pelicans trailing behind for any crumbs left over. (Photo: Our neighbor at Morro Bay)

The little baby on the sea otter’s tummy. And the clack, clack, clack of another sea otter with two small unopened shells in his hands hitting them together to break open the sweet meat. The sea gull incessantly following the sea otter waiting for a morsel.

The wonderful jellies and all the exhibits at the Monterey Aquarium.

And just now coming in to Santa Barbara, a huge gaggle of pelicans. I’ve never seen so many I one place.

They are all so wonderful. I'm sure there will be lots more to come as well. (Photo at right: Live birds up close at the Monterey Aquarium)

Monterrey and Morro Bay

Late October 2008

Lots of great bike riding in Monterrey for Biagio going from Monterrey to Carmel by the Sea. The Aquarium for me. Loved the 'Jellies' exhibit.

The photo on the right shows our Morro Bay moorage and the large rock at the entrance. A nice bicycle and bus ride to San Luis Obisbo and Los Ossos from here. Scotty was adopted at Monterrey Bay and had a jolly good ride back to the boat.

Scary Sea Lions in Santa Cruz

October 2008

We did everything in our power to avoid a confrontation. Brought our dinghy to the furthest possible dock with the least amount of Sea Lions. Came back to the boat at a decent hour before absolute sunset. Made a very modest entrance to the dinhy dock. But they still attacked us. I never knew Biagio could run so fast on a vertical ladder with his bicycle in hand.

“OK boys, get back. This is my dock!!!” shouted Biagio. “You just stay there!” he proclaimed in a boisterous voice. I was impressed as if he was talking to a great big, big dog. But as he lowered the first bike down the vertical ladder, I was coaching him from up above to warn him when the loudest, biggest male sea lion was coming after him. “He’s coming at you now!” I shouted. The dock was not very large so the sea lion could reach him in only a few flipper flaps away. We just learned at the UC Santa Cruz Marine Research Center on our bicycle ride that the males can weigh roughly 5,000 pounds. I would guess that was about the weight of the one coming after Biagio. At the last minute, the male sea lion bounced in the water but could resurface on the dinghy dock at any moment and land on Biagio. The center warned us not to get to close to the sea lions because they see everything as furniture and can roll over you and also bite. So there is Biagio, with thoughts of being a side chair or a couch. I have never seen him run so fast up a vertical ladder much less with a bicycle. If fact, if I wasn’t standing there, I’m sure he would have gone all the way to the top of the ladder and onto the pier. “It’s OK” I coached him, "I think he turned back". Once again the bull sea lion returned to his corner of the dinghy dock barking at Biagio the entire time.

Then we started to attract a crowd on the upper pier deck watching us trying to get into the dinghy. I’m not sure who they were rooting for but it was probably very entertaining. We never knew exactly what this male sea lion had on his mind or whether we were going to be a couch to him.

As we started pulling away from the dock, looking at all three sea lions from a distance, we were relieved when we felt that they were more likely to jump back onto the dinghy dock than into our dinghy. Whewww… Safely back on the boat in the bay, waiting for the hot water to heat up for a shower before watching our rented foreign movies, I’m glad to be back on our rocking, rolling boat. Safe for the time being from sea lions.

P.S. I've since taken a sea lion training course and learned that we need to hold our bicycles in front of us and look threatening. This is sea lion talk for 'back off'.

San Francisco was so awesome!

September-October 2008

Aunt Leone. It was such a nice visit getting to know you and helping you sort through ‘Dad’s’ things.

Michael and Liz. Wow, good friends from Seattle with 3 Bike Fridays in one place! And further visits to come down the coast.

Doug and Lucy for your weekend visit from Victoria and the fun Patriots football game. (I’m still not clear on the rules. ‘We’ll give the points to them???’
Eva for all your “tips”.

Love ‘em. And especially crazy Larry and Ken. We love you!!!