Friday, July 31, 2009

By The Sea, By The Sea, By The Beautiful Sea



The coast is a mere twenty miles away from Rebel Rose country. So close you think, but ah, it is twenty miles of switchbacks on narrow mountain roads in RR's rattletrap! The OC stoically sat in the passenger seat while I sat in the back, white knuckles fully deployed. RR took the turns serenely in stride since she knows them like the back of her hand, unaware that her mother was whispering silent prayers in the back seat while her life flashed before her eyes. It wouldn't be my first choice of route for a relaxing drive, but it was so.o..o worth it. What a difference from the tame gulf coast where we live. The Pacific is like a wild and dangerous animal, alive and roaring, crashing over and over and over on the black rocks, occasionally biting great chunks out of the cliffs, where people nevertheless build holiday homes perilously close to the crumbling edge.....





We came upon a colony of seals piled companionably all over each other on some rocks off shore.




We crept as close as we could and settled down to watch them.




What fascinating creatures they are! They looked back at us with only the mildest of interest, while we were totally besotted by them. We sat there for ages and I ran my battery down taking photo after photo after photo.....and almost fell into the water in my zeal.........The seals had a good snicker over that I'd say...

"Clumsy humans! Running all over the rocks, gawking at us [didn't their mothers ever tell them it was rude to stare? And to point?]"




Sorry seals! We only did it 'cause we love you! And admire your sleek grace in the water, and love those soulful eyes and funny whiskers, and how you snuggle up to one another, and get along, and don't bicker. Forgive us, we're only human after all!


Next up: The Redwoods, if I can keep the momentum going.....

6 comments:

Warty Mammal said...

Lovely. You've put me in the mood for a drive, except that being the middle of the night, there wouldn't be much to see.

Stomper Girl said...

Funny top think of the OTHER side of the Pacific! I adore seals I would have been just as excited and as camera-happy as you!

heartinsanfrancisco said...

So much beauty, both visual and verbal, and seals, too. Have a perfectly delightful rest of your trip!

Thimbleanna said...

Such beautiful pictures Molly! I hope you're having a wonderful time. I can hardly wait to see the Redwoods. I don't have a bucket list (yet) but when I do, the Redwoods will be at the top of it!

Brooke - Little Miss Moi said...

Dear molly. Wow, i can't believe you saw those seals! Beautiful! It's so strange. While I know that wild creatures live in the wild, I'm so used to seeing them at zoos and the like, that I always get very surprised when I see (or when others see) them in their natural habitats...

Meggie said...

There is a site at Kaikoura in the South Island of New Zealand where the seals all loll about on the rocks. We loved to visit, & watch.
So glad you took that trip.