Sunday, November 19, 2006

November 14, 2006



















Stardate-14 day of the 11th month of the 7th year of the millenium.
OK, nuff of that. After tiring of the details of eliminating most of my wordly possesions and gearing up for the "big travel", it dawned on me that I was not going to be out of the house by the end of the month, and I needed to remind myself of what is was I was working towards. So, roadtrip! I decided to head south to Monterey Bay, since the storms were not reaching too far south and I never need much of an excuse to spend time here. Besides, my journeys may take me in another direction, and I would hate to miss the chance to spend a bit more time down here. So, bright and early, off I go. Day 1 is a bit dry in detail at times, sorry about that.

My first stop was at the Marin Headlands overlook, then walked out to the first tower of the bridge(pic). Noted that the crabbers must have settled on a price, as a dozen or more are headed into the gate. On my return walk, I saw the Coast Guard scramble their life boat and cutter from Fort Baker. That was actually pretty interesting to see, as it was definitely a "scramble". If this had been last weekend, they coulda been heading out after me (kayaked the bay and pushed the envelope on the tide change) :').
I went back up to the headlands to look for CG. Nope. But bikerguy did give me coords for "great kayak launch. Just north of J Muir beach, walk out the point, past the nudey beach (don't worry, they won't bother you) to the end of the point. Great little beach, everyone launches there." Hmmmmmmmmmm, file that one away for later :'). Maybe even kayak...
As I headed onto the bridge, KCBS said that yesterdays storm caused a raw sewage spill onto Great Highway and Ocean Beach at GG park area. OK, Road is open, but....OK, alternate route is....
Nice little stop at Fort Funston. A sharp wind had all the gliders scrambling into line for a launch.
Stopped (as always) for a beach walk at Pacifica. A lady walking her steed on the beach (pic). Tully Mars? Jimmy woulda been proud of the scene. More crab boats on their way out. Yep, crab on the tables for Thanksgiving.
Stopped and got a pic of Montara light. Hostel. Hmmm. Nah, the starship is bucking and racing, further still it calls. Later, I picked up a brochure for the hostels. Not really a bargain, unless SF is similiar in price. I guess it is about the experience.
Next stop is Fitzgerald Marine Reserve at Moss Beach. Lunch in the park (Bett, Jim, CJ-Deja Vu all over again). Low tide, yee haw. Osprey cruising and kiting on the cliff line above the beach (pic). Seals lying on the inner edge of the reef away from the break (pic). A couple of really nice sized Abalone shells nestled in the reef at shore. Shorebirds feeding in the exposed reef.
Carl's cache (gcw9a1) is out there somewhere's, but up on the cliff. I managed to walk the length of the reef, to a path up at the south end. Nice grove of trees, Monterey Cypress? eucalyptus and assorted (pic). The cache is resting in the nook of the top of the trunk/junction of trunks, of a large cypress, with any access point at least 7 feet up (pic)! Plus, no limbs or holds to help get up. I had to get above the point to be able to reach down within to open the container that held the cache. Sheesh, I have not climbed like this in a few years :). It did rate 3 stars on terrain, now I understand. Cute cache with Carl's fish in a jar and all (pic). Fun little adventure to start the trip.
I then mosied around Pillar Point. Notice a Tall ship at dock in the Harbor. Good sized one too. Nice looking vessel. Got to get a better look, and maybe a pic or two. Finally decide I have to walk around and out to the ship for a good view. lots of teens coming down the dock. Must have been on an excursion? As I approach the dock, lots of people milling around. Excuse me, do you know the name of the boat? "oh, it is the Lady Washington" used in the J Depp Pirates movies (portraying the HMS Interceptor in the film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and the brig Enterprise in Star Trek: Generations. She also provided the basis for the RLS Legacy in the Disney animated feature Treasure Planet.), and it is open from 4 to 5 for free tours." Oh yeah, I think. This is gonna be one of those kind of road adventures :'). So, I strike up conversation with my new lady friend and find out her brother is also a westy buff, and they once had to send out the guard to locate him on an alaskan trip. She laughed at the irony of similarities, as I described my intents. The tour was cool, spent some time yakking with the cute brunette crewmember about how she ended up on the boat "so what's a girl like you doing on a boat like this" I said with a wink (NOT!). Come to find out, I can submit an application via web, and enlist as a volunteer crew for one and two week stints! It is heading to San Diego to meet up with the Hawiian Cheiftain to do sails there for the winter. Well, Damn! Now you got me thinking ;').
At sunset, I pick up a quick cache, and headed to Halfmoon Bay state park (:( to camp, so I can spend time around this area manana. Very nice evening, campfire, stars galore (two falling), planes arriving off the pacific into SJ, crabboats and/or squid boats working just offshore.
Yep, day one was satisfactory. Good night.

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