Big Sur Update

I'll start by saying I'm not actually in Big Sur this week. In Monterey tending to some business. Missing Willow Creek and the energy already. Labor day weekend was actually kind of wierd. Not a large crowd until Sunday. A lot of fests and events on either end may have had something to do with it. I did meet a group of guys from Santa Barbara, San Diego and N.Dakota and hung out with them a good part of the time. Steve, Steve, Jeremy, James, Matt, I had a great time with you guys. Thanks for sharing yourselves and your time with me, and thanks for your hospitality. I love the spirit that Big Sur draws out of people. Hope to see you again soon. WHALES, WHALES AND MORE WHALES! The 3 days leading up to Labor day w/e was the most incredible experience I have had regarding whales. Hundreds of Humpback Whales showed up just off shore, feeding on schooling fish and providing the most jaw dropping display I've ever seen. It was last October's display in Santa Cruz times 100! Breaching, Tail slapping, spy glassing and Bubbling over a twelve mile stretch. From my spot at Willow Creek, I watched a pod bubble for hours on end, within a 1/4 mile of shore. Outstanding! In case you have not heard of bubbling, I'll explain. The whales submerge below the school of fish and in a circle, they spout under water in unison. The rising bubbles drives the fish into a tighter circle and then the whales surface straight up with mouths open feasting. I saw as many as five whales come straight up at the same time, looking like they were spyglassing. Then there was the tailslapping. They back themselves up so that the rear of their body is above surface and then violenty slap their tales onto the surface of the water. Over and over again. The sound is somewhat like a rifle shot and it does come up on shore. I've saved the best for last. Vocalization! The evening before I first sighted them, I started hearing strange animal noises. I just don't know how to describe it, except eerie. I ran the sound through my head...Fox? no, Sealion or seal? No. Maybe elephant seals? Not at all like the males during their jousting. The next day it added up. The vocalization was not a constant, but it was heard sporadically over the 3 day period. wikipedia states that it is believed the vocalization is related to their mating/courtship and comes only from the males. I don't know, but it sure iced the cake as being the most spectacular whale display I will probably ever witness. Thanks you whales, nature and Big Sur :). Previous to this, the other highlights of whale watching here has been the close to shore sighting of a Blue Whale (my first) and then about a month ago I saw a Humpback breaching, but half of its breaches were totally vertical and total air! It fully cleared the water. If I had not have witnessed it, I would not believe me either... On to other things...I am slowly (very slowly) developing an internet network (facebook, etsy, this blog) that will allow me to start selling my wirewrapped pendants and then my photography on-line. Since I am totally off of the grid down in Big Sur, I have to travel a minimum of 35 miles to get access. And so it will continue to be a sloooooooow moving project. All for now Kharma to all