While the people in the northeast were suffering bitter cold,
I went to the beach.
We have had 10 days with no rain and although the sunny days and summertime temperatures seem wonderful, they are not good for us. We need rain to fill the reservoirs and snow to pack the mountains. We need winter! But if the sun is going to shine, let's take advantage of it by going to the beach where we can get a good dose of vitamin D. Many people must have been thinking this same way because Santa Cruz was packed. Are we in the midst of a baby boom? I have never seen so many toddlers; hundreds of them digging holes, shoveling sand into pails, and squealing with delight as they danced in the cold surf. I read my Kindle, watched the parade of sailboats leave the harbor, and took a few photographs.
I saw people walking on the jetty out to the lighthouse, so before heading home, I drove across the river to the west side of the yacht harbor.
The path that leads out to the jetty meanders by
Seabright State Beach.
A high surf advisory was in effect. People have been swept right off these rocks by high breaking waves, so as I approached the lighthouse, I kept an eye on the ocean for the rogue wave that would put me in the 11 o'clock news.
Despite the warning sign, it seemed calm enough, so I watched the sailboats return to the harbor. I have sailed into this harbor myself. I knew how these returning sailors felt after a day of sun, wind and undulating ocean.
I have included this last photo because it was the final one I took that day, and I was able to get a star effect from the sun, a technique I learned from Gary Hart during a photography workshop.
BTW: to those people who are having a cold, wet winter:
it is not all fun and games for us in California.
In a 7 day period this month, we had 10 earthquakes.
I didn't take many photographs in January. I was feeling a bit burned out and stale, so I let photography go for awhile. My day at the beach (previous post) helped, but I still couldn't get the creative juices flowing. So instead of taking new photos, I imported a few I already had into Photoshop Elements to explore how I could creatively morph them into a new artistic reality. This was tons of fun. You may see more of these in the future. I've included both the original and the transformed. Click on a photo to see it enlarged.
This is new for me.
