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With a few no-obligations days on my calendar, I headed for Southern California to see my sister Judy. Reportedly I-5 had numerous delays, so I drove down 101, through Cayucos (where I discovered I forgot my bag of shoes), Pismo (where I bought a pair of sandals), and Carpenteria (where I sat on the beach with a picnic lunch). I could take my time because I wasn't going all the way to LA in one day. I stopped in Santa Barbara and chose a motel across the street from the bustling harbor. As I strolled the boards of the wharf, I focused on the mass of boats and masts...
then I sat on the beach and
watched the afternoon return of sailboats.
Without a dramatic sunset sky to work with (there was not a cloud to be seen), I concentrated on the soft-hued bands of color that produced a dream-like quality to the reflected pattern of repeating masts.
Next morning, I was up before dawn to set up on Stearns Wharf (the oldest working wharf in California) before the sun and people appeared. I do not know what caused the split in the morning mist that allowed the shaft of blue sky to shine through.
I moved back to the harbor to catch the first glimpse of the sun
as it rose over the hills and illuminated the boats.
I have more harbor photos on Flickr:
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