November 2016 Blog Posts (4)

Kayaking up stream, the river stirs.  A harbor seal pokes his head above the surface and stares back at us.  Overhead, an osprey glides, searching for lunch.  Blue herons perch on limbs of firs, pines, and redwoods on the river banks.  We startle a cormorant.  Madly slapping the river and running along the surface, she takes…

We round a curve and halt.  A herd of 50 female tule elk crosses our trail.  There are three males.  Two are smaller, but one is massive, standing tall above his harem, with a huge candelabra rack, seven points on each antler.  He looks like he is having a very good year.

It is late October, the tail-end of…

Stand on cliffs overlooking La Jolla Bay, and take in the abundance of wildlife.  Migrating whales feed close to shore.  Sea lions bark a noisy chorus from offshore outcroppings.  Harbor seals lounge on sheltered beaches.  Dolphins, leopard sharks, shovel-nose guitarfish, and Garibaldi damselfish ply the clear waters.…

From San Francisco’s Cliff House, Ocean Beach beckons.  Broad and flat, it stretches as far as you can see, disappearing into the mist.  Stride out on 9 miles of uninterrupted beach to start this 30-mile, 4-day walkabout.  Urban life fades as you hike a coast that is extraordinarily wild.

     Hike miles of…