Pacific Grove

After the highs of Yosemite I didn’t mind where we went for our final two days in Northern California as I thought it would be an anti-climax.  Pacific Grove, a chilling, laid-back town on the Monterey Peninsula exceeded my expectations and proved to be the perfect choice.  We stayed at The Old St Angela Inn in a room called the Crow’s Nest from which it was possible to glimpse the sea.  

We drove along the famous Seventeen Mile Drive, marveling not at the mansions, but at the marine life and vast seascapes.  We bypassed the busy town of Carmel and instead headed to the Point Lobos State Natural Reserve.  It was a popular spot, but there were numerous walking tracks to absorb the weekend crowds. The sea views were dazzling and in the distance we could hear the bark of sea lions.  The reserve is staffed by knowledgeable volunteers (docents).  One volunteer had set up his telescope on the cliff edge in the direction of seal rock.  One look showed us a magnificent seal lion -the culprit behind the barking.  We asked if he had seen any sea otters and he quickly adjusted his telescope, inviting us to peer through it again. His joy and passion were infections.  There among the kelp was a family (or raft) of sea otters.  It was hard to relinquish the telescope, so ecstatic were we at seeing our first sea otter.   

  

Our first sea otter!

We stopped by the information hut to buy postcards (of sea otters!)  We were just in time to join a wild flower tour on the Cypress Grove Trail – I’m not normally one for “tours,” but again, the volunteers, Ann and Art, were knowledgeable and enthusiastic, opening our eyes to all the different plant varieties.  Ann was also a poet and she started and ended the walk by reading one of her poems, which were inspired by her love for Point Lobos.  It was hard to leave this beautiful place and once again I was both surprised and impressed with the commitment America and Americans have to their national parks.

  

Seals!

China Cove