Clear to Sea Part One

Some recently visiting friends provided us with an excuse for a day out to Newport Beach. There are several islands (some natural, some man made, some public, some private) in Newport Bay.

We started by crossing a bridge to get onto Balboa Island and then taking a small ferry which takes cars, bicycles, and pedestrians over to Balboa Peninsula. 

You can drive further along the coast and get to the Peninsula that way but the ferry is a fun way to travel.

We had decided to leave our car on Balboa Island and travel the ferry on foot. Once on dry land again, we walked to Balboa Pier.

We were really shocked to see how clear the water was. Neither hubby or I have ever seen the water here this clear. The water almost looked tropical.

A view of Newport Pier.

We could look down and see a greb diving for food.

How to make a restroom building more attractive.

I love these old-style neon signs.

There is a small fun fair at the water's edge.

We decided to take a boat ride around the bay. Neither we nor our friends had done this so it seemed a good activity especially as we were all starving hungry and the boat people allowed us to take our lunch on board. I had a bowl delicious of chips (fries) from Balboa Barbie Q. Hubby got fish and chips.

There is a walking path around Balboa Island which you can walk to look at some of the boats and houses but on the Peninsula and on the private islands you can't do that so the only way to see them from the water. I'm not too interested in boats but I do love to look at other people's homes. I like to see how they've decorated and arranged their gardens.

The homes in this area, especially those on the water, are very expensive and some of them are owned by celebrities and part of the commentary on the trip was pointing out who owned which house (or who used to).

The house with the green awning was the childhood home of child star Shirley Temple.

A California Sea Lion enjoying the sunshine.

Heading out towards the ocean.

A Great Egret.

When we boarded the boat, I didn't realise that we would be going out into the ocean to see a group of Sea Lions so i was thrilled when I found out where we were going.

More wanted to get on the buoy than could fit.

At times I was as excited by the reflections as by the Sea Lions!

Back to the Bay.

Pirate Cove (no pirates in evidence today - only visitors).

San-dy Days

The weather was glorious last week with temperatures in the 80F's (not bad for January, even in southern California) so hubby and I decided to spend as much time outside as possible.

The surf has been pretty terrible this winter so when hubby spotted some waves in San Clemente we drove there before they went away.

San Clemente is a lovely southern Californian surf town and home to an art group I am a member of. It also has a pier.

Unlike some other beaches closer to home, a low tide reveals a long wide area of flat sand that glistens and sparkles and produces beautiful reflections.

While hubby surfed, I took a gentle walk along the beach enjoying the sunshine and warmth.

An artful sign for an exit from the beach to some of the streets above.

I had to keep away from the areas that were very wet as the sand was a little too soft underfoot (as I found after one foot sunk down into wet sand).

Very small and cute sandpipers looking for food in the shallows.

Looks like they have found some.

Back at the pier the lifeguards provide daily information for those going in the water.

The beach I walked from on the pier.

I got there just in time to see hubby catch a wave.

Then I had to wait a long time for the next one. Him too.

After several false starts and a few falls, finally he gets another one.

The problem with the waves today were that they were 'walled up' which means that the wave broke all at once. Usually, a surfer likes to go either left or right riding the part of the waves just ahead of where it is breaking. 

Today's conditions were more likely to knock a surfer off their board like this (he's under the water there somewhere).

After waiting far too long for the next waves to appear, I decided to turn my camera to what else was going on around me. 

The trains run close to the coast giving commuters and travelers a good view of the ocean.

The striped cloth that can be seen on the right on top of the cliff is a large tent  placed over houses when they are being treated for termites. This usually happens when a house is being sold. You have to leave your house for three days (taking any food that isn't completely sealed) while chemicals are pumped under the tent to kill those little wood-eating critters.

This is the beach from the other side of the pier.

The pier from the car park above the beach. An iconic view of San Clemente.