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REVIEW COPY NOT FOR PUBLIC USE First light on Morro Rock from Montaña de Oro Chapter 12 central coast 212 Photographing California VOL. 2 – SOUTH central coast 213 Morro Rock & Morro Strand State Beach Morro Bay State Park The volcanic plug, Morro Rock, towers 581 feet above the adjacent ocean and Although Morro Rock itself is techni- beach. There are over two miles of sandy beach north of Morro Rock. The beach cally within Morro Bay State Park, another close to the rock offers a very gradual slope towards the water. From the southern section of the same park next to Morro end of the beach, low tide can provide you with wet sand to capture Morro Rock Bay, south of town, provides better views and its reflection. A minus low tide is even better. of the rock. There are no trails on Morro Photo advice: The Bay itself provides a Rock and climbing is prohib- better mirror surface before afternoon ited, as it is a sacred site to local winds come up and in winter months with Salinan and Chumash tribes. less fog. The mud flats south of the town You can drive up to its base, of Morro Bay provide excellent habitat for though, and park at Coleman birds such as egrets and herons. Park. In the spring, you may find sea otters with pups here in Getting there: From downtown Morro the relatively calm waters of the Bay, take Main Street south to the vicin- entrance to the Bay. ity of the Morro Bay Golf Course and the Morro Bay State Park campground. Photo advice: If you do a little research and plan ahead, you Nearby location: Also near the camp- may be able to catch the nearly ground is a harbor for small boats, which The view near Morro Bay S. P. campground full moon setting while there is is one of the calmest parts of the bay and sunrise color in the sky. As the can provide mirror-like reflections. April moonset before dawn image here shows, the pink or magenta “belt of Venus” band Montaña de Oro State Park of light occurs just above the earth's own dark shadow at the horizon, before sunrise or after sunset. Montaña de Oro State Park is a large park of 8,000 acres stretching from the Getting there: Just north of Morro Bay on CA-1, take Atascadero Road west Pacific Ocean to the top of 1,347 ft. Valencia Peak. As you enter the park from towards the ocean.REVIEW It changes inCOPY name to Embarcadero Rd., as it curves left. the north, thereREVIEW are trails which take COPY you to the sandy spit separating Morro Bay Continue past theNOT end of the FOR road and PUBLIC curve right into aUSE dirt parking lot, close from the Pacific Ocean.NOT Once FORyou’re further PUBLIC into the park, USE you reach the most to Morro Rock. accessible shoreline of the park at Spooner’s Cove, near the park’s campground. To drive to Coleman Park South of the cove the shore- alongside Morro Rock, take the line is rocky, accessed via the Main Street exit from CA-1 in Bluff Trail. The first section Morro Bay, turn right on Beach of the Bluff Trail provides an Street, right on Embarcadero, excellent view of Morro Rock, and continue onto Coleman which is lit by the rising sun Drive. on winter mornings. Further Nearby location: As you drive along the trail, you’ll find wave- north from Morro Bay, particu- washed points and rocks, and at larly on windy afternoons, you the right tide level there’s even may see kite boarders surfing a small blowhole which sends the waves. mist into the air. Place the rising sun at your back to see a rain- Sea otter and pup in the kelp beds bow in the mist of the blowhole. Winter morning light on Morro Rock 214 Photographing California VOL. 2 – SOUTH central coast 215 Photo advice: This convoluted and wave-washed rocky shoreline is particularly The trail to the cave and beach well suited to long exposures of waves washing over rocks. You can use a 10 stop is the dirt trail heading down- neutral density filter to enable a very long exposure, or stop your lens down and hill on your left, as you drive set your ISO low, and add filters such as a circular polarizing filter and graduated into the parking area. Head a neutral density filter. It will also help if you’re shooting during sunrise, sunset, few hundred yards downhill and or twilight. when the trail splits, you can Getting there: From CA-1 just south of the town of either go left to the beach or Morro Bay, take the S. Bay Blvd. exit and continue 4 right to the cave. miles. Turn right on Los Osos Valley Road and pro- Nearby location: A second, less ceed 1.5 miles. Continue onto Pecho Valley Road, prominent trail leads out onto 3.7 miles into the park. the small peninsula and rock Time required: You can spend an hour on the Bluff which the cave passes through. Trail, and another 2 hours hiking the nearby Point Side trails lead to points on the Natural bridge just north of Pirate's Cove Buchon Trail. cliff where people have explored for possible shoreline access. One trail offered a thoroughly rotten climbing Nearby location: From the farthest south parking lot rope tied to an unstable metal stake weakly pounded into the ground. Even the for the Bluff Trail, you can access the Point Buchon area around the top of the rope was dangerous, sloping towards a 30 to 40-foot Trail. Opened to the public in 2007, the Point drop off the cliff to the rocks and surf below. From the trail approaching that Buchon Trail offers a sea cave and shoreline access at spot however, you may find a spot to stand sufficiently anchored in surrounding Coon Creek Beach, a sinkhole, sea stacks and natural bushes to safely capture a sunset shot of a natural bridge below. bridges. In the spring, you may encounter prolific Blow hole rainbow on the wildflowers, if you are fortunate. Bluff Trail Located on Pacific Gas & Electric property associ- Shoreline Parks, Shell Beach ated with the Diablo Canyon nuclear power facility, reservations are advised since the Point Buchon and Pecho Coast trails share a There are miles of rocky shoreline along the Shell Beach area on the north 275 person limit per day. You must sign in upon entering and sign a liability side of Pismo Beach. Dinosaur Caves Park and Seacliff Park offer views while release. The trail is currently open Thursday through Monday from 8 am to 5 Eldwayen Ocean Park and Margo Dodd Park offer shoreline access. pm from AprilREVIEW to October, and 8COPY am to 4 pm during November through March. Photo advice: GivenREVIEW the southwest COPY orientation of the shoreline in this area and The trail closes during rainy or inclement weather. the protruding Point San Luis to the west, the two months each side of the winter NOT FOR PUBLIC USE solstice (late December)NOT will offerFOR sunsets PUBLIC with the sun setting USE over the Pacific Cave Landing Trail to Pirate’s Cove Ocean. Getting there: To reach the 1.5 Once a landing spot for ships smuggling liquor, today Pirate’s Cove serves as miles of bluffs at Eldwayen Ocean a clothing-optional beach. On the way to the beach on the Cave Landing Trail, Park and its stairway accessing lies a cave known as Whaler’s Cave (or Pirate’s Cave), where locals watch sunset. the beach, from US-101 north Photo advice: Photographers may have the best luck including the cave in their of Pismo Beach, exit Spyglass shots by either coming for pre-dawn light or waiting after sunset. Then, most of Drive. Head towards the ocean the crowd has left, and capturing the fading light of sunset is easier. and turn left onto Shell Beach Road. Continue 0.7 miles and Getting there: From US-101, about 12 miles south of San Luis Obispo and a turn right on Vista Del Mar short distance north of Pismo Beach and Shell Beach, take the San Luis Bay Ave. In 0.2 miles you’ll reach Drive exit to Avila Beach, and head towards the ocean. Continue 1.4 miles. Upon Ocean Blvd, which runs along- reaching Avila Beach Dr., turn right and go 0.7 miles, then turn left onto Cave side Eldwayen Ocean Park. Landing Road. Then drive to the dirt parking area at the end. If you’re using To reach the beach access at Reef pattern at Eldwayen Ocean Park Google Maps, you can navigate to this location using the name Avila Sea Caves. 216 Photographing California VOL. 2 – SOUTH central coast 217 Margo Dodd Park from US-101 (north of Pismo Beach) take the Spyglass Drive Creek. This can happen where the waves have cut through the sand dam nor- exit. Head towards the ocean and turn left onto Shell Beach Road. Continue 1.4 mally separating the lagoon from the ocean. If your vehicle stalls or gets stuck, miles and turn right on Cliff Ave. Pass Dinosaur Caves Park and in 0.2 miles you getting your vehicle stranded here could involve an urgent call to 911 and a min- will reach Ocean Blvd. and Margo Dodd Park. imum $300 tow (don’t ask me how I know this). That’s if you’re lucky enough to have a 4WD tow vehicle in the area which can reach your vehicle before an incoming tide claims it.