POINT LOBOS

Volume 32 * Number 1 Spring * 2009 Point Lobos Association Route 1 Box 62, Carmel, CA 93923 831-625-1470 www.PointLobos.org

Features Officers 7 Monarchs of Point Lobos President Judd Perry Vice President Lyle Brumfield Heidi Van Der Veer Secretary Brandi Katz 9 Whispers of the Image; Treasurer Sandy Hale Words in Plein Air Joselyn Ignacio Zimardi Directors and Kenneth Parker Joe/Pat Bova Lyle Brumfield Ed Clifton Steve Dennis Skip Flohr Gael Gallagher Sandy Hale John Hudson Departments Brandi Katz Glen McGowan 3 Message from the President Lynne Miles Joyce Olcese Judd Perry Carl Voss Paul Wineman 4 Annoucements 5 Under My Brim Docent Administrators Ranger Chuck Bancroft Joe & Pat Bova 6 Observations Sparky Starkweather Administrative Assistant 13 Quotes from the Docent Log Kristina Rosado edited by Stan Dryden CA State Parks Liason Chuck Bancroft

Point Lobos Magazine Editorial Director Graphics Contributors Dida Kutz Chuck Bancroft UC Berkeley [email protected] Les Ellis Mark Farina queries welcome David Hibbard Kenneth Parker Tryntje Rapalje A. Steward Proofreader Suzie Wood

Cover: Pinnacle Ridge by Kenneth Parker. Parker’s art can be seen at the Weston Gallery in Carmel-by-the-Sea and online at www.KennethParker.com.

Point Lobos Magazine The mission of the Point Lobos Association is to support interpre- is printed on recycled paper tive and educational programs that enhance the visitor’s experience, and published four times per year by the Point Lobos Association. and to assist California State Parks in preserving Point Lobos State Reserve. Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. PDF versions available at www.PointLobos.org.

Message from the President

Judd Perry

t the beginning of my third most respected Docents, was Ayear as your President, I given the coveted State Parks want to thank all of our Point “Golden Poppy Award” for Lobos Association members for his outstanding service to the back to their northern feeding their generous support over the Association and the Reserve. grounds from the warm birth- years for the work of the As- Following the Annual Meet- ing waters of Baja California, sociation and of the dedicated ing, the Board elected Associa- Mexico. Mothers and calves will and talented Docent volunteers. tion officers for the coming year. be close to shore to gain protec- Thanks also to those members They are: President, George tion from the marauding orcas who attended our 31st Annual (“Judd”) Perry; Vice President, (“killer whales”) who patrol our Membership Meeting on Janu- Robert (“Skip”) Flohr; Secre- coast during this period look- ary 10, 2009, and participated in tary, Brandi Katz; and Treasurer ing for wayward calves. There the election of directors of the Samuel (“Sandy”) Hale. I want will also be nesting cormorants Association. In addition to re- to thank each of them for the and black-capped night her- electing three At-Large Directors energy and dedication they ons at Bird Island, and harbor who are returning for succes- bring to the Association’s work. seals pupping on the beaches sive terms (Steve Dennis, John If you have not visited around Whalers Cove, Blue Hudson, and Joyce Olcese), you Point Lobos recently, now is Fish Cove, and other secluded elected one new Docent Direc- the perfect time to do it. With spots along the coast. If you tor, Gael Gallagher, to replace the January/February rains, we look closely, you might even retiring Director, Kerstin Jones. are expecting an abundance of be able to spot our great blue I want to welcome Gael to our spring wildflowers. Don’t wait herons nesting in the trees near Board and thank Kerstin for her until May, when most of them Coal Chute Point. It is a truly tireless efforts on behalf of the will be gone. It is in March and wonderful time to be at Point Association, not only as a Direc- April that they are at their glo- Lobos, so come soon and often. tor but also as our Treasurer for rious peak, so make it a point And finally, have your vis- the past three-and-a-half years. to enjoy them this year. If you ited our website lately? There Monterey District Superin- are not familiar with all of the is a large amount of valuable tendent Mat Fuzie addressed wildflowers of the Reserve, join information about the Re- the Annual Meeting and pre- a guided walk and let one of serve and the Association to be sented the Association with our talented and knowledgeable found there. We are also now California State Parks’ Leader- Docents do the identification. archiving past copies of the Point Lobos Magazine ship Award, in recognition of March, April, and early POINT LOBOS magazine, so is printed on recycled paper the Association’s contributions May is also the time when you you can review past articles and and published four times per year to Point Lobos State Reserve. In can personally witness one of by the Point Lobos Association. photographs. You can access Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. addition, Ed Clifton, a Director the longest mammal migra- the site at www.PointLobos.org. PDF versions available at and former President of the As- tions on earth, as the majestic I hope to see you soon at www.PointLobos.org. sociation as well as one of our gray whales make their way Point Lobos State Reserve. Point Lobos Magazine 3 Annoucements Under My Brim Ranger Chuck Bancroft ign your kids up for our upcoming SSummer Outdoor Program presented by State Park staff based out of Point Lobos State Reserve. Kids 9-15 years old will have the opportuni- ty to experience California State Parks in a day camp setting.

Session dates: June 22 thru July 3, 9:30–2:30 July 13 thru July 24, 9:30–2:30

Tuition: $200.00 Photo courtesy Tryntje Rapalje/Koduckgirl via Flickr.

Telephone: 831-624-9423 for more information or to reserve your child’s spot.

Paintings of Point Lobos Reserve by Mark Farina at the Pacific Grove Art Center An exhibit of oil and watercolor paintings by local painter and art instructor Mark Farina will be on display at the Pacific Grove Art Center, April 10th through May 22, 2009. The show will be held in the Dyke Gallery and will consist of 25-30 works. Many of the smaller paintings have been painted on location in the Reserve. There will be an opening recep- tion on Friday, April 10, from 7 to 9 PM. Mark will be reading poems inspired by Point Lobos on Sat- urday, April 11 from 2-4 PM. See Mark’s websites for more de- tails and a look at the paintings in the show: www.mfarinaartstudio.com www. mfarinaartstudio.com/blog A portion of sales derived form this show will benefit the Point Lobos Association. The Pacific Grove Art Center is located at 568 Lighthouse Av- enue, downtown Pacific Grove, and is open Wednesday - Saturday 12- 5 PM and Sunday 1-4 PM.

4 Point Lobos Magazine Annoucements Under My Brim Ranger Chuck Bancroft

was cattle graz- Don Escobar had other chil- ing. dren besides the two sons and 1839 – Don these and their grandchildren Marcelino Es- began to claim portions of the cobar on April land. Thus began a long com- 16 was granted plicated series of legal battles the Jose y Sur to determine ownership of the Chiquito Ran- property. cho. This was 1842 – January 16th. Dona et’s continue our look into the first valid Josefa Abrego deeded the land Lthe past history of Point grant confirmed by the Mexican to a group of soldiers from the Lobos and see what takes place government in 1840. The Ran- Monterey Presidio. The soldiers after Mexico wins its indepen- cho’s boundaries ran from the evidently paid nothing for it. dence from Spain in 1822. Carmel River in the north, the Why? Legend tells of a gam- 1833 – The Church has lost mountains on the east, and the bler who once lost the rancho at a great deal of her strength Palo Colorado Canyon in the cards. Perhaps this was a gam- politically and economically. south. It consisted of roughly bling debt of her husband. The Californios, seeing the vast two leagues of land. (One league 1844 – June 7th, the soldiers developed ranchos, passed laws is about 3.5 mi or 5.5 km. This of the Presidio (about ten in to secularize the missions and unit of measurement is no longer number) turned the Rancho open these lands to private de- in use.-Ed.) over to their supervising officer, velopment. Point Lobos, for the 1840 – Don Marcelino Esco- General Jose Castro. No other first time since North America bar’s Rancho San Jose y Sur Chiq- information is available about had become inhabited, came uito is confirmed by the Mexican this strange dealing. under private control. government. All subsequent title 1848 – The Treaty of Guada- 1834 – The first person of re- claims concerning Point Lobos lupe Hidalgo ended Mexican cord to legally own Point Lobos stem from this grant. This same rule of California and began a was Juan B. Alvarado, who on year, Juan and Agustin, Don period of California history as a July 30, was given a grant called Escobar’s two sons, seem to have territory of the United States. Rancho el Sur, which may have obtained possession of the Ranch. So, what takes place in included a portion of the lands No record or date of this transac- California, Monterey, and at in the vicinity of Point Lobos. tion was recorded. Point Lobos after the war with 1835 – Teodoro Gonzales 1841 – On August 26th, Dona United States and Mexico is applied for the rancho of Sur Josefa de Abrego, holding power ended? You’ll have to wait until Chiquito on September 2. The of attorney from her husband to the next issue of the Point Lobos map he submitted showed that buy and sell land, purchased the Magazine is published to find this grant definitely included Rancho San Jose y Sur Chiquito out. Point Lobos. The only real use for $125 in silver and $125 in mer- for land in this area at this time chandise.

Map of Rancho San José y Sur Chiquito [1881?] courtesy Point Lobos Magazine 5 The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, CA. Observations Sparky Starkweather, State Park Squirrel

as the case may be). This mushroom is most popular in children’s fairy tales as a Christmas tree ornament, and in its dried state as incense. Ranger Chuck just happened to take this image. Up on Whalers Knoll we’ve been lucky to observe the monarch butterflies as they cluster together to avoid the colder tem- peratures. Although the numbers were relatively small this year we did have some wonderful groupings. When the weather turned almost too warm, these delicate creatures were flying all over the Reserve looking for nectar. The numbers at the Butterfly Sanctuary in Pacific Grove were wonderful. The monarchs there provided a great show as they flew through the canopies of the Eucalyptus trees and then clustered in the cypresses and eucalyptus.

hen you take the time to re- Wally observe, you often find the most remarkable things. I was patrolling my forest looking for my favorite mushrooms when I came upon the most glorious of our fungal friends: Amanita mus- caria . . . the fly agaric. Although you should not eat this fruiting body due to the toxins it contains, a camera is the better way to take it home with you. All things in the Reserve are protected and collect- ing is not permitted. I see photog- raphers all the time lying on the ground looking for just the cor- rect light and angle to capture this beautiful fungus on film (or digital

6 6 Point Lobos Magazine Photos courtesy Chuck Bancroft. To protect this valued natural resource will require cooperative and sustained efforts on several fronts: university-based research, natural resource agencies at all levels of government, non-profit conservational and education organizations, involvement of the general public, and citizen scientists. —The Monarch Butterfly in Western North America

stood in a bramble of poison oak with my Western Monarchs Ilittle black and gold opera glasses, craning The Western Monarch summer breeding my neck up, chin pointed to the Monterey grounds extend from the Pacific Northwest/Ca- pines. That chilly December morning, the nadian border south all the way to Baja, and from Point Lobos over-wintering monarch but- inland California to the Rockies. These mon- terfly population roosted quietly in the pines archs west of the Rocky Mountains migrate in a amid the dewy morning lichen, in beautiful south-westerly route; there are over 300 western imbricated clusters. It was thus that I learned habitat sites along the Pacific Ocean Coast. Their the art and science of counting butterflies. habitat is dominated by non-native eucalyptus Docent and monarch enthusiast, Stella Prest- trees; however, there are a few colonies that still hus, had recruited me at the December Point roost in native trees species, such as Monterey Lobos Association meeting for the Butterfly cypress, coast live oak, and Monterey pine. Counting Committee. She explained that Jes- sica Griffiths, Monterey County Coordinator Eastern Monarchs for Monarch Alert, had begun the cooperative From eastern breeding grounds (east of the counting program at Point Lobos the previous Rocky Mountains), monarchs follow a south month. Griffiths oversees the weekly moni- to south-westerly migration route to the Trans- toring of butterfly numbers at all Monterey Volcanic Mountain Range in Mexico. It is sad- County monarch over-wintering sites, includ- dening to note that the millions of monarch ing the famed Monarch Grove Sanctuary in butterflies that migrate to Mexico from the east- Pacific Grove, and some spots around Big Sur. ern United States and Canada each fall to over-

Heidi Van der Veer

Photos courtesy Chuck Bancroft. Point Lobos Magazine 7 wintering sites in Mexico are highly threatened, ally. The monarch mating ritual is fascinating. due to deforestation caused by illegal logging. Around January, monarchs are coming out of reproductive diapause and males start to initi- Point Lobos Monarchs ate mating attempts, chasing females, grab- Unlike other western monarch habitats bing them in mid-air, or pouncing on females around California, the secluded off-trail am- that are resting in vegetation. Either method of phitheatre at Whalers Knoll is about as ideal capture results in a struggle, where he wrestles as a butterfly can get for total privacy, protec- her in a free fall to the ground. They struggle tion, and microclimate conditions. The threats of in this fashion on the ground for some time in habitat destruction by agricultural, commercial, a battle of wills as males are incredibly persis- or municipal development faced by monarch tent, and females tend to resist quite strongly. habitats elsewhere are a non-issue due to Point The male probes the female abdomen with Lobos’ status as a California State Reserve. his abdomen tip, uses claspers to tightly clasp It is a tricky business to count onto her, then he flies into butterflies and come up with an the canopy of a nearby tree accurate number, and I am fre- with her dangling beneath. quently asked how one does it. The female has ways to avoid First, it must be done when it is these coercive male tactics: she still cool in the morning, while will often flip upside down on they are “asleep” clustering in the ground, extend her wings, the trees; they tend to congregate and arch her abdomen tip into the about a third of a way up the tree. Binoculars, substrate, making it nearly impossible for him scope, or opera glasses are indispensable to begin to mate with her. Fortunately, they succeed in the count. It is necessary to do an initial inspection their entomological mating endeavor, enabling of the whole tree to see how many individual clus- the cycle to continue the next generation of mi- ters you spot; we started with a tree that usually grating monarchs. Unfortunately, these mating had eight separate clusters. Having at least two activities have high energetic costs, and in addi- counters is an important measure to ensure accu- tion to increasing the damage to their wings, the racy and staying within a 20% margin of error. A male does not have long to live. It is the female laser pointer is helpful for accurately identifying who completes the last leg of the migration to clusters to counting companions who might be deposit her eggs on Central Valley milkweed. accidentally counting a different section than you. The Monarch Butterfly in Western North America, Count out a group of ten individual contigu- a 34 minute VHS available at many libraries, deliv- ous butterflies on the edge of a branch, and then ers “dramatic closeup video of mating behavior.” flex your powers of estimation and superimpose The next monarch counting season will start the mental image of that number over the rest of around November 2009. We will need to re- the monarchs; in this way, with guidance from cruit brave counters willing to tiptoe through an experienced counter, and practice, you will the poison oak on cold mornings every week estimate your final answer, cross-check it with through February 2010. The pay-off is get- fellow counters (there must not be more than ting to be one of the rare visitors to Pt. Lobos a 20% difference between your numbers), and who is allowed to wander off-trail to view record the tabulation. Each week’s numbers are and keep track of these protected beauties. sent to Monarch Watch for inclusion in county and And you will have the satisfaction of know- state-wide monarch-tracking reports. The highest ing that to count them, is to love them. And to numbers we got for the 2008-2009 over-wintering love them is to protect them. Wings Away! season were 2,008 monarchs at Point Lobos. The height of monarch mating season con- Heidi Van der Veer, a music historian and docent for Monterey veniently falls around Valentine’s Day, and as State Historic Park, is a local music teacher and performer of was remarked by Griffiths in her e-mailed Mon- historical music. She is a current member of the Point Lobos arch Update that week, Love is in the air! Liter- docent training class.

8 8 Point Lobos Magazine Photo courtesy Chuck Bancroft. Whispers of the Image; Words in Plein Air

Photographs: Kenneth Parker Prose & Poetics: Joselyn Ignacio Zimardi

Sounds of the ocean, the wetness of the bough, the fragrance of the earth, the coolness of rock, captured in poetry and photography.

Point Lobos Magazine 9

ow One Writer Experiences Beauty buzzing by— HPoint Lobos: Joselyn Ignacio Zimardi Heart in high gear; we trail There are power spots on this earth and Point Life ahead of itself waving Lobos is one of them. Like a gem among many in the palm of the “one force” (Mani Bhaumik), this Point Lobos is a community. It brings a town sacred place is offered to you and me as a gift. together for activities, events, and meetings. CK Is Point Lobos shaped by our need for a secret is my friend and colleague. Our day jobs keep spot, a community venue, a respite? Yes, yes, and us indoors most of the time. Point Lobos is our yes; Point Lobos exists. And so we try to make respite, when we are up, when we are down; it sense of its beauty, put an order to nature—like becomes our private place to journey inside of unwitnessed layers of life; nature’s pentimento. ourselves. It is CK’s own backyard to contem- The following is a fragment of what comes of a plate, her swimming hole to research dive. With writer’s perspective; a photographer’s eye—enter other Point Lobos advocates at a moonlight language, enter visuals—all tincture and taint. picnic, we pass bread and wine—it is our “first supper” and before and below us, the sea. Enveloped in the natural quiet Senses ablaze Visitors I think not. I say least From all walks of life Taken by the view I bring my out-of-town and local friends to Shutterbug Point Lobos. We are enveloped in the power and ow One Photographer Experiences beauty of this area. It is a cold morning and my Point Lobos: Kenneth Parker physicist friend Robert from Boston gazes down at H The first time I was exposed to the awe-inspir- a sheltered cove, crowned with seaweed. We are ing Point Lobos was at the end of that archetypal cold and huddle closer together. For a moment, cross-country-family-car-trip-that-changes-your- reality bites, the wind bites. We are on the edge of the bluff; the cove comes into focus. “How do we market such beauty,” I ask? “Make a jacket stuffed with Point Lobos kelp.” We laugh and continue our hike, immersed once again in our private thoughts.

Sea surface Full of seaweed Epiphany! A jacket born

I meet up with Christine, a long-time county resident, just a few feet from the gate entrance. We are in single file. We hike. Our experience is cerebral; human utterance abounds. Rocky stone steps ascending to the sky, prickly brush scraping our skin, sprites on the ocean waters. We round the perimeter of Point Lobos in 30 minutes flat. Then as quickly as we had met, we embrace, promise to meet again; then depart.

10 10 Point Lobos Magazine life, all the way back in 1963. Then elusively beck- this land as my home. The astonishing shoreline oning me back in 1977 while a transfer student at that begins at that Point and continues along the UCSC, Point Lobos was indeed destined to be- transcendent spectacularity [sic] that is Big Sur come my favorite local treasure power spot back is unsurpassed by any other on the face of the then and especially now, privileged as I’ve been Earth. I endeavor to keep pace with such echo- the past fifteen years to be living here in blessed ing beauty at every turn along the Cypress Loop Carmel. and North Shore Trail! And it remains a lifelong Having a breathtakingly craggy expanse of dream to mine its secret haunts, along with others mystic wildness as a beckoning backyard to stroll southward down the coast . . . until I’ve produced through is an important reason for cherishing

Point Lobos Magazine 11 a compelling portfolio of rocky jagged yet intimate capturing a true trace of its magic. color landscapes. Like Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony I often A uniquely rare convergence of beachless land find myself transported by the iridescent palette and sea, Point Lobos is like “a Chinese landscape of the Point Lobos North Shore—from its sweet painting” (Robinson Jeffers) with a delicate bal- somber laments and inscrutably subtle moods to ance of exquisitely intricate line and form. It is gently soaring flights of ecstasy. Since my first

Parker working in Thubchen Temple, those gnarled old cypress trees flourishing there Lo Monthang, Mustang, Tibetan Plateau. in the moist air that delight me the most . . . whorled and windswept, wizened with wisdom enthralled peek into its mysteries forty-five years against an engrossing intrigue of bestial granite ago, I’ve been fortunate enough to wander all chiseled by storm and sea. over the world. But while Kauai’s astoundingly Striving as I do to capture with camera the sculpted Napali cliffs are undeniably dazzling, pure impact of this enchanting scene, it happens my eyes have yet to embrace another coastline authentically only when I am acutely present to as mythically dramatic as our own beloved Point its sense of place. It is an unspeakably poignant Lobos and Big Sur. It is truly an apotheosis of mystery really, just how or why which shots “hit” planetary landscape that must forever remain the and which ones don’t; and all too insufferably finely unbridled, unfractured, lovingly appreci- infrequent of course. But when everything is just ated jewel it has long been to our community. right, when the mind’s eye is open and tuned. . . it simply clicks. You become it, it becomes you, and Carmel-by-the-Sea, February 2009. then. . . well you’re really making art of it, really

12 12 Point Lobos Magazine Point Lobos photos in this article: Pinnacle Ridge; Monterey cypress, Trentepholia sp. algae and lichen; dead Monterey cypress, Trentepholia sp. algae, and lichen. Quotes from the Docent Log edited by Stan Dryden

Nov. 11: Chris Stone driving through the Spent hours watching spec- rain, I arrived at the Sea tacular sets of huge waves. Lots Lion Point parking lot in of sea lions on their rock, but not brilliant sunshine. There keeping too dry. About five to six I found three freelance deer entertained the crowds by travel writers and pho- nonchalantly eating close to the tographers waiting for trail. So many people this week- their paid guide, who end, and so many great questions. did not show up. They Everyone I came in contact with were delighted to see was overwhelmed by the beauty “their” docent to guide of Point Lobos. them on a walk to the photogenic spots and Nov. 18: Dione Dawson to count otters had a marvelous answer their questions The otter count for November time. We are happy to announce about the Reserve. was 23 adults and 3 pups, the we had 30 adults and 8 pups. Off we went on the Cypress heaviest concentration being on The north shore did much bet- Grove Trail, which was bathed in the south shore, which yielded an ter than last month by increasing sparkling sunlight the whole time. excellent count of 16 adults and their count to 17 adults, beating With the air and flora having been the 3 pups. It was an extremely the south shore count with only scrubbed clean by the rains, it was foggy day, but with a higher 13 adults. There was some excite- a photographer’s (and docent’s) ceiling so that the visibility was ment for the south shore otter paradise. I got my “15 minutes of excellent, aided by a flat, calm counters. As they approached fame” by being included in some sea. Lots of large jellies were seen Bird Island no birds were visible. of the less attractive photos. The around the north shore, and a Lo and behold, there was the per- visitors’ enthusiasm made this group of dolphins moved around egrine falcon having breakfast. It one of my more enjoyable public Carmel Bay. We were unable to was interesting seeing him enjoy walks. (One account of this trek pinpoint exactly what kind of his meal piece by piece! was posted on the following blog: dolphins they were. In fact, they Dec. 16: might well have been sea lions in Stan a cavorting mood, as they never Dryden stayed in sight for very long, although they hung around the My wife same area. thought I was crazy Dec. 9: Lynne McCammon to go out to Point Lobos Point Lobos has been called on this cold, “the Crown Jewel of the State showery Parks.” If you had been a visitor morning or a worker Tuesday morning you to give my would have agreed! The ocean scheduled was calm and there was a nip in walk. After the air. The folks who went out Winter surf courtesy David Hibbard; Point Lobos Magazine 13 North Shore Trail courtesy Les Ellis. californiatravelgirl.blogspot.com/ Dec. 31: Brandi Katz the warm weather, so before we -- see A Monterey Weekend) Quite a start to New Year’s started a few layers of clothing Eve at Lobos today. Did the were left behind. Dec. 20: Brandi Katz opening Info Station shift, and We are very happy to an- Moon jellies! Moon jellies ev- the place was packed almost from nounce we observed 39 adults erywhere. I’ve never seen them in opening moments. No surprises and 8 pups. Two different teams the coves in December – they usu- there – it was glorious out! My came in with the same number ally appear in “Indian Summer” guided walk had about 30 par- of otters: 17 adults and 3 pups. each year. In the late December ticipants – easily the biggest walk The third team had 5 adults and cold they looked like nothing I’ve ever attempted. Among the 2 pups. The count of 8 pups is so much as delicate snowflakes group, incognito until about half- great. Our count seems to be dancing on the face of the coves. way through, though I had been increasing month by month! The alerted by a Ranger that she’d be South Plateau team observed a Dec 27: Frank & in the Reserve, was Ruth Cole- few dolphins passing by. Bird Duane O’Sullivan man (Director of California State Island was devoid of cormorants Great day at Point Lobos. Parks) and her party of about a – only a lone great blue heron was Gray whales going south. Two dozen. No pressure there!!!!! observed. large separate groups of dolphins going north. Mating pair of ot- Jan. 8: Jon Dungan Jan. 13: Stella Presthus ters at Whalers Cove. Great blue Dozens of whale spouts in Finding the unexpected at heron getting a fish at Whalers just 30 minutes. Was able to show Point Lobos came as a surprise Cove. some visitors their first sightings. to Ed and Daniel O’Neal. They Six Australian men were deeply made their first dive at Whal- Dec. 28: Jean Grace interested in our sea mammals ers Cove, in perfect dive condi- A spectacular crystal bright as well as the comparisons with tions. At a depth of 25 feet before winter day drew crowds to the seals and elephant seals. surfacing, their dive came to a Reserve. This Sunday between halt. Ed blew out his regulator Christmas and New Year’s show- Jan. 9: Celie Placzek and yelled Daniel’s name. Both cased whales, otters, harbor seals, Walking back from the Pit I anchored themselves to kelp and sea lions – one of these re- heard a noisy bird in a tree above stalks as a calm, curious 25 foot quiring a Marine Mammal Rescue the trail. Stopping, I noticed an creature circled. Then on the team because of a severe bite out osprey perched on a bare snag. second pass, at 20 yards away, of its flank. It’s a pleasure and As it flew off across the cove a were revealed the small eyes of a privilege to help all these excited small fish dangled from its feet. juvenile gray whale. After a ten visitors. The bird landed in another tree minute encounter it swam out of where I could share the sight with the cove. The experience left the Dec. 29: Martha Dennis two excited visitors. O’Neals: “...startled at first and At the Information Station then amazed and shocked...” I had a pleasant visit with Roy Jan 13: Lynne McCammon With no regrets, as an object les- Hattori’s grandson and his family. These last few days have been son, they vowed to bring their (Roy was an abalone diver at Point glorious! Our team of otter-spot- camera. Lobos and still loves to talk about his ters met today, but before hitting Jan. 13: Ed Clifton experiences.) The family now lives the trails the whole group had in Washington State but said, “We their binoculars glued to the wa- The magic of Point Lobos is just have to come back here to ters beyond Headland Cove. The manifested in many ways, and visit Carmel and Point Lobos.” gray whales were on the move. recently I experienced something A few whales and a small pod After seeing several pods move that was at once awesome, de- of dolphins were reported south southward we decided to go on lightful, and mysterious! Tues- of the Sea Lion Rocks. the otter count. We had a taste of day, January 13, 2009, will be 14 14 Point Lobos Magazine by a spout. of dancing light. Another told Finally, the me later that he had observed the horizon was flashing spectrum at the horizon marked by a while eating a late lunch at the thin luminous Bird Island picnic area. Finally, band of light, three excited visitors told me at which, with the Info Station that they had seen binoculars, a whale in one of the coves off the resolved into Cypress Point Trail, “Right below a glimmering, us in the water, about 30 feet long shifting display and covered with barnacles.” of the rainbow It was indeed a special day! spectrum: red, remembered as the winter day orange, yellow, green, blue and Jan. 14: Stella Presthus when the thermometers at the violet randomly appeared and While on trail watch, I had a Information Station registered vanished. Shining through the rare encounter. With good depth 80° F in the shade. It was virtu- colors were myriad dancing tiny visibility, I happily watched the ally windless, and the sky was flashing lights. It was eerily beau- panorama of pulsating moon jel- without clouds. As I drove over tiful! lyfish. As they swayed near the the hill from the Information Sta- Late in the day, after closing surface along the ocean current tion around 2:15, on my way to the Information Station, I watched breeze, the kelp forest below Weston Beach, I saw something the sun set into the Pacific, and parted. I held my breath in awe. in the ocean that literally stopped noted that a fog bank lay on the Cautiously venturing to the sandy me in my tracks. About halfway horizon. The thickness of bank bottom, for a good rub - the strik- to the horizon, a small part of the corresponded to the light band ing stripes and spots appeared - ocean was flashing with brilliant I had seen earlier. With the red- of a fine leopard shark. sparks of light. It reminded me gold setting sun behind it, I could of camera flashes during halftime see that the fog bank top was Jan. 27: Marty Renault at the Super Bowl. The glitter- sharply defined and very irregu- January just may be the most ing persisted as I drove along lar. I presume that a substantial splendid month at Point Lobos. the South Shore and parked at wind accompanied the bank, The holiday visitors have cleared Weston Beach, where I could constantly shifting and remold- out and tranquillity has returned. study it in more detail. It oc- ing it, which could account for the When the skies are not pouring curred directly beneath the sun shifting color patterns I observed welcome rain, they’re crisp and in an elongate patch of rougher earlier. The sun must have been sunny. Today a doe and two half- water. With binoculars I could see in exactly the right position to grown fawns lolled in the sun just an occasional dolphin or porpoise create a spectrum of light that off the Sea Lion Point trail, uncon- break the surface of this patch changed as concentrations of mist cerned by the gawking humans. and surmised that their feed- shifted within the bank. Waves The balmy weather this year has ing caused the wave chop in the generated by that wind in the sea lulled the flowers into thinking it’s rough patch. The sun seemed to beyond could account for the tiny already spring. Seaside painted be in just the right position to re- flashes of light. cup, Douglas iris, poppy, seaside flect off these waves, creating the As often occurs when we see daisy, and of course the irrepress- flashes I observed from shore. something magical at the Reserve, ible Bermuda buttercup are now Further offshore a large pod frustratingly few visitors were blooming. But the gray whales of gray whales contributed to the present to share this with. The know exactly what month it is light show. As they broke the sea few that chanced by were en- and are swimming south, right on surface, their wakes created gold- thralled. One visitor saw a leap- en lines of light, often punctuated ing dolphin in the closest patch

Photo of oceanic light show courtesy Ed Clifton. Point Lobos Magazine 15 schedule. sunny day in January? A woman was sitting on a Jan. 30: Jacolyn Harmer bench but looking disin- Just as they were about to terested in the beautiful leave the Reserve this afternoon, surroundings. Ah – a I dragged a young Indian man challenge for the volunteer! and his parents out of their car I engaged her in conversa- again, blinking into the sunlight. tion and found out that The parents had just arrived from she was a first-time visitor Gujarat yesterday to stay with from New Jersey and had Otter and frisbee courtesy Anthony Steward. their son in San Francisco. But I never seen whales. Her sunny day went on, and a laugh couldn’t let them leave without interest in the subject seemed to and a smile will remain with me seeing whales and filling their be increasing after being shown for a long time. I love volunteer- lungs with sweet Pacific air. It images of what the “blows” look ing! took a while for the lazy group like and the curve of the back and of whales I had spotted to swim shape of the tail before the whale January 31: Marty Renault south and spout in front of us. slips under the sea. However, Everyone knows sea otters The young man’s mother stood when I added the facts about the are playful, but when a couple of shading her eyes, with her sari long six-month migration to Baja visitors came into the cabin today flapping in the warm breeze, smil- to give birth, and the return all the claiming they had seen an otter ing. way up the coast to Alaska, she in Bluefish Cove playing with stared into my eyes and shouted, a Frisbee, I thought they were Jan. 30: Mary Beach “Nebraska? Nebraska? How are kidding. Sensing my skepticism, Volunteering brings surprises. they gonna get to Nebraska?” I they whipped out their digital How can a volunteer contain should have said, “don’t ask-ka”, camera and proudly displayed the the excitement of seeing whales but I quietly said “Alaska.” Her captured image. Convinced and migrating south on a crisp and friend returned from the restroom, delighted, I urged them to send us and off they went. The beautiful the photo.

Point Lobos Association NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT Route 1, Box 62 NO. 35 Carmel, CA 93923 CARMEL CALIFORNIA 831-625-1470

Spring * 2009, Volume 32 * Number 1