NOTE: Best to view blog on computer, however, to view full blog on phone scroll to bottom of the blog and click on “View Web Version”. You can click on the Google Maps tab at the top and click on Year 5, Year 4, Year 3, Year 2 or Year 1 to see where we have been. You can click on the markers on the map to view the RV Parks we stayed at.
California - Chapter 2 - Moss Landing
This is our 6-month journey through California from September 2015 through March 2016 broken up into four chapters. This is Chapter 2 including Monterey, Big Sur, Pebble Beach, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Hearst Castle, and Santa Cruz.
We explored the tiny town of Moss Landing with its antique stores, art studios, galleries and shops in buildings that are themselves rich with character. And we had lunch at The Fish Market and Eatery.
One night, we walked to the beach to see the sunset.
On our way back, we passed the local cemetery which was backlit by the beautiful purple night sky. We then stopped at the local Moss Landing Café for a delicious dinner. Mike enjoyed Osso Buco and Sharon had fresh scallops.
Another night we had dinner at The Whole Enchilada while we listened to some local musicians.
Monterey
Monterey Bay Aquarium
This painting portrays Steinbeck's fictional Cannery Row, not the real one of exhausting cannery work. Look for the Hovden Cannery truck -- it's parked by what's now the aquarium entrance.
On the first floor were penguins, touch pools, kelp forest, sea otters, vanishing wildlife and tentacles exhibits. There were a lot of feeding programs too. The auditorium featured many 15-minute programs on whales, sharks, sea otters and the deep sea.
On the second floor were puffins, the open sea, and jellies exhibits.
We ate lunch at the aquarium restaurant with a view of the Pacific Ocean and a viewing platform.
Cannery Row
Even before there was a Cannery Row, people lived and worked in this place, making a living by fishing Monterey Bay. Almost five thousand years ago, this peaceful community harvested abalone along the coastline and fished for sardines, anchovies and rockfishes in the bay, using small boats made of tule (a long reed that grows throughout the Monterey Peninsula).
Kayaking in Elkhorn Slough
On our way back there was a rough current going under the bridge. Sharon didn’t think she was going to make it, so she paddled like hell across the choppy waters!
The butterflies cluster on pine and eucalyptus trees, resting quietly until the sun warms them enough to fly. You need to look closely to see the clusters! The butterflies are camouflaged in the colorful fall leaves, until you see them come alive! It was amazing! The Monarchs that migrate to Pacific Grove have never been here before. In fact, several generations of Monarchs have lived and died since last year’s butterflies were here.
Point Pinos Lighthouse in Pacific Grove
The lens is a fixed third order Fresnel lens manufactured in Paris, France in 1853. Some of the prisms were replaced after the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906. The first light source was a large whale oil lantern set inside the lens, whose tank the keeper had to fill several times a night by climbing the tower. Whale oil was very expensive and was soon replaced by liquified lard oil which gave way to kerosene in 1880. The present light source, located 89 feet above sea level, is a 1,000-watt bulb, which is amplified by the lens to produce a 50,000 candlepower beam visible up to 17 miles under favorable conditions.
We stopped for our brown bag lunch on a bench to relax and enjoy the view.
Carmel Mission in Carmel-By-The-Sea
We also explored the gardens and museum.
Our tour came to an end early as a wedding was about to take place. Before we left, Sharon was able to capture some parting shots!
Natural Bridges State Beach
Natural Bridges is home to one of the largest monarch butterfly over-wintering sites in California. The clusters of butterflies resemble clumps of dead leaves. When the air temperature rises above 55 degrees, the butterflies burst from their clusters, floating through the trees and into the surrounding area in search of nectar and dew. Monarch lifespans vary from two weeks to nine months. The last generation of Natural Bridges butterflies live as long as nine months and begin the cycle once more.
Santa Cruz Wharf, Boardwalk and West Cliff Scenic Drive
We took a drive around Santa Cruz and strolled downtown.
Surfing Museum
In July of 1885 three Hawaiian princes had surfboards shaped from local redwoods and paddled out in Santa Cruz. They were the first to surf anywhere in North America, and the rest, as they say, is history. We were not up for bashing the lip or hanging ten like the many surfers we saw were doing. Sharon got some great photos!
Whale Watching in Monterey
We ventured out to sea in the fog on the Sea Wolf II, a 70’ twin diesel that is fully Coast Guard inspected. Mike took his binoculars and Sharon never leaves home without her camera! It was a foggy morning!
Our four-hour trip was led by a group of Marine Biologists and Marine Naturalists. We were hoping to see Humpback and Blue Whales and maybe a Killer Whale. The Humpback Whales are the most curious and playful of all the whales. They may breach, lunge, feed, or spyhop. Blue Whales are the largest animals on earth, reaching lengths of over 90’ and 200 tons. They are both known to be in this area this time of year. Killer whales can be sighted year-round but are unpredictable in occurrence.
17-Mile Drive to Pebble Beach
Before the automobile had become a way of life, horse-drawn carriages explored 17-Mile Drive starting from the famous Hotel Del Monte, now the site of the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey. It was 1881 and early excursions through Del Monte Forest marked the beginning of visitors to this legendary location.
Pebble Beach made U.S. Open history in 1972 when it became the first championship played on a course that is open to the public. The game of golf is at its worldwide best at Pebble Beach Golf Links within Del Monte Forest. With its classic seaside holes, breathtaking beauty and famous heritage, Pebble Beach has hosted five U.S. Open Championships, with a sixth played from June 13-16, 2019. Gary Woodland took home the trophy and won the 119th U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.
Hearst Castle
We took the 45-minute Grand Rooms Tour for a broad overview of the many faces of Hearst Castle. Five miles inland and 1,600 feet above San Simeon Bay, the 127 acres provide a dramatic setting for the magnificent 137-foot-high Mediterranean Revival Mansion. In 1919, the newspaper publisher hired San Francisco architect Julia Morgan to build a hilltop house on what Hearst called his “ranch at San Simeon,” formerly known as “La Cuesta Encantada” (The Enchanted Hill). Their collaboration on the project lasted from 1919 to 1947.
The rest of the tour was self-guided.
We enjoyed the scenic drive home along Big Sur where cliffs, rocks, redwoods, and effervescent surf created an epic backdrop. Our last time to see the seals!
Our last stop was dinner at The Gorda Springs Whale Watcher Café.
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
Our first stop was a hike on the McWay Waterfall Trail in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. The overlook provided great coastal views. But the big draw was the 80-falls seen from the trail as McWay Creek cascaded onto the sandy shore below.
For years the waterfall poured directly into the ocean until a massive fire, landslide and highway reconstruction project near the area in 1983-84 filled the cove with enough material to form a sandy beach several dozen feet out.
Up the hill were the ruins of the old “Waterfall House” built by Lathrop and Helen Brown. The gorgeous house was intended to be preserved as a museum but was instead torn down by the state in 1965 after a fruitless struggle to save it.
The falls, creek and canyon are named after Christopher McWay, an early settler and farmer from New York state who arrived in the area with his son Christoper Jr. around 1874. On the western slope of the Santa Lucia Mountains, the peaks of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park tower high above the Big Sur River Gorge. This is a place where the land, the sea, and forests of giant redwoods adjoin in a rugged landscape jigsaw puzzle.
The park itself is named after Julia Pfeiffer Burns (1868-1928), a local and legendary early pioneer and resident who impressed Helen Brown and had run a ranch in McWay canyon with her husband, John B. Burns. We enjoyed hiking on several trails in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park.
We were just in time to take a guided tour of the “Monterey Walking Path of History” stepping into the past to view the site where Spanish explorers first landed in Monterey in 1602. Twelve buildings, including the Custom House, the oldest government building in California, and several residences (now house museums with guided tours), are all part of Monterey’s 55 Path of History sites.
We saw one of the nation’s last remaining whalebone sidewalks and walked the same streets that famed author Robert Louis Stevenson walked in 1879. On this two-mile path we discovered some of California’s most historic homes, buildings and beautiful gardens.
Monterey served as California's capital under Spanish, Mexican and U.S. military rule. The U.S. flag was first officially raised in California here on July 7, 1846, bringing 600,000 square miles of land to the United States.
The Museum of Monterey opened almost a century ago as a collection of model ships and maritime artifacts collected by one-time sailor Allen Knight. Today's museum maintains a strong emphasis on maritime history and the town’s links with the ocean. There were so many interesting rooms to explore.
We learned about the Rumsien and Ohlone Native American tribes, who first settled this area, and the coming of the Spanish explorers and missionaries who would change life here forever. There’s an interesting and extensive collection of scale-model boats and ships and models of early Spanish and English merchant ships, as well as 20th-century U.S. naval vessels. There’s also a sardine fishing boat from when Monterey was considered the “sardine capital of the world.”
This concludes Chapter 2 of our first adventure through California. The journey continues in Chapters 3 and 4.
This is our 6-month journey through California from September 2015 through March 2016 broken up into four chapters. This is Chapter 2 including Monterey, Big Sur, Pebble Beach, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Hearst Castle, and Santa Cruz.
Moss Landing – October 12, 2015 through October 26, 2015
We stayed at Moss Landing KOA for two weeks. We were within walking distance to the beach.
On our way to the Moss Landing Harbor, Sharon spotted seals and a cute sea otter on its back posing in front of one of the boats moored in the Harbor.
Moss Landing sits at the mouth of Elkhorn Slough and was once a prominent whaling center. A narrow bridge connects Moss Landing’s main street with The Harbor District, which has welcomed a stream of working fishing boats and research vessels. At the Moss Landing State Beach, we watched otters and surfers.
Moss Landing sits at the mouth of Elkhorn Slough and was once a prominent whaling center. A narrow bridge connects Moss Landing’s main street with The Harbor District, which has welcomed a stream of working fishing boats and research vessels. At the Moss Landing State Beach, we watched otters and surfers.
We explored the tiny town of Moss Landing with its antique stores, art studios, galleries and shops in buildings that are themselves rich with character. And we had lunch at The Fish Market and Eatery.
Another night we had dinner at The Whole Enchilada while we listened to some local musicians.
Monterey
The first adventure from Moss Landing was a drive along California’s Pacific Coast Highway. Many scenic spots can be found along the rugged coast on our way to the town of Monterey. Today we were headed to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row and Fisherman’s Wharf.
Monterey Bay Aquarium
This was an amazing Aquarium. It is located on the site of one of the first cannery’s in town. It's like stepping back in time when you enter the Aquarium and see the history of Cannery Row.
This painting portrays Steinbeck's fictional Cannery Row, not the real one of exhausting cannery work. Look for the Hovden Cannery truck -- it's parked by what's now the aquarium entrance.
On the first floor were penguins, touch pools, kelp forest, sea otters, vanishing wildlife and tentacles exhibits. There were a lot of feeding programs too. The auditorium featured many 15-minute programs on whales, sharks, sea otters and the deep sea.
We ate lunch at the aquarium restaurant with a view of the Pacific Ocean and a viewing platform.
Cannery Row
After the aquarium, we took a walk back in time along the historic Cannery Row. It was an anonymous writer for the local Monterey paper who, in 1919, first coined the term “Cannery Row” when referencing what was then called Ocean View Boulevard for a story about Monterey’s sardine industry. John Steinbeck’s old stomping grounds on Cannery Row now boast historic tours, quirky souvenir shops, and a namesake brewing company.
Even before there was a Cannery Row, people lived and worked in this place, making a living by fishing Monterey Bay. Almost five thousand years ago, this peaceful community harvested abalone along the coastline and fished for sardines, anchovies and rockfishes in the bay, using small boats made of tule (a long reed that grows throughout the Monterey Peninsula).
The first real cannery, The Pacific Mutual Fish Company, was owned and operated by Otosaburo Noda, a Japanese businessman. By 1896, he had developed Monterey’s first Japanese colony right on the row. Soon other canners followed, and the street bustled with workers who had roots from all over the world. Eventually, these workers were responsible for making Monterey the “Sardine Capital of the World.”
Fisherman’s Wharf
After Cannery Row, we wandered over to Fisherman’s Wharf. It was fun to people watch, shop and eat at the Wharf Marketplace. It was a great ending to our day in Monterey.
Kayaking in Elkhorn Slough
Once the site of Monterey salt-works, Elkhorn Slough – a National Estuarine Research Reserve – attracts nature lovers and researchers alike. Otters, harbor seals, sea lions, over 300 species of birds and protected native plants thrive on the reserve’s 1,400 acres. We launched our kayaks in Moss Landing and paddled under the bridge and spent the day exploring the slough and photographing the birds, harbor seals and otters.
Monarch Habitat Sanctuary in Pacific Grove
On another day, we drove the Pacific Coast Highway. Our first stop was in Pacific Grove, the town that welcomes the annual migration of monarch butterflies, earning it the nickname “Butterfly Town, U.S.A.” Thousands of butterfly colonies migrate from cooling winter climates to sties where temperatures better suit them. We saw this phenomenon at the Monarch Habitat Sanctuary. Lucky for us the sanctuary shelters the monarch butterflies from mid-October to mid-February.
The butterflies cluster on pine and eucalyptus trees, resting quietly until the sun warms them enough to fly. You need to look closely to see the clusters! The butterflies are camouflaged in the colorful fall leaves, until you see them come alive! It was amazing! The Monarchs that migrate to Pacific Grove have never been here before. In fact, several generations of Monarchs have lived and died since last year’s butterflies were here.
Point Pinos Lighthouse in Pacific Grove
After the butterflies, we toured the Point Pinos Lighthouse in Pacific Grove. It is the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the West Coast. Since February 1, 1855, its beacon has flashed nightly as a guide and warning to shipping off the rocky California coast. Point Pinos was named by the Spanish explorer Sabastian Vizcaino in 1602 during an exploration of the California coastline for the County of Monterey, the acting Viceroy of New Spain (Mexico).
The lens is a fixed third order Fresnel lens manufactured in Paris, France in 1853. Some of the prisms were replaced after the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906. The first light source was a large whale oil lantern set inside the lens, whose tank the keeper had to fill several times a night by climbing the tower. Whale oil was very expensive and was soon replaced by liquified lard oil which gave way to kerosene in 1880. The present light source, located 89 feet above sea level, is a 1,000-watt bulb, which is amplified by the lens to produce a 50,000 candlepower beam visible up to 17 miles under favorable conditions.
We stopped for our brown bag lunch on a bench to relax and enjoy the view.
Carmel Mission in Carmel-By-The-Sea
As we continued our drive on the Pacific Coast Highway, we came upon quaint Carmel-By-The-Sea, founded in 1902. It is here that we stopped to tour the Carmel Mission founded June 3, 1770. The Carmel Mission stands today as a monument to the great “Missionary of the Cross” who left his home and the comforts of a conventional life to come to the Western wilderness to preach the Gospel of Christ and to teach California’s Native Americans. This man was Padre Junipero Serra of the Order of Franciscan Friars.
By the year 1823 the native people population had dwindled to 381. Their lack of natural immunity to European diseases caused many illnesses and deaths. In 1834, the Mission was secularized, and the church was changed in status to a conventional parish. In 1987, Pope John Paul II visited the Carmel Mission as part of his tour of the United States. Today, the Mission and its historic church is one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in the United States for visitors from all over the world.
Our tour came to an end early as a wedding was about to take place. Before we left, Sharon was able to capture some parting shots!
Natural Bridges State Beach
Our next adventure was in Santa Cruz. The first stop was Natural Bridges State Beach. The beach is located between the edge of the ocean and the outer limits of the city of Santa Cruz. This popular 65-acre park is known for its wave-carved sea arch, beach, tide pools and the visiting monarch butterflies.
Santa Cruz Wharf, Boardwalk and West Cliff Scenic Drive
The small seaside town of Santa Cruz has become one of the top tourist destinations in the United States. Before the sixties, Santa Cruz was a small fishing town, a pleasant retirement community, a mecca for surfers itching to ride the giant winter waves at one of the world-class reef breaks found within the city limits, and home of the Boardwalk and the Giant Dipper roller coaster.
When it opened in 1914, the wharf in Santa Cruz originally catered to the shipping business with railroad tracks and warehouses. It stretches 2,701 feet into Monterey Bay, rising 22 feet above the mean high tide. It’s still the West Coast’s largest working wharf. Today, you can walk, bike or drive your car onto the Santa Cruz Wharf.
The Wharf is home to a number of shops, fish markets, and special events. It serves as a man-made reef sheltering mussels, California sea lions, harbor seals and playful sea otters. Migrating whales are known to cruise by the hang out for a week or so, and when the surf is up at Steamer Lane, there’s no better view in Santa Cruz than from a dining room table at one of the Wharf’s many excellent seafood restaurants.
When it opened in 1914, the wharf in Santa Cruz originally catered to the shipping business with railroad tracks and warehouses. It stretches 2,701 feet into Monterey Bay, rising 22 feet above the mean high tide. It’s still the West Coast’s largest working wharf. Today, you can walk, bike or drive your car onto the Santa Cruz Wharf.
The Wharf is home to a number of shops, fish markets, and special events. It serves as a man-made reef sheltering mussels, California sea lions, harbor seals and playful sea otters. Migrating whales are known to cruise by the hang out for a week or so, and when the surf is up at Steamer Lane, there’s no better view in Santa Cruz than from a dining room table at one of the Wharf’s many excellent seafood restaurants.
We took a drive around Santa Cruz and strolled downtown.
Surfing Museum
Santa Cruz has good reason to call itself the original “Surf City”. We went to the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum. We never knew there was so much history on surfing. There were many displays of photographs, surfboards and surfing memorabilia. It was very interesting.
 |
In July of 1885 three Hawaiian princes had surfboards shaped from local redwoods and paddled out in Santa Cruz. They were the first to surf anywhere in North America, and the rest, as they say, is history. We were not up for bashing the lip or hanging ten like the many surfers we saw were doing. Sharon got some great photos!
Whale Watching in Monterey
Our visit on the Pacific Coast would not be complete without a whale watching tour! We took a tour with the Monterey Bay Whale Watch Center out of Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey.
We ventured out to sea in the fog on the Sea Wolf II, a 70’ twin diesel that is fully Coast Guard inspected. Mike took his binoculars and Sharon never leaves home without her camera! It was a foggy morning!
Our four-hour trip was led by a group of Marine Biologists and Marine Naturalists. We were hoping to see Humpback and Blue Whales and maybe a Killer Whale. The Humpback Whales are the most curious and playful of all the whales. They may breach, lunge, feed, or spyhop. Blue Whales are the largest animals on earth, reaching lengths of over 90’ and 200 tons. They are both known to be in this area this time of year. Killer whales can be sighted year-round but are unpredictable in occurrence.
The sun came out on our trip back to shore.
At the Wharf we stopped for a shore lunch!
Today was not a great day for whale watching! We did see some dolphins and porpoise, and one Humpback whale. But you never know, so you take the chance and see what you can see! We still enjoyed the day on the water in anticipation of seeing whales! These are photos Sharon can only dream of capturing!!
17-Mile Drive to Pebble Beach
The last thing we did on this day was drive one of the most scenic drives in the world! We drove 17 miles through the majestic Del Monte Forest and along the dramatic Pacific Coast, taking in golf’s greatest landmarks. It was an awe-inspiring experience in Pebble Beach.
As we hugged the dramatic Pacific coastline there were pristine beaches, secluded coves, crashing waves and spectacular seascapes. We stopped at Point Joe, one of many lookouts along the drive.
As we hugged the dramatic Pacific coastline there were pristine beaches, secluded coves, crashing waves and spectacular seascapes. We stopped at Point Joe, one of many lookouts along the drive.
An iconic stop was at the Lone Cypress, over 250 years old.
Before the automobile had become a way of life, horse-drawn carriages explored 17-Mile Drive starting from the famous Hotel Del Monte, now the site of the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey. It was 1881 and early excursions through Del Monte Forest marked the beginning of visitors to this legendary location.
Pebble Beach made U.S. Open history in 1972 when it became the first championship played on a course that is open to the public. The game of golf is at its worldwide best at Pebble Beach Golf Links within Del Monte Forest. With its classic seaside holes, breathtaking beauty and famous heritage, Pebble Beach has hosted five U.S. Open Championships, with a sixth played from June 13-16, 2019. Gary Woodland took home the trophy and won the 119th U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.
Hearst Castle
We have heard so much about the Hearst Castle, so today was the day! High above the Pacific on a rocky knoll of the Santa Lucia Mountains, William Randolph Hearst created his palatial estate. This magnificent Mediterranean-style country house features guest houses, gardens, pools and terraces. It is one of the world’s greatest historic house museums located on California’s Pacific Coast Highway. Today, Hearst Castle is a California State Park, which, for more than 50 years, has shared the Castle’s story with millions of visitors.
We took the 45-minute Grand Rooms Tour for a broad overview of the many faces of Hearst Castle. Five miles inland and 1,600 feet above San Simeon Bay, the 127 acres provide a dramatic setting for the magnificent 137-foot-high Mediterranean Revival Mansion. In 1919, the newspaper publisher hired San Francisco architect Julia Morgan to build a hilltop house on what Hearst called his “ranch at San Simeon,” formerly known as “La Cuesta Encantada” (The Enchanted Hill). Their collaboration on the project lasted from 1919 to 1947.
The rest of the tour was self-guided.
We enjoyed the scenic drive home along Big Sur where cliffs, rocks, redwoods, and effervescent surf created an epic backdrop. Our last time to see the seals!
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
Today we enjoyed a drive to Big Sur, located along the scenic Pacific Coast Highway. Historically, the name Big Sur was derived from the unexplored and unmapped wilderness area which lies along the coast south of Monterey. It is simply called el país grande del sur, the Big South Country. Today, Big Sur refers to that 90-mile stretch of rugged and awesomely beautiful coastline between Carmel to the north and San Simeon to the south. We could see the historic lighthouse station, a landmark along the Big Sur Coast for over 100 years, the Point Sur Light Station is now a State Historic Park.
Our first stop was a hike on the McWay Waterfall Trail in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. The overlook provided great coastal views. But the big draw was the 80-falls seen from the trail as McWay Creek cascaded onto the sandy shore below.
For years the waterfall poured directly into the ocean until a massive fire, landslide and highway reconstruction project near the area in 1983-84 filled the cove with enough material to form a sandy beach several dozen feet out.
The falls, creek and canyon are named after Christopher McWay, an early settler and farmer from New York state who arrived in the area with his son Christoper Jr. around 1874. On the western slope of the Santa Lucia Mountains, the peaks of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park tower high above the Big Sur River Gorge. This is a place where the land, the sea, and forests of giant redwoods adjoin in a rugged landscape jigsaw puzzle.
The park itself is named after Julia Pfeiffer Burns (1868-1928), a local and legendary early pioneer and resident who impressed Helen Brown and had run a ranch in McWay canyon with her husband, John B. Burns. We enjoyed hiking on several trails in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park.
Monterey State Historic Park
On our last day we went back to Monterey to tour some museums. First, we walked through the Monterey State Historic Park that preserves and interprets places and objects of statewide historic significance.
Monterey served as California's capital under Spanish, Mexican and U.S. military rule. The U.S. flag was first officially raised in California here on July 7, 1846, bringing 600,000 square miles of land to the United States.
Monterey History & Maritime Museum
The Museum of Monterey - Stanton Center, also known as the Monterey History & Maritime Museum, tells the history of Monterey and the surrounding area through the lens of its connection to the sea.
The Museum of Monterey opened almost a century ago as a collection of model ships and maritime artifacts collected by one-time sailor Allen Knight. Today's museum maintains a strong emphasis on maritime history and the town’s links with the ocean. There were so many interesting rooms to explore.
We learned about the Rumsien and Ohlone Native American tribes, who first settled this area, and the coming of the Spanish explorers and missionaries who would change life here forever. There’s an interesting and extensive collection of scale-model boats and ships and models of early Spanish and English merchant ships, as well as 20th-century U.S. naval vessels. There’s also a sardine fishing boat from when Monterey was considered the “sardine capital of the world.”
Drop us an e-mail. We always enjoy hearing from you!
Mike & Sharon
“Between every two pines is a doorway to a new world.”
John Muir
