La Jolla and Low Tide

San Diego Metro KOA

Chula Vista, CA

January 15, 2022

Tide pooling is my favorite beach activity.  I've been sitting on "go" since we arrived just waiting for a negative low tide.  Finally last Friday, it was a -0.4 tide at 2:00 pm and we were out the door headed for La Jolla shortly after noon.  From the moment we park, my heart beats a little faster !  La Jolla is such a picturesque and camera fun place to visit.  

This time of year, the seals are in the Children's Pool.  They have the sweetest faces and even though they don't move around much, their playful antics are amusing.  

   

La Jolla and colorful flowers just go together.

And where there are colorful flowers, you might just see some busy critters.

I began exploring tide pools right here in San Diego in March 2013 at Point Loma.  Through the years I have been fortunate to see a variety of star fish, mussels, crabs, hermit crabs, and even a lobster.  I'm not disappointed in Friday's pooling, but was surprised at the lack of variety.  

There were lots of anemones, hermit crabs, mussels and the sea grasses were especially pretty, but that was about it.  

The anemone's mouth is in the center surrounded by tentacles that gather food.  This anemone was completely submerged.

I'm always fascinated by nature.  Frequently, an anemone will cover itself with bits of shells when it is out of the water.  The bits of debris reflect light to keep it cooler and reduce water loss. 

These tiny long-clawed hermit crabs were hard to capture with my phone.  I didn't have the underwater camera.  It was fun watching shells scooting in all directions. 

Joe was "in charge" of the camera while Carol and I were exploring. He got a few photos as well.

  

One thing I missed at La Jolla was the brown pelicans.  They are magnificent birds and I am on a mission to photograph them...that might just mean another trip to La Jolla.    Well, somebody has to do it, right? 

We are officially half way into our month here.  The change of scenery has been nice.  The weather has been a little cooler than we like, but tolerable and mostly sunny.  The long range forecast looks to be warmer with highs in the mid 70s...pretty close to perfect beach weather for us.  We are looking forward to a few more adventures before heading home.  

Until next time, 

HAPPY TRAILS !

Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve

San Diego Metro KOA

Chula Vista, CA

January 12, 2022

Torrey Pines SNR is located within the city limits of San Diego yet it remains "one of the wildest stretches of land on the Southern California coast".  

Thanks to the efforts of naturalist Guy Fleming (May 1884-May 1960) and all the dedicated people who followed his lead, we can enjoy these 2,000 acres of land just as they were before San Diego was developed.

This includes the maritime chaparral , the rare Torrey Pine, miles of unspoiled beaches, a lagoon, and a salt marsh.  When reading about the reserve, it says to keep in mind that a reserve is not a park. A reserve is a protected area targeted for conservation with an emphasis  on protecting threatened plants, animals, habitats or a specific geological feature.  Reserves have restrictions that parks do not have. Examples include no food or drink allowed except water, no pets and no smoking.   

TPSNR includes eight miles of trails offering a variety of distances and a Visitor Center commissioned in 1922.  An entrance fee per car is collected at the gate and hours are from 8:00 am to sunset. 

We have hiked in the reserve several times over the years.  It is amazingly beautiful and peaceful and there is something quite magical about meandering among the rarest of all pines in the United States.  The rare Torrey Pines are only found at this reserve and on Santa Rosa Island and are listed as endangered.  It all began in the 1980s with a combination of drought and a bark beetle infestation.  Over 650 Torrey Pines have died as a result.  Efforts began, and are still ongoing, to trap the beetles. Because Torrey Pines is a Reserve, the policy is to let nature take its course.  

This grove of Torrey Pines on the northwest side of the Guy Flemming Trail is gone.  When we first visited the reserve in February 2015, there was a nice grove here on both sides of the trail .  The blue tubes are seedling Torrey Pines that have been transplanted from other sections of the reserve.    

I found it interesting that it takes around 3 years for a pine cone on these magnificent trees to mature and produce seeds. 

 

It's also interesting to note that many animals eat the pine nuts and even the seedling trees and very few seedling trees grow to maturity.  

Many older cones remain on the tree, but if you do see one on the ground...it is illegal to remove it from the reserve.

I could go on and on...nature is so amazing and fascinating !

It's not hard to find other things to photograph when walking these trails.  There are flowers...

Agave

  

California Poppy

Milkmaid

Verbena

Sea Dahlia

And one of my favorites...Prickly pear Cactus

We all spent awhile at one of the overlooks watching the dolphins play... 

This photo was taken from an overlook way up on a cliff.  I was so wishing I had my big lens on the camera.  

the fog roll in... 

listening to the  pounding waves...

and hoping to see a pair of Peregrine Falcons that the docent said were nesting in the cliff wall.

I'll close by adding that if you are in San Diego, we think Torrey Pines is a must see.  And as with most posts, a few more photos !

Growing on a cliff face...

  

California Towhee

Something old, something new...

Looking towards LaJolla

Until next time,

HAPPY TRAILS!