getaway

we made a quick escape last week, first spending the day east from here in the carrizo plain, and then heading west, back to moonstone beach for a few days in cambria, on california's central coast...

no time for camping this trip, but even a day in the carrizo is a treat. this is a place where quiet pervades and time stands still...

we watched this wild burro, they look so sweet and mild mannered. knowing better i'm choosing to opt out of an upcoming trip next week, which includes riding on one into the wild for a few days...they make me nervous!

our eyes played tricks on us, first this mirage, and then!...

something we've been looking for here for years!! can you see what it is?

it's the san joaquin kit fox!!  a pair!!

we are a looong way off. i am shooting with a 300mm telephoto lens, and the foxes are still a looong way off. no sooner had we turned off the truck and sloooowly stepped out, one of the foxes leapt in three quick jumps and down his den he went.

the other stayed and sat, watching us...

which led to this

crawling, slowly...

so slooowly...

quietly edging

closer...

(i am holding my breath. and thinking that's got to hurt his elbows.)

but i know him, and he is not thinking about that...

he is thrilled...

to fiiiinallllyyyyy get to see the san joaquin kit fox, to be this...

close!!

 beautiful! fantastic!

:)  yes you are!

thank you little fox, what an honor to meet you!

the san joaquin kit fox is one of the smallest of the north american foxes, adult males weigh about five pounds and are approximately 20 inches long. their numbers have steadily declined as their habitat shrinks. they are listed as endangered on the federal list and as threatened on the state list.

we hiked to an abandoned farm house. and dreamed about what it must have been like for the early pioneers who settled here.

we searched around the ancient cottonwoods, finding nests, owl pellets and one large feather!

we're at the coast now, hiking through scrub

to get here

 harmony headlands state park

 we found a snake

and of course chuck had to touch it. a good hike.


i've shared many times before, but a trip up the coast has to include a visit to the piedras blancas rookery. located on highway 1 seven miles north of san simeon on the california central coast. this rookery is home to about 17,000 animals...

can you guess what it is?

it's The Northern Elephant Seal, Mirounga angustirostris! 

hee hee! 

they are so funny and fascinating to watch. they make various (LOUD) noises, 

but even asleep they command attention, they are HUGE!

chuck is actually very far from them in this photo, but to give an idea of their size : Females grow to 9-12 feet and weigh between 900-1800 pounds.  Males grow to 14-16 feet long and weigh in at 3000-5000 pounds, or more.

hee hee :)

it is the birthing breeding season. in this photo there are four newborn pups, i lost count trying to keep track of all the 'weaners'

safely perched above, we had a perfect spot to view

 nursing babies

majestic ocean

 a happy mummy

and baby  :)

we stayed until the sun began to set

goodbye ellie seal

and then began the long hike back

time for a welcome hot shower at the inn and then a romantic dinner in town...

next day, on the way home, we happened upon

the morrow bay winter bird festival

we'd planned a quiet visit to morrow bay's estuary

but that would have to happen another time  :)

thank you for coming along! it is always a pleasure to share, i hope it hasn't been too much! i'll be back soon with photos we took up north of my newest knit, this post is looong enough. have a wonderful week ahead!