Elkhorn Slough
Solitary surfer at Moss Landing State Beach
It was just after 8 a.m. when we hit Highway 1 heading south from Santa Cruz. We were later than normal but it made a change for me because I saw more of the scenery coming over the Santa Cruz Mountains.
This section of Highway 1 is not so pretty as driving north from Santa Cruz and there are certainly more cars on the road. You don’t catch sight of the ocean until just before the junction with Buena Vista Drive and then it is only a far off glimpse. There are several interesting places to visit along the way, Capitola and the cement ship at Rio del Mar being two of them.
(Click on the images for larger versions)
Around Watsonville – the strawberry capital of the world – the landscape is flatter. At the moment there is field after field of young strawberry plants just poking their heads out of plastic sheeting.
South of Watsonville there is a major blot on the landscape – the Moss Landing Power Plant. The two tall chimneys are the first sign of the monstrosity that soon dominates the scenery. These two chimneys are visible a long way out to sea as I can testify from the couple of whale sighting trips I took from Monterey.
We stopped off at Moss Landing State Beach just because we have never been there before. The parking for it is mostly on the road and the vehicles we saw were obviously owned by surfers as license plates, stickers and spare surfboards both inside and on roof tops proclaimed. To get to the beach, there is a sandy rise over the dunes before the ocean came into sight. The day was chilly but not cold and the only people we saw were the black blobs on surf boards. The beach is spectacularly uninteresting with bird feathers, bits of dried seaweed and the odd seagull or two to detract from the view of the long sandy beach. It is obviously a favorite haunt of surfers though. We stood and watched the surfers for a bit but there was not a lot of action. I overheard one surfer say that it conditions should improve later on.
Back in the car we took another small detour into Moss Landing itself. We drove past marinas and boat supply outlets before driving through the main street. There was nothing there to tempt us to get out and investigate.
To get to Elkhorn Slough we turned off Highway 1 onto Dolan Road, driving past the power plant. After four miles we
A lonely Lesser Yellowlegs (we think)
turned left on Elkhorn Road. The entrance to Elkhorn Slough is a drive of another four miles or so. We almost passed the entrance but spotted it just in time. It is open Wednesdays to Sundays, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m but is closed the first and third Fridays of each month. There is a day use charge of $2.50 per person.
There were just a few cars in the car park. First stop Visitors Center, where we paid the entrance fee. When I signed the guest log, I noticed that we were the first visitors who had signed in for two days. It is a really nice, informative Visitors Center where they also loan out binoculars. The lady, who we paid the entrance fee to, told us about the docent led early morning bird walking tour on the first Saturday of each month. We asked and were given a trail map which we found extremely helpful. Before you go onto the trail, you have to brush your boots and step into a tray containing disinfectant. They’re trying to protect the Oak trees from a spreading fungus.
We decided to take the South Marsh Loop, taking a detour along the way to Hummingbird Island. The first part of the trail was paved and suitable for wheelchairs. Just after the overlook, the trail descends and becomes rougher. It was an interesting walk, skirting the southern end of South Marsh, though very little seemed to be going on. There were a few birds around, more heard than seen and, apart from a few early wildflowers, there was not much color. The eucalyptus trees were sporting their fluffy white flowers and strange looking seed pods or ‘gumnuts’.
Margaret just off Hummingbird Island
The detour to Hummingbird Island took us over the railroad tracks. We were told to be cautious of trains but everything was clear. Later we did see a train go by so the warning was necessary. The trail took us up a short flight of wooden steps and then we came to a strange sight – a wire cage round a tree stump. We couldn’t work out whether the cage served a useful purpose or if it was an art form and we still don’t know the answer. Up on a slight rise was an unusual water feature. It looked like a small, arched bridge made out of lumps of black lava and oyster shells. The small pond in front contained some straggly pond plants. I couldn’t see any fishes in it, even though I tried very hard. We wandered along a small spit of land with water on either side, trying very hard not to disturb an egret waiting patiently for his lunch. We also saw in the distance another couple walking around the island.
Having completely exhausted the sights on Hummingbird Island, we made our way back across the tracks and continued around the top of South Marsh. Along the way, there was an old barn with a sign over the doorway which proclaimed it to be Elkhorn Farm. Back, I think, in the 1920′s, the marsh was drained and dikes built to provide pasture for the Elkhorn Farm dairy. Then in 1983, when the dairy no longer existed, the dikes were removed and the marsh became tidal again. Now, 20 years later, the barn is the only remaining building of the dairy. It is a large barn with open sides. There are signs outside asking visitors to be quiet so as not to disturb nesting birds. Inside, high up, were two wooden boxes where barn owls raise their young, though at this time of the year there was no activity. There were a few hay bales in the middle of the barn, so we sat a while and soaked in the quietness and solitude of the surroundings. The view through the open sided side was extensive, the only unwelcome sight of course, being the power plant to the west.
Soon we were back at the Visitors Center and time to drive back home. This time we took the scenic route, turning left out of Elkhorn Slough and heading north towards Watsonville along Elkhorn Road. Driving through Pajero brought back memories of the Strawberry Fields Forever charity bike ride we took part in last year. We have signed up again this year but unfortunately we may not be doing it as I have booked a trip to England without checking my calendar. Silly me!! From Watsonville we made our way to Highway 1 north and home.
March 02 2009 09:41 pm | Special Places
