Capitola
This is our first trip out since my return from the UK. It’s great to be out at the ocean again.
On the wharf looking back at Capitola
We’ve been to Capitola many times but this time we took the 41st exit from Highway 1 and passed a lot of shops that we didn’t realize were there.
(Click on the images for larger versions)
The road lead straight to the cliffs at the western end of Capitola. We parked in a small car park, along with lots of surfers, and walked to the cliff edge. From a distance, the tide appeared to be way out because I thought I was looking at seaweed on the beach but it turned out to be a kelp bed.
There was a flight of wooden steps leading down to the beach. One sign informed us that this was Live Oak Beach, another warned of unstable cliffs and a third set out the ‘Surf Etiquette’. We stood and gazed down onto a wonderful view. In the far distance, to the left, were sailing ships with their sails down and with a haze of fog behind them. Several surfers were in the water but some way away we could see surfers standing motionless on their surf boards. Then one started to move and we could see he had a long paddle. I’ve never seen surfers paddling on surfboards before. There was plenty of wildlife around as well. Brown pelicans skimmed the surface of the ocean and further out a couple of dolphins were cavorting in the kelp.
Live Oak Beach in Capitola
We descended the stairs to the beach and walked along the sand. It was a lovely day. OK, there was some fog but it was out to sea and the sun was trying the shine through. The rocks on the beach were rounded and smooth and many of them were covered in green algae. The beach is obviously covered at high tide as the algae was glued to the rocks in a wavy pattern. Little rock pools were hidden in the crevices but I saw no sea creatures in them.
This is a popular spot for dog walkers and, as I sat on the rocks, I watched several dogs gamboling about in the water and passed the time of day with their owners.
What a very pleasant start to the day. Hunger pangs were being felt so it was time to walk back along the beach and climb those steep wooden steps.
We drove into Capitola along Opal Cliff Drive, passing some very nice houses, which must have marvelous views out over Monterey Bay, and parked at a meter in Monterey Avenue. There must be something going on because near the bridge were loudspeakers and a music deck. A banner was being fixed to the bridge. Our first port of call was to the wharf where we planned to have breakfast at the Wharf House Restaurant.
The wharf itself was bustling. Down on the beach, to the right, a miniature golf course had been laid out in the sand and people were busy playing and laughing as the golf balls rolled into the sea.
After breakfast we spent some time on the wharf. There was much to look at. Fishermen and women were busy casting their rods and most of them were successful. I saw one man reel in two fishes on one rod. As he positioned the rod against a bench, one of the fish dislodged itself from the hook and flapped around on the wooden floor of the pier. Somehow it managed to wriggle to a gap between the planks and it disappeared into the water below – definitely the one that got away. I spoke to one man who was there with his two children. In a bucket he had five fish swimming around at the bottom. I asked what sort of fish they were and he didn’t know. He said they were just bait for a fishing trip out on a boat in the afternoon. The pelicans were busy fishing as well. It was fascinating to see them flying around and then to suddenly put their heads down and go into a steep dive into the water.
From the wharf, kayaks and fishing boats can be rented. I watched a group of fishermen approach the deck below. They had forgotten their rods and
Pelican soaring just above the waves
bait but had a difficult time getting their boat into the jetty. It took the about 10 minutes to maneuver themselves into the side and retrieve their gear.
Looking back towards the town of Capitola I could see the brightly painted condominiums at the edge of the sand. They have always fascinated me as they look Italian and so cheerful.
We wandered past Venetian Court and I stopped to check out what the banner said. Apparently there is a Begonia Festival today. So that explains the pop music coming out of the loudspeakers. The Beatles “When I’m 64″ was playing and it felt so natural to sing along. Back over the bridge we noticed there was a lot of activity going on along the banks of Soquel Creek so we went to have a look. We sauntered down a footpath between cute vacation houses – including one that looked like a windmill – and small, fenced gardens on the waterside. There was a hive of activity in a lot of these gardens as groups of people were busy constructing floats covered in Begonias. Ah, we thought, this must be to do with the festival. We read a notice which proclaimed that there would be a procession of floats along the creek this afternoon. There was a roped off garden with a row of chairs along the bank and a handwritten note on the back of one of the chairs indicating that this area was for the judges. There were some very colorful and imaginative designs including a car, a boat and some sort of animal.
It would have been fun to stay and watch the festival but Capitola was filling up and our parking was about to run out. Time to go home and Capitola has once again entertained and captivated us.
September 15 2009 | Special Places | No Comments »
