A July 4th Walk at Point Lobos SNR, California
* LADY DIVER Lady diverIs diving under the seaAnd is discovering the sea worldLady diverKnows that there is a lot to seeUnder the sea --Aldo Kraas (http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/lady-diver/) It was a spur of the moment decision that turned out to be very rewarding. We were en route to Big Sur to hike along the coast on July 4th when a friend suggested hiking at Point Lobos instead. Point Lobos, about 3 miles south of Carmel on Highway 1, is one of the crown jewels of the California State Park System. It was typical coastal weather on July 4th when we arrived at 11:00 AM. Overcast sky, temperature in the 60's. That didn't deter many other visitors from enjoying the park and the trails. There were many scuba divers, donning their gear to explore the undersea world. Wild flowers were in abundance We did the perimeter trail, stopping at various points to admire the view and take pictures. Took us Just over 4 hours, including a break for lunch. Picnics are permitted only at a few designated areas. The perimeter trail also offers views of the Monastery of Carmelite Sisters. Despite driving past the location numerous times, the monastery had never caught my attention. We made a slight detour to visit the Carmel Mission before heading home. A great day and, to top it off, traffic was surprisingly light on the 80-mile drive back to Santa Clara Valley. A few pictures taken on July 4, 2012 with a Canon Powershot S3IS. At the foot of the perimeter trail © Musafir Indian Paintbrush © Musafir A view of the shoreline at Point Lobos © Musafir A Monterey Cypress © Musafir Distant view of Carmelite Monastery © Musafir Wild flowers, I © Musafir Wild flowers, II © Musafir Morning Glory © Musafir A gathering of Cormorants © Musafir A Mule Deer © Musafir One of the coves viewed from the Perimeter Trail © Musafir Carmel Mission © Musafir A Mission Bell on the street opposite the Carmel Mission © Musafir