Fourth of July, Morning

Smoke billows high over the road and up into the trees.  The scent of charcoal burning, followed closely by the ocean, of seaweed, hits me as I cross the road into the park.  Golden Gardens, Fourth of July.  People setting up and staking out land for potlucks and bbq's, family and work gatherings.  I change my mind about heading toward the water first, and turn to go check out the pond at the end of the parking lot.  It's higher, a few ducks, evidence of beavers, no turtles yet.

Head toward the beach: the tide is out, way out.  There's more beach than I've ever seen, and it looks possible to get to Carkeek Park and back, so I start walking that way.  A woman stops me and asks if I'll photograph her in front of a big rock, she says her mother likes the rock.  I mention something about walking north, she convinces me to go for it, says I might have to wade on the way back (I do, long stretch near North Beach where the incoming tide is above my knees for close to 100 feet.)  She says it's the lowest tide of the weekend (-2.9), around 11:30 am, I think I have time.

I've always wanted to walk there, but never hit the tides right.  By some fortuitous timing, due to stopping to get coffee and a bagel (Fiore, one of my favorite coffee shops), I hit it right today.  Was actually just going to sit somewhere and write, hadn't been paying attention to the tides.  Didn't get any writing done.  Walked 2/3 of the way back barefoot, easier going, lots of sand and didn't have to worry about my shoes getting wet, and it was faster walking on the sand.  (Heading north, the area close to Carkeek was actually harder to cross with shoes, lots of water flowing down to the beach.)  I just looked it up, about 4 miles roundtrip.

Pictures:

Big Rock, July 4/L Herlevi 2016

Going Out, July 4/L Herlevi 2016

Scallop Shell, July 4/L Herlevi 2016