Montana de Oro By the Sea!

Thursday, February 28, 2013

After posting on the blog, we quickly unhooked and got out of Morro Dunes RV Park ten minutes after the 11:30 am check-out! No one came after us to charge us for another day, so I guess that was okay! We drove 12 miles south along the coast and checked in at Montana de Oro State Park. No hookups here, but we can get water and have pit toilets, and “ah-h-h-h!”, another beach to explore! Also, it is costing us less. Still not many amenities for $25, but cheaper than we thought for a CA state park.

We are camped in a beautiful spot with grass and trees. There is a stream valley below us that flows into the ocean. We can't see the ocean from our site, but we can hear the waves. Only a few other campers are here, but we seem to be the turn around for the day use area, and the birders park in camping sites. Also, the kids on field trips are picnicking in the campground and using our toilets. Oh, well... at least people are appreciating this lovely park.

After arriving yesterday we hiked the bluff trail along the sea. One path took us down to a cove to explore the tidal pools. We saw more sea anemones, hermit crabs, snails and limpets. We also saw black oyster catchers. They were camouflaged in the tidal pools and were only noticeable when they turned their heads and we could see the long slim red beaks that allowed them to reach in the crevices and pull out sea creatures to eat.

Check the photos for the unusual geology of this part of the coast. Greg's quote, “The bedrock is thin bedded, but hard siltstone that has been folded and tilted, so that it erodes into unusual shapes under the impact of the waves.” I just thought it was beautiful and unique!

We had a quiet evening with dinner by lamplight and dug out a few more episodes of Battlestar Gallactica to watch since we had no reception.

This morning Greg got up and decided he needed a hike, so he left for several hours and hiked up into the hills behind the campground. I took the time to look at the maps and check travel guides to determine our route back East after we leave our friend's home. When he returned we had lunch outside (finally warm enough!) and set off up the stream valley behind the campground. It wasn't long before we caught up with the girls and their naturalist guide who had just had lunch across the road in the campground. They politely let us pass. A few of the girls seemed relieved for a chance to rest.

We checked out the creek and decided to hike up higher and eventually came to the top of the hills overlooking the ocean and then looked down on our campground. We sat for a while soaking in the sea breeze and the beauty before we started down. The wildflowers are just starting to bloom and should be beautiful in another week. It is going to be hard to leave the coast! We traveled all over Florida in December trying to get near the beach, and because of the “snowbirds” booking up all the state parks, we couldn't get near the beach. We finally managed to get to Destin, Florida after New Year's, and camped close to the beach, but then we had mostly cold and rain. California is having a dry winter and an early spring. Not good for crops or the water supply, but perfect weather for us to enjoy the coast!

We are now sitting at our picnic table. I am writing, while Greg is sharpening my cooking knives. The brown-gray birds we think are finches, that have been hopping about close by are letting us share their site. We have seen and heard two hawks, possibly kestrels, that must have a nest in the campground. The California quails have hit their mating season, and we keep hearing their “hooting”. A large cedar tree overshadows us, and sometimes we catch a whiff of eucalyptus from the many trees nearby. We can hear the waves breaking on the shore. Soon we will walk down and watch the sun set. Tomorrow we leave for Santa Paula and a reunion with California friends that we rarely get to see. We are loving this life!