San Francisco

I had to travel to San Francisco for work this past week to preview and test some new software we are helping to develop for our energy marketers. This is my second time to the area and I'm still impressed with human engineering. The Golden Gate Bridge the gateway to the West and the California gold fields.

Caught the beginning of a regatta. I watched these boats sailing around in circles and then an air horn blasted and they sprinted out towards Alcatraz.

Taken from the visitors center at the South end of the bridge.

Some lady asked if I could take a picture of her in front of the bridge so I handed my camera to her. Not often anyone gets to see me in a photo, I look better from the other end of the lens.

Alcatraz Prison

A view of the city from the bridge.

After 8 hours of meetings the next day I decided to take a drive to the coast seeing it was so close. Highway 1 is a beautiful drive with the sun out, your windows rolled down, 70 degrees, and a nice salty breeze blowing in from the sea.

Pigeon Point Lighthouse

I think the sign said it was the tallest lighthouse on the West coast.

I just love lighthouses.

Just down the Coast I pulled into California State Park Año Nuevo. The sun was still out so I decided to go for a hike in the park. It was about 2 miles out to the point and I was told I could see some seals there. I didn't realize that this is a famous beach for elephant seals. I just happened to be here at the time when the females come to the beach and molt. They are usually out in the ocean between Hawaii and Japan. They give birth in about a month and then the males come in July and they mate and then return once again to the open ocean.

This girl must not have liked to have her picture taken.

This lady just swam in from hunting out in the kelp beds just off the coast.

Fighting over beach space.

A pelican flew by as I was watching the seals.

The coastline is so beautiful with its cliffs a secluded beaches.

I don't know what they were fishing for but they made for a beautiful picture.