July 3, 2014

  • 102 Years

    For the past couple of months, I've not been posting as frequently as I used to do -- life has been in the way of photo expeditions.  I was finally able to get out during the last week and take a jaunt to Dana Point.  On the way, I stopped at a bluff-top lookout to see how the development is progressing at the Dana Point Strand, a row of very exclusive, very expensive, and very controversial homes being built along the coast just north of Dana Point Harbor.

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    Moving down toward the harbor, I saw that it was a busy afternoon!

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    The Pilgrim was on its way out for a sail.  The Pilgrim, built in 1825, was Richard Henry Dana's ship, and sailed into Dana Point Harbor (then just a bay without enhancements).  It is now housed at the Ocean Institute within the harbor, and is used as a teaching tool for history classesl and for ocean issues. 

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    So why did I title this post "102 years"?  102 years ago, my dad was born.  This portrait was probably taken in about 1950, when he and his partner joined the Santa Barbara Medical Clinic, where he practiced Pediatrics until his death in 1969.

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Comments (26)

  • I'm struck by the green grass installed at the new homes - seems very incongruous with the scarcity of water. Is it a case of conspicuous consumerism or pure folly? Anyway I'm glad to see some lovely photos! Are the bright pink flowers Azaleas? As for your father - he was a dashing man. The piercing eyes and the slightly amused expression make me want to trust him. Not too many physicians that have that magic combination of warmth, humor and intelligence. A lovely birthday remembrance.

    • It's interesting, Val -- the grass in the park (1st shot) is watered with recycled water -- there are entire separate systems to move that water around to civic sites and such places as golf courses. On the pads below, where the houses will be built, the green is probably just weeds (I didn't get down there to actually see it). It's likely not being watered at all. On the coast, though, at this time of year, there is quite a bit of moisture in the air as the marine layer (June Gloom) comes in and out -- the marine layer is fog, and very high humidity -- it comes in each night, covering a very few miles inland, and burns off in the morning (when I woke up this morning, it looked like a cloudy day -- it's beautifully sunny now in the late morning) -- and the closer to the ocean the more water mists out of the fog. This will last another week or two (in a typical year), and I would expect that by the end of the month those pads will be brown with dried-out grasses. Once houses are built, it's likely that there won't be much green down there -- it looked to me as if the houses there were built close to the sand lines, and don't have much of a back yard either.

      The pink flowers are bougainvillea. And thanks for the comments on my dad -- I love that photo!

  • Fathers who have daughters are often very good people (as compared to their wives).

    Glendale also uses recycled water (toilet and other water separated from sewage) and they use a purple piping to distingish it from "drinking" water. Still Los Angeles did not make their goal of conserving water and so we will see more conservation measures to go into effect.

    • Thank you -- yes, my father was a very good man! I think most cities are using recycled water now (except that Santa Barbara's recycling plant is down for a 2-year renovation project!). It looks like we'll have statewide mandatory conservation very soon. I hope it helps!

  • Breathtaking pictures of the ocean, especially the 8th photo. The Bougainvillea look so beautiful.
    it's good to remember parents like your father. He must have been such a good man to become a pediatrician, and earn the trust of all the parents! He was a handsome man.

    • Thanks, Zakiah -- I'm glad you like the ocean shots, and especially that particular one!

      I have to chuckle -- my dad was a pediatrician accidentally -- he wanted to be a pathologist, but was allergic to formaldehyde! He was a good man, and loved by many!

  • Memories of the good people in our lives never fade. It is nice to see good photos of The Pilgrim. Not sure how I feel about the upscale houses.

    • Thanks, Gary -- you're right that the memories never fade :-) . The upscale houses are, at least, not very visible from anywhere except the ocean unless you know where they are and go looking for them. I think there's way too much money in houses in this area, but that's probably because beachside houses are pretty desirable.

  • The lot farthest left next to the hill is the the one I would like. Your father was a handsome dude. BTW I saw your site on NG with the Polar Bear :) We should add each others pics to favorites it would help us move up, just kidding.

    • Yeah, I think that's the lot I'd like, too! Thanks for the comment about my dad -- I agree that he was pretty handsome! Thanks for mentioning the NG shot -- I'd actually forgotten that I posted it, wondering at the time if it was good enough to be accepted! Good to know that it was!

  • That Polar bear shot is as good as any I have seen there. Good is good, hard part about NG is doing it everyday and getting published. As it is I'm one add short of moving up to trending with my toco toucan shot. It's frustrating-- I moved up with a couple other people this morning, it's fun though win or lose. :)

    • Thank you so much! That was one of my favorites of the polar bear trip! I find it hard to tell whether a shot is really good or I just like it for other reasons! I do like your birds :-) !

  • Those houses built along the coast makes me think of the French riviera that lost all of its charms because the building in excess.;
    i ADMIRE THE STYLE AND THE ELEGANCE OF THE OLD SAIL SHIP THE PILGRIM .
    Your father is born the same year than mine 1902 . But my father died in 1956, the same day than my mother.
    We cannot forget ,Janet
    Love
    Michel

    • It does seem like building in excess -- I do like, though, that these are almost invisible from land -- they can only be seen from the sea! The Pilgrim brings back some of the old charm to the coast!

  • I made the top 5 for a little while, just saying. Still in the top 16. :)

  • Your father's kindness comes out in this picture.

  • Some wonderful photo. The flowers are lovely. The Pilgrim is awesome. I'm glad you had some time to get some photography in. That's a wonderful photo of your father. peace always

  • Nice pictures. Why are the houses causing a controversy?
    I wonder if they are required to buy flood insurance.

    • There are huge controversies these days about new development along the coastline, which is generally considered (true or not) to be public land. I'm sure they are required to buy extra flood insurance to cover them from winter ocean storms!

  • I loved Pediatrics and Internal Medicine as a student but went into Pathology. What a neat connection!

    • What an interesting switch, Zakiah! My dentist told me the other day that he originally wanted to be a veterinarian -- till he did a summer internship!

  • love the Pilgrim! but my favorite shot is the starfish ~ how beautiful ~ have never seen one quite like it ~

    • The starfish is one of a group along a concrete wall at the park. Very representative, and very lovely!

  • How interesting that you posted on your Dads birthday. He was a good looking man. Yesterday would have been my dads 107th birthday. I wish he was here to see the changes that have occurred over the years.

    • I always become a little nostalgic on Daddy's birthday -- he was a good man! My mother's 100th birthday would have been this September -- I was thinking about both of them last week!

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