July 21, 2015

  • Rain and Waves, July 17-20

    Over the weekend, Hurricane Delores moved northward off the Baja California coast, where she has been breaking up.  We had a good soaking rain for about 4 hours on Saturday, overnight on Saturday night, and another two hours on Sunday afternoon.  This is far from enough to break our drought, but it is more than we've had for a long time.  In fact, we have now broken the record for rain in all of July, and it's only the 21st.  Monday and today were warm and sticky as the storm continues to break up -- and there was more rain against the mountains.  This first shot shows the rain splashing up from the road, and the dark skies from which the rain was falling.

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    When it wasn't actually raining, thunder clouds built up against the mountains that run inland from the coast.

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    On Monday, I had a visit from a friend who lives in Arizona -- he had visited his son in San Diego, and came northward to visit a couple of friends and move on sightseeing.  We had lunch at the San Clemente pier, where there is a nice little fish restaurant.  But first a short walk out onto the pier.

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    There is a lifeguard tower on the pier.  The yellow flag just below the American flag is a caution signal -- there have been big waves coming up the coast from Hurricane Delores, and the lifeguards have been watching swimmers and surfers particularly carefully.

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    We stood near the lifeguard station and watched the surf for a little while.  Looking northward towards San Juan Capistrano, there were a number of surfers in the water.

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    In the southern direction, there were again surfers in the water, although they were farther away from the pier.

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    Looking downward, I shot these random shots of medium sized waves just as they were about to break, or as they broke.

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    It was a lovely time, and I felt very refreshed after some good conversation and some time by the beach.

Comments (19)

  • I have it on good authority that your friend felt refreshed, as well.

    • There's something about good conversation, salt air, a short walk, and a good lunch that is most refreshing, especially when they all occur together :-) !!

  • I have a feeling you two were in the same place! :)

  • Nothing like a walk on a pier! Thanks. Beautiful pictures of the waves. Is that a Ruby's on that pier?

    • I just added one more photo -- of the lifeguard station. There's no Ruby's on this pier, although they are known on several other piers (Redondo Beach, Malibu, among others). There's a nice fish restaurant on the beach end of this pier. That building in the middle is the lifeguard station, and at the end I think it's just little sheds. The waves were really interesting to watch, although they had subsided somewhat since last week.

  • @mcbery: Miriam's intuition!

  • @slmret: It is always a pleasure.

  • Glad you had some rain -- I'm sure you could use a whole lot more! What a lovely place -- we're hoping to get back to the Atlantic beach in September -- it is relaxing!

  • Beautiful shots!! I love the beach, too. I'm fortunate to be only about 10 minutes from it and that's when the traffic is heavy or the bridge is up.
    Hoping you get some more good soaking rain soon.

    • Thanks! I am fortunate to live within about 20 minutes of the beach -- except in the summer, when Laguna Beach festivals are in swing. We've had more humidity recently, but just the two days of soaking rain. It feels as if we're now moving towards our dry summer.

  • Ahh, the wave shots looking down are beautiful!

    • Thanks, fwren -- I'm glad you like them -- I wasn't sure as I took them if they captured the perspective of the breaking waves.

  • I love all the texture you captured in your water photos!! Marvelous!! I always feel a little jealous when xangans meet and they are both people I would love to meet in person.

  • Oh wow Janet! The pictures of the waves towards the end of your post is so breathtakingly beautiful. Ocean, waves, the sound of the breakers, they mesmerize me. I am so happy for the rain you have had. Hope you get some more.
    Glad you and the other xangan had a good time and were able to lunch together.

    • That was a wonderful visit -- and the pier setting helped! I'm glad you enjoy the waves photos -- I wasn't sure they'd work at all!

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