A Day at the Coast

A few days ago, in magical weather, I departed for the coast at Santa Cruz with Emily & Ella and Rebecca & Max. It was just a day trip but highly picturesque and entertaining. We started off in Santa Clara, traversed the coastal ranges - which took us to an altitude of perhaps 600m - before plunging towards the harbour and beach at Santa Cruz. The road skirted some of the wealthy villages like Los Gatos, home to some of the gurus of Silicon Valley.

The first stop was the Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, which is an area of spectacular redwoods, some of the tallest and most impressive trees in the world. We spent a couple of hours walking the trails among spectacular vegetation and fauna. Have a look at some of the attached pictures. The first is a section of timber at the entrance to the park whose rings span a whopping 2200 years. Redwoods are long-lived! The second shows a typical tree - straight and tall. And the third shows me standing with Bec and Max beneath one of the largest trees in the park. Finally there is a picture of one of the district's enormous yellow banana slugs that inhabit the forest floor and break down timber and other decaying matter.

We then headed for the Santa Cruz Mystery Spot which comprises a patch of hillside among the Redwood trees where strange things have 'happened', the laws of physics and biology are suspended, and Armageddon awaits! Apparently a landslide caused a house to slip down the hillside and arrive at its ultimate resting place horribly misshapen. Inside the building, nothing is square, balls run up-hill, people's heights are deformed, and participants take on a several degree list. Outside, the shape of trees is deformed and branches only grow on one side or the other. Personally, I thought it all a con trick, though cleverly executed by a credulous audience.

Then we to the beach for a late lunch, watched an impromptu beach volley-ball game and witnessed some lovely scenery - as the attached photos show. All in all it was a lovely day out. Alas, after the glorious sun-set we had to travel an hour or so back in the dark.

AS