Point Lobos

Date:  March 22, 2014

Location: Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, Monterey County, CA

I was in the SF Bay Area for a relatively long business trip and decided to make good use of the intervening weekend by heading down to Monterey.  As is my usual habit, I did the trip without a car, taking the Monterey airbus from San Jose. On Saturday morning, I took a cab to Point Lobos since MST #22's first run is rather late in the morning. Getting there around 9:30 a.m., I spent around five and a half hours there, and was able to hike most of the trails along its periphery within this time period.

Point Lobos has enormous variety packed into a relatively small area: harbor seals and sea lions, birds, wind-blown cypresses, kelp and other interesting looking algae washed ashore, and wonderfully artistic looking rock formations.

I then caught the southbound MST #22 from near the reserve entrance, and took a scenic ride down Highway 1 up to the Nepenthe restaurant and back into Monterey.  I was in downtown Monterey a little after 5:00 p.m.

Dawdling harbor seals

Moss Cove

Whaler's Cabin

Cormorants

A pair of cormorants

This cypress tree dramatically stands out against the backdrop of the ocean

More cypress...it is the Cypress Grove Trail after all!

Sea Lion Point

Interesting formation

Waves crash over this rocky centerpiece

A pebbly little beach

More interesting formations

Looking back at Sea Lion Point

Along the South Shore Trail

Approaching Bird Island

Getting closer to Bird Island

Gibson Beach

Bird Island is an appropriate name!

A closer look using a telephoto lens

A pair of dolphins

A clearer look at the dolphins

Inscribed bench along the South Plateau Trail
(I certainly saw a lot of things to contemplate and rejoice over during those five and half hours in Point Lobos)