Walking by the ocean wherever you are in the world always has a special allure, no more so than at Point Lobos a few minutes south of Carmel, 24 miles north of Big Sur, California. Small wonder that the famed Tasmanian landscape artist Francis McComas (1875-1938) made this bold claim about the area when he declared it “the greatest meeting of land and water in the world”. Over 100 miles of jagged, soaring cliffs covered in pines and cypress, sometimes barely visible through the wintery haze, where the sea crashes relentlessly up against the rugged coast line; a stunningly spectacular spot. Point Lobos is a protected wildlife sanctuary where the air is peppered with bird song, twittering sparrow families who hop amongst the heather and gorse minding their own business as high above them the shrill shrieking of their seabird cousins, gulls, cormorants and pelicans pierce the otherwise peaceful setting. Huddled in small groups, like old men catching up on the week’s gossip, a wide assortment of seabirds strut and hop about on rocky outcrops, every so often fearlessly and effortlessly descending into the forbidding, cascading water to seek their daily nourishment. To be so close to nature its beauty, its power, its mystery its timelessness, if only trees could talk, what shared secrets could they tell us; early explorers, whalers, Hollywood movie stars all from long ago, I wonder………..


Point Lobos Carmel, California, USA
Looking back along the sanctuary’s southern pathway
Pathway at south Point Lobos, Carmel, California, USA
Beach Point Lobos Carmel. California, USA
Mother seals resting in the protection of a small cove with their pups
Beach near Bird Island, Point Lobos Carmel. California, USA
Baby seals on beach near Bird Island Point Lobos Carmel. California, USA
Finger like outlets down towards Big Sur
The private beach near Bird Island Point Lobos Carmel. California, USA
Bird Island, the local gathering point, feathers and beaks required….
Bird Island Point Lobos Carmel. California, USA
The Bird Island Point Lobos Carmel. California, USA
Pelicans and cormorants assessing the latest fishing stocks
Pelicans & cormorants Bird Island Point Lobos Carmel on Bird Island Point Lobos Carmel. California, USA

A lone pelican replete after breakfast
Pelican, Bird Island Point Lobos Carmel on Bird Island Point Lobos Carmel. California, USA
Caves and coves created by the timeless pounding of the ocean
An inlet at Bird Island Point Lobos Carmel. California, USA

A lone pine about to be decorated by the birds as their Christmas tree
Christmas tree at Bird Island Point Lobos Carmel. California, USA
Looking towards the Highlands Inn at Point Lobos; mysterious, magical, beautiful, utterly timeless……..
View of Highlands Inn at Bird Island Point Lobos Carmel. California, USA

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