Santa Rosa Creek Watershed Near Moonstone Beach Entrance

We drove to Moonstone Beach in Cambria one January day in 2014. We needed a change of pace before facing a busy week full of challenging jobs. I needed to walk and so did my husband, but I wanted to see something besides oak forests on this day. Fussy, aren’t I?

We left about noon and parked near the restroom. Then I went down to shoot some seagull photos on the Santa Rosa Creek Watershed, which is on the beach. The birds tend to use it as an airport. Then we took off up the boardwalk beside the beach. Kosta got ahead of me because I kept stopping to take pictures. I couldn’t help myself. It has been hard choosing just a few of the over 200 to share with you.

 

Sights from the Moonstone Beach Boardwalk

The intro photo at the top is a typical scene of the waves breaking. The waves and sky were gorgeous on this day. Wish I could have made one long video of the walk, since everything was tempting my camera to shoot it. The people in the photo below are walking the same boardwalk I did.

I spent way too much time watching about five people trying to catch waves and surf in. Most of the time they were just paddling about with their surfboards. I did manage to shoot a couple of photos of the surfers actually riding a wave in, but it took several minutes between successful shots.

Most people, like these below, were walking or playing on the beach.

There were a lot of odd things on the beach, like this strange piece of driftwood.

When you walk along the beach, you need a proper hat to keep the sun from your face. Tilley makes a travel hat that will last a lifetime without wearing out. It protects you from the sun by blocking 98% of harmful UVA and UVB radiation and is also certified UPF 50+. Since it can tie on, you won’t lose it on those windy days on the beach or anywhere else. I like that it has a small secret pocket for keys or other small essentials.  If you need to pack it, it’s crushable. It’s not the cheapest hat available, but it’s one of the best. You can’t go wrong with a Tilley hat. Yes, Amazon also has this hat, but the price difference is only about five cents as I write this.

The Tide Pools and Beyond

Below is the stairway to the tide pools. Naturally, I was not dumb enough to go down there and take a chance on slipping on a rock or getting caught by a wave. Right? Wrong.

Below is one of the several shots I took while down in the tide pools. I did not see any really interesting creatures because the tide was getting a bit too close to me and I really did not want to get wet. I was already sloshing around in very wet sand. And the rocks really were too slippery for me to be taking foolish chances of tumbling, considering that it was especially dangerous for me to have falls.

Below you can see that the sky was almost as magnificent as the sea. It looked bluer off in the other direction when the sun did not dilute it as much as over the sea, but I wanted the ocean in this photo, too.

As I continued along the boardwalk, I met this little ground squirrel. I got several shots, but I liked this one best.

 

Photos of Highway 46 West on the Way Home, and Sunset

I took several shots along the highway on the way home. Here is one of them. From this viewpoint, you can see all the way to the ocean on a clear day. The rolling hills are typical, though you see more trees as you continue east to Templeton.

When I got home, I put my camera on to charge after uploading my photos, and then was going to leave to do an errand. The sunset was gorgeous here at home. I can only imagine what it would have been like had I stayed on the beach until sundown.  I used a camera that was not charging to take a few sunset shots from my back yard. I decided to share this pastel one with you since it marked the end of a peaceful and rejuvenating day

 

Perhaps you can see why Moonstone Beach is one of my favorite local retreats.

We visit it several times a year, especially during heat waves. During these visits, I have taken hundreds of pictures and shot a few videos. You can see most of them in one place on my article on HubPages, Exploring Moonstone Beach in Cambria

 Friendship or Love Card: Private Bench by Ocean Card

 

 

 

I have many products in my Zazzle Barb’s California Card and Gift Gallery store created with photos of Moonstone Beach. These just a sample. From greeting cards and stickers to electronic cases and water bottles, there is a good selection. For even more Moonstone Beach scenes search all of Zazzle for Moonstone Beach

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 Surfer at Moonstone Beach, Cambria iPhone SE/5/5s Case iPad Mini Case: Waves Hit Rocks at Moonstone Beach Case For The iPad Mini Surfer at Moonstone Beach, Cambria Wrapping Paper

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If you enjoyed seeing the beach with me, why not share this post? This photo is sized for Pinterest.

What is your favorite local retreat when you want to relax or just get away not too far from home?