San Diego Coast Walk: Week 7: Scripps Pier to Wind and Sea Beach

This leg of the trip marked a dramatic change in the nature of the coastline along which we were walking. The reason for this is a restraining bend in the Rose Canyon Fault, which results in the uplift of Mt Soledad and the La Jolla headland. Since oceanside we have been looking at the looming headland of La Jolla (at least on clearish days) watching it grow ever larger. Todya we finally began to make our way around it. This was also first lesson in Fractal Geometry. Along the roadways it takes 5 minutes to get from La Jolla shores to wind and sea. Walking it took several hours along some very crooked and rocky coves. We were blessed by minus tide much of the way, which exposed places normally not visible. Along the rockier part of the shore this was quite a treat. We took about twice as many pictures this leg of the journey.

The starting location feels a bit familiar: Ahh, my office. How many times this lovely damsel has come to take me somewhere fun,

On the trail to the beach

The Pier again

Requisite Selfie from the pier

Looking back from where we came

We will finally reach that great headland today!

Anita reflected

Scripps beach lifeguard tower and state of the art conference facility.

Tower 33 the numbering system has changed.

Tower 32 La jolla shores

un numbered tower

Tower 31

Rental kayaks

Kayakers

Due to the exceptionally rugged nature of the coastline around La Jolla and private propery issues we encountered the first occasion on which we had to divert inland. In this case to get around a rather Gnarly boulder strewn stretch of coastline. Given the tide we probably could have made it, but as will be revealed in the next post, I am just as glad we diverted inland.

And we are in the neighborhood

Peek-a-boo!

Anita on the Secret passage

Torrey pines and Princess = Princess Pines

This was not particularly wonderful, but at least there was a sidewalk. La Jolla tries to isolate itself from its surroundings. This can be quite charming at times. It can also be really annoying.

Vertigo inducing home improvement project in La Jolla

Someday this will be our cover photo for something.

As we made our way back to the coast we were treated to a lovely stretch of trail that meandered along the cliff top affording some of the most spectacular views of our whole trip. This is one reason I do not regret turning inland here.

This cove is amazing at low tide. Never seen it this low actually

Here we are crossing the bridge

Swimmers and Kayakers in the cove

3d of the cove

and the Cave

You may notice we don't have a lot of photos from the next 1/4 mile or so. This is due to the now infamous "stink of la jolla cove." The views may have been magnificent, but not when fouled by pungent retch-inducing seal poop odor wafting off the outcrops. This is emblematic for the hope and trials of environmental progress.
http://www.10news.com/news/foul-poop-smell-returns-to-la-jolla-cove-10222013

Minus tide.

So we tried sometimes scrambling aroudn the little headlands. This was kind of fun, except that it kinda felt like we were trampling all sorts of tidepool life. Also it was crazy slippery here.

Forgot to get a photo of this tower, Whoops!

And we arrived at Childern's pool.

Where do the children go, between the bright night and darkest day? And who's that dead man's piper that leads them away?

You may notice a distinct absence in our photo's of Children's pool: there are no children. The breakwater on which we were standing was originally built to protect this cove from the strong waves and rip currents so that La Jolla children could learn to swim. In the mean time harbor seals became a protected species and their population recovered quite dramatically. Some of seals began making a home in this same cove. Soon their population and poop was making cove unsafe for children. While some would like to make the seals go away and return the pool to the children, others recognize the seals as a protected species and tourist draw. Certainly the best way to pick a fight in La Jolla is to start a conversation stating some strong opinion on the fate of Children's pool in a bar full of strangers.

The breakwater

Anita looking quite happy

Cool carved rocks.

Our journey continued sometimes on sidewalks when it got to rugged, sometimes up and over little cliffs. Everywhere the minus tide revealed rarely seen bits of carved coast. The endless up, down and around was exhausting and we could have stopped at any number of these places and had a field day with our cameras. I had been intending to see if I could spot the Romney's estate, but apparently passed by it without recognizing it at all. We had promised my office mate and Friend Geir that we would stop by his house for a beer at the end of our journey and so kept pushing on having to pull ourselves away from the awe and wonder time and time again. We took so many pictures I lost count and lost track. They may not be in order for a bit.

another unnumbered tower. I couldn't get in front of it.

That golden light smiles upon us for a moment.

Grottoes on many scales.

Endless landscape of complexity and light.

Wait is this Romney estate?

It just keeps going on like this too much of a stunningly beautiful thing.

The Grand canyon incises into a plateau

One of my favorite shots of the whole day

A different perspecitve

Chaos sun, water cloud, rock and air.

Volcano!

Wandering

A roller coaster of rocks and sand. Some little beaches barely large enough for two.

Exposed at minus tide

Complexity on all Scales

Chasm upon Chasm

Ocean beneath a darkening sky!

As the journey wore on we passed half a dozen professional photographers and models practicing their craft on these shimmering rocks. I can only imagine what their lenses might see. Weddings, brides to be, women in skimpy bathing suits, family reunions, holiday card photos . . . And finally we topped one more bluff and there before us was the expanse of Sand, rock and sea, known as Windansea Beach. We had Made it. I called Geir who came down to meet us and show us the land he knows. This being week 7 it felt arriving at Rivendell or something and having a beer and it was good beer and merrymaking, but Geir had friends to meet on upper campus, and so offered us a ride back. It took 5 - 10 minutes by car what had taken us 4 hours via the coast scramble.