Surf and Turf, or, I ♥ Pelicans!

Lee and I are in San Diego this week, and Lee took me to one of his favorite places, La Jolla Cove.  Lee went to high school in Poway, not far away, and spent his last two years of college at UC San Diego.  He spent a lot of time scuba diving at La Jolla Cove, so knows the area well.

After two days of wind and rain, the surf was up at La Jolla Cove, and the wind gusts were strong.  The sea gulls and pelicans were riding the air currents along the cliffs, and seemed to be enjoying it completely.   I have never seen so many pelicans in one place.

 

More crashing surf:

Now for the turf part:

The pelicans did stop to rest occasionally.  We found a rock ledge where a hundred or so pelicans were huddled, protected from the wind.  I have never been so close to so many pelicans!  The males were in their breeding plumage, with red pouches.

Aren't pelicans amazing?  They have a prehistoric look to them.  In fact, pelican fossils go back 30 millions years!

Coming in for a landing!  Have you ever seen more grace?? (Well, maybe.)

There were seals on a nearby rock as well:

Here's a very short video, from my iPhone, of two pelicans coming in for a landing.  Enjoy the wave action as well: 

Click here for pelicans