Elephant Seals

Today was all about the elephant seals. We dropped the dogs off at the doggie daycare this morning, and we set out for Ano Nuevo State Park. Dogs are not allowed because of the immense wildlife, so Clyde got a day of playing with other pups, and Scout got to enjoy a private “suite” for the day. The state park was about an hour or so drive from our hotel, and the roads were pretty winding. We forgot to give Rayne Dramamine until it was too late, so after a brief stop to tend to those matters, we arrived at our destination.

Once there, we had to check in, get a permit (really just a brochure with the rules), and then we walked a couple of miles to the beach where the seals are. Ano Nuevo is one of the largest mainland breeding colonies in the world for the northern elephant seal, and there were about 300 of them out there. The females and pups were sunning on the beach, and the juvenile males were “sparring” in the water to “stay in shape.” Older males were not in the area, as they usually come in the summer months during breeding season.

Ano Nuevo is a natural preserve, where the elephant seals are protected, along with other sea mammals (sea lions, otters, and other types of seals). This means that people must stay 25 feet from the animals at all times – to avoid disturbing them and for safety purposes.

We first learned of this state park a few weeks ago, while watching a documentary on researchers who visit Ano Nuevo to study elephant seals. We realized we would be pretty close to the area and decided it was worth the trip. Both girls were really excited to see them. Jayden kept saying, “There’s just so many of them. And they are talking to each other,” noting the loud calls of the juvenile males. They were a sight to see.

We left the state park for a quick lunch at a bar and grille on Highway 1. Rayne took her Dramamine, and she was out before she finished her chicken strips. On the way back to the hotel, driving up Highway 1, we spotted a pretty cool, old lighthouse. Since Rayne had crashed and Jayden was engrossed in an Amelia Bedelia chapter book, Ray waited with them, while I jumped out to check it out. I’m not so fascinated with lighthouses, but I am interested in anything to do with shipwrecks, and there are usually some stories about a few anywhere around a lighthouse. We had learned of many shipwrecks in the Bay area during some of our previous outings.

This turned out to be the Pigeon Point Light Station, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. At 115- feet, it is the tallest operating lighthouse on the West Coast, according to California State Parks.

Originally called Whale Point, because of the gray whales that migrate past the point, this can be a really foggy area. It was the site of four major shipwrecks between 1853 and 1868. In 1872, a lighthouse was finally built with a light and fog signal to prevent further wrecks. It’s a lovely old light house, and looking out at all the jagged rocks surrounding the point, it’s easy to see how it was so desperately needed.