Every time I’m working on a guidebook, my mom is more than eager to come “help out,” stay at fancy hotels and eat five-star food. She’s just very generous like that. Last summer when she was here, we hit up Yosemite, South Lake Tahoe and Mammoth Lakes. This time, we headed down south.
I didn’t even give her time to sleep off her jetlag, before we were packing up the Altima and on our way to Carmel. While Carmel itself is adorably charming, my favorite part of the coast is just miles south of there: Point Lobos State Reserve, which is the starting point for Big Sur.
After I uploaded a few of these shots to Flickr, Regan asked if I had enhanced the colors myself. Actually, no. I didn’t have to do any touching up in Lightroom, for once. The water down in that area of the coast is just the most pristine and aquamarine blue I’ve seen anywhere.
We had about a quarter-mile hike from the car to the coast and could hear the seals (sea lions?) barking the entire way. I was expecting them to be lounging on the shoreline sunbathing as they’re inclined to do, but instead they were all crammed onto an “island” about 100 feet off the coast.
The surf was pretty rough. I don’t quite blame them for taking refuge on that rock.
I feel like these shots are all replicas of one another, but can’t. Stop.
It’s just all so pretty! Though next time I’m in the area, I WILL be staying in a yurt…
**All photos taken with a Canon XTi DSLR, with a 17-85mm lens. It was really windy, and a tripod would have been handy, but I was unprepared as usual.
If this is not the best thing to see first thing on a Friday morning, I don’t know what is. These are without a doubt – and although it certainly would be hard to have to choose – the most beautiful pictures you have posted yet (since I started reading, I mean
).
That water looks too beautiful to be real, I wish I could be there – and with the sun and all. Man. Thanks so much for posting these, I wish I could fly to a sunny, ocean-side spot like this RIGHT AWAY (as it is gray, rainy, and cold here).
Thank you so much for visiting my blog! I discovered yours through another blog and have really enjoyed reading your posts. I love to travel and would really love to have a job like yours, since I love to travel, take pictures, and write about it.
But I am sure it involves more than that. So for now I live vicariously through your blog.
These pictures are amazing! My husband is from Denmark and has only lived in the US for 5 years. We are exploring the East Coast, but eventually we want to start exploring the West Coast.
Sigh. I love Big Sur. It’s time for a trip back thataway.
Ditto what guests 1 and 2 said. Kickass photos! Love the clump of seals (sea lions?).
Love the photos! Ok, so I have to come clean, we actually know eachother from a long way back. I’ve been reading your blog for a while (I guess I picked it up on facebook or something?) and I’m starting to feel like a stalker! Anyways, its Megan Green from Sewanee and your blog is definitely a daily read for me, its like a little daily vacation!
tripod, shmipod…the pics are stunning!
Oh, how I love that entire area of the coast. Thanks for the reminder!
The drive down the coast from San Francisco through Big Sur is one of my favorite routes in California! I am overdue for another trip down highway 1. So beautiful…
Beautiful! Another must see place has been added to my list!
Wow, those are beautiful pictures. I can’t believe the color of the water.
Gorgeous! A rock full of seals/sea lions is one of my favourite sights.
So pretty!
I’d gues they are sea lions because that’s what we saw when I visited the Oregon coast (http://www.planeteugene.com/sealioncaves.htm)
Oh I love Big Sur. Beautiful shots.
Did I ever tell you about the time my mom got confused and drove the entire family to Big Basin, rather than Big Sur. Yes, I come by this kind of thing honestly. Also: Hooray for mothers!
I love Big Sur! I love the everything about it. It’s one of my favorite weekend get-aways in CA. My favorite is Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park – beautiful coastal views while hiking through redwood groves.
My boyfriend and I are trying to plan a trip to California right now but our stupid work schedules are getting in the way. The plan is to start in San Fran and make our way down the coast to LA. Your photos are making me mad that we probably won’t be able to fit this trip in until the fall. I need pristine blue water now!
So mad we didn’t drive that way when in CA last year.
These are AMAZING!!
Further proof that I just need to move to California already…
Thanks for the new desktop picture!
Just gorgeous!! Just like the photographer…
Have a great weekend!
I am now planning a trip to Big Sur just because of your pictures. Seriously.