Carmel-by-the-sea, the wilder bit.

After lunch, we walked around Whalers cove. The point that we were facing during lunch is called Granite Point.
Trail map of Point Lobos.

This was the whalers cabin in the middle of the Whalers Cove.


The cove.


There was lot of poison oak around.


Closeup.


Looking back at the point.


The island in the middle of Whalers Cove.


This seal looked dead, so I joked with John that it was a stuffed one. At which point the seal looked up at me, as if to say, "I'm not stuffed !!"


The waves were really hitting the rocks.


This guy was halfway around Whalers Cove and he was having a great time, rolling around and splashing the water.


This was the whalers hut that I saw earlier.


With a couple of small bones outside.


There was a sign about poison oak next to the hut.


View of our lunch bench from the whalers hut.


The waves were still bashing the rock.




We climbed the steps, up the hill ...


... and could see that Pebble Beach had a lick of sun on it.


We kept walking around the coast and these surprising view would jump out at us.


There was a lot of what John called Spanish Moss and I called Dead Mans beard, but which is actually lace lichen and is different from either.


Time for a Spot The ...

Answer.

I think this is Bluefish Cove.


The cypress trees seemed to be dying from a strange red lichen. The ranger that I asked said that it was harmless, but it did seem to be stripping the tree of their foliage.


I was lucky enough to see that rarest of creatures, the professional photographer in action and even luccker to capture a photo of him ...


Another Spot The ...

Answer.

Cypress Cove.


This tree was amazing, the cliff had obviously been collapsing slowly underneath it and it had countered by leaning back and growing it's roots back.


Another part of Cypress Cove.




We made it to the rangers station at the end of the road and then walke the Allen Memorial Grave trail, which looped around the headland. There were more deer too.


Looking south across Headland Cove.




Looking out to sea, over Pinnacle Cove.


Pinnacle Cove was narrow and rough.


The trail.


Quirky favourite.


Bizarre tree shapes.


Another deer.


The south side of the reserve was very different from the north. This is Sand Hill Cove.


And finally two last deer that we spotted from the road as we were walking back to the car.


Thanks again to John for a great trip and for showing me the sight of Carmel.