#RSRSeesTheUSA Day 33: Elkhorn Slough, CA
Today’s post is a high quality addition to the wildlife list.
Started with a drive up the coast, stopping to see the elephant seals at San Simeon, who were real drama queens and contortionists.
From there, the cuteness really intensified.
Because from there, I drove up to Monterey Bay (passing a gas station where gas was over $9 a gallon!) and met up with a friend I haven’t seen in literally over a decade and who just messaged me two days ago about whether I was coming her way, and we hopped into some kayaks, and we paddled around Elkhorn Slough with seals and sea lions and sea otters, and their pups. [please read that last bit of italics in a high-pitched squeal]
I left my camera safe on dry land (good thing, too, because I ended up dropping my phone in the bay… it’s fine), so the quality of these isn’t as good, but you better believe the quality of the experience was excellent.
We also waxed philosophical with our guide about how, if otters are a keystone species, then who are the people in our lives who are our keystone people. Think about it yourself.
This whole day’s plan came about two days ago when Kim messaged me on Instagram to say that if I was coming to Santa Cruz, we should get together. I’d been looking into the Elkhorn Slough (pronounced sloo, which I definitely was not getting right) on a tip from my dad, and Kim was just as game for an adventure as I remembered her being.
We had a lovely afternoon of wildlife spotting followed by a lovely evening of catching up, doing resistance work-outs with wine, and successfully setting up her new sound bar on her tv.
If days like today are what comes of not rigorously planning travel details, then I will happily admit that the non-planners may just be onto something.
