TimeOut

We walked around a crowded commercial harbor known as Quivira Basin, which in addition to commercial and recreational boats and a boatyard, includes Marina Village (a conference center and wedding venue). Doesn't sound like wilderness, does it? What a surprise!

It was a beautiful morning.

Immediately upon reaching the sidewalk we were strafed by a pelican cruising at mast-top level.

Then a pair arrived, in similar fashion. They circled us (and some fish, no doubt) for about 5 minutes,

before spotting some lunch and diving.

This one crashed into the water more quickly than I could catch, but I caught her on the takeoff.

Up and away. I wish I could fly (what other boy has ever wished that?)

Some people go ahead and act on their wishes!

Attention back towards the water - we saw a Garibaldi, the state fish for California.

Garibaldi are often found in our waters along the coast and out to Catalina Island, about 100 miles NW from where we are standing.

There was some action out in the water, so we walked out one of the docks to check it out.

Four sea lions were sunbathing.

Raising their flippers into the sunlight warms their blood and helps the sea lions keep their core temperature up in the cold Pacific Ocean water.

Now back to the birds (of Paradise).

As we rounded the corner of the marina and exchanged the commercial for private boats, I noticed a subtle red theme out across the docks.

while my wife picked up on some giant mushrooms in the grass.

We both heard the "honk" of a heron and looked up into the trees. Whoa! An outstretched heron shot past us.

But we saw him and went over to some trees to investigate. There were at least 6 different birds in the tree; here are some of them:

While looking upward I saw some white birds in another tree. We walked over.

A total of 6 here too.

And then this snake-like neck and head emerged from the top of yet another tree! Why wasn't his tree getting attention?

Finally tiring of the birds, we went back along the water.

These happy paddlers were returning to the rental dock

where a colorful array of boats were waiting. We decided Thursday is Quiet Day at the marina because there was almost no activity.

And if there were people, they were quietly minding their own business, having lunch, reading, snoozing.

We turned towards the water and started walking back to the truck.

I saw some beautiful flowers -- Society Garlic and African Daisy. So I knelt to get a photo which put something else in my line of sight.

Naturally we had to go check it out.

Finally on our way back, we spotted a metalflake red hull amidst all the white and blue. It was a G25 Super Air Nautique -- I had no idea what that was but wow!

It's a 25-foot boat with up to 600 hp and room for 19 passengers, that you can ski behind and control with your Garmin Watch. WHAT THE HECK?! If you think I am kidding, Look Here

Garmin® Watch Integration: Utilize the Nautique app for Garmin watches to remotely control the G25 while you surf or wakeboard. Change your boat’s speed, music volume, NCRS, and NSS settings, quickly use ballast shift or change the wave side and transfer on the fly. This app works with a wide array of Garmin watches.

Robotic watch-controlled boat?

I took a look out at the water and saw a pelican (top left) and some sea lions (bottom right). Lunch and a nap sound mighty good right now.

Waving goodbye to the 6 Egrets now in the tree above us,

we took one last look at the ocean, and headed for home.

Cazalea

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