Santa Cruz

Hooray! I am back on line again--for approx. one hour--before I continue on up the Calif. coast and out of the range of an Internet signal again. Please bear with me--I promise to get caught up eventually.


When I came through Santa Cruz I stopped to take a few pictures.

Surfing is the number one sport of the area and as I drove the coast line I discovered another museum...


Dedicated solely to surfing!

H.M. Queen Kapi'Olani's nephews;  H.R.H. Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana'Ole, H.R.H. Prince David La'Amea Kahalepouli Kawananaki, and H.R.H. Prince Edward Abnel Keliiahonui

While attending St. Matthew's Hall Military School in San Mateo, stayed during their vacations with the Swan family in Santa Cruz and started a craze by bringing for the first time the royal Hawaiian sport of surfing to the Pacific Coast of the Americas.

 

 "During the summer of 1895, the three young Hawaiian princes rode the waves at the mouth of the San Lorenzo River on redwood planks they ordered cut in the shape of old surfboards by the local timber mill."

 

This day was relatively calm by surfing standards but clearly the potential was there for something more challenging.    

The museum was all definitely 'Ho Hum' to someone like me...

A real cream puff who is never likely to be a member of a 'surf club'..

But my interest perked up when I found this--SHARK ATTACK!

I don't know who this young man is but he is only one of a number of unlucky victims of some pretty nasty sharks.
I must say, this museum did not make me want to add surfing to my bucket list.

I was well up the coast toward Half Moon Bay when lunchtime arrived.


To back up to a beach,  then open the windows and let the oceans smells and sounds flow in is what makes this trip so fantastic..


A hot bowl of clam chowder only adds to the experience...


Then a short walk after lunch in the brisk air coming from the water.....


And finally a short nap before continuing north to find a place for the night.