Tonite the sun begins its return. Today it rained. A lot. That didn’t stop me from getting a walk, nor did it stop the Nor Cal Surf Shop guys from getting wet. The ocean was wreaked, so, they grabbed their SUPs and headed up the creek, with a paddle. Check it out.
Author: tomadaonline
Shannon’s Creative Photo Challenge: Landscapes in Portrait Mode
This is my inaugural visit to Shannon’s Creative Photo Challenge. I learned about it from a blog I follow, Ohm Sweet Ohm.
This week we’re to show images of landscapes that were taken in the portrait mode. In other words they are taller than wide.
El Capitan through the last bit of diffused light.
Pacifica State Beach at Linda Mar.
Livermore Valley
RICK, A SUP SHORT
I’m still under the weather, and it was raining, but I had to hit the waves with my camera. Mind you my better gear is not rain friendly so I used my little Lumix pocket cam which takes full HD video though its zoom lens is tough to hold steady hand held.
Today there were three paddle boarders in the surf. I met one of them, Rick, after his session. To be fair, he caught a few nice waves while I walked from my car to the rocks where I recorded one good wipeout and the last ride he rode for the day.
Man Made Wonder Wave
This is not your theme-park-man-made wave. It’s the perfect barrel that all surfers fantasize. Whether you have the skill to ride such a wave is another story altogether. The wave is for high-level riders who can keep up with a very steep, ever-charging barrel.
The Kelly Slater Wave Company took this from idea to delivery in 10 years. It’s located at a secret spot some 100 miles from an undisclosed coast.
Kelly has been crowned World Surf League Champion a record 11 times. Check out the inaugural spin on the coolest man-made wonder wave.
Near Solstice Light
Winter solstice is right around the corner and the late afternoon light is kind of errie.
My cold/flu/virus/tired-to-the-bone “whatever it is” seems to be waning. So I walked the 3/4 of a mile to the spot where I’d seen one stand up paddle boarder from my window. He was still there.
The tide was just starting to ebb so some of the wave’s punch was pulled back. BUT, there were surfers from one end of the beach to the other. The light kept slipping in and out of the clouds. One moment it was on the water, then on the hills, then gone. I sat on a piece of plywood someone had left on the rocks. I didn’t take the time to anchor it so I teetered and tottered a bit, which makes shooting video with a long lens a challenge. There was one guy on a fat orange board who caught one wave while I was watching. Mostly I was happy to smell the salt air and hear the hollow roar of waves crashing.
I got one shot of the scene as the light lit up the Rockaway Headlands. That was the last of the light, so I headed home.
CEE’S BLACK & WHITE PHOTO CHALLENGE: FARAWAY
We visited Peru a few years back and made two stops in Cusco. At 13,000 feet it takes your breath away. Then there’s the mountains above Cusco; higher and mightier. At the end of our stay we had the lungs to hike the hills and got above the city.
The fog played around Machu Picchu, sometimes obscuring it and sometimes framing it.
First Flirt
This is in response to the daily prompt: Tell us your funniest relationship disaster story.
I would hardly call her third rate. We’ve been married 29 years. We have two sons and a grand daughter on the way. We have a full life, we’re still in love. But it did not start that way. It almost didn’t start.
I was visiting friends in San Francisco, May 1983, to house warm their new home. It was a wonderful flat in the Richmond District, with bay windows, wood floors, and a garage. I was planning to meet a specific woman, Maria, whom our host thought I would enjoy. She arrived with a female friend in tow. My former house mate Rob showed up at that moment, perhaps with a drink or two under his belt.
“Tommy, Tommy” (he’s one of maybe three people on the planet who call me Tommy)”This is Donna, this is Donna. She’s the one I’ve been telling you about.”
Donna had beautiful green eyes, a big smile, and seemed pleased to meet me. I thought she was beautiful but was quickly bewildered by two women and a matchmaker friend. I excused myself to get a snack, and caught Donna’s eye on the way down the hall. She smiled. I told the hosts I wasn’t feeling well, and left.
Rob called, a few days later, and sang me happy birthday. He was sure I’d really like Donna, and gave me her phone number. I held the number for a day or two then gave her a call. We planned our first date.
Writing prompt: Third Rate Romance
Travel theme: Fabric
Color, color everywhere. From the market in Peru’s Sacred Valley to the posh shops in Bali.
Writing is Difficult
I’ve taken three 10 week writing workshops through Writers Studio San Francisco. I thoroughly enjoyed the work, the teachers, and the students.
My first Intermediate Workshop starts in January. The instructor, Lorraine Babb, sent me a welcome email she closed with a quote that oddly gave me hope.
Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge
This post is in response to Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Starts with the Letters B or W.
This Stand Up Paddle Boarder is making a nice cutback at Pacifica State Beach.
TomAdams.Ink 