Many a trip continues long after movement in time and space have ceased. ~ John Steinbeck

In 1988 I came to California for my first time, I was coming here for my best friend’s wedding up in Eureka. I flew into Sacramento with a plan of going over to the coast for a couple of days and then back to Sacramento to fly up to Eureka for the wedding. The place on the coast I had decided to go was Monterey, mostly because I wanted to visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium. I landed in Sacramento and picked up my rental car and drove out onto I-5 heading for Sacramento. A few miles out of the airport a car started to pass me, slowed down, and a beautiful woman smiled, waved and drove off. I immediately thought, I think I’m going to like California.

I made my way to the coast and checked-in to my hotel. I spent two days in Monterey, going to the aquarium, driving around and exploring and I absolutely fell in love. Monterey is one of the most beautiful places on earth. The weather was excellent, the ocean wonderful and the aquarium spectacular. I told myself I would live there someday and it would take almost 15 years but eventually I would for three years. Monterey has always been one of my happy places. It’s been a place where some big things have happened for me, the photo at the top is San Carlos Beach. It was off this beach that I did my one and only open water dive. It was an amazing morning, diving at the edge of the giant kelp forest. I even had a sea lion pup come and play with me for a bit as mama kept a nearby watchful eye.

On the way in from the dive however, I got a reverse block and as a wave rolled over, my ear drum ruptured. While many people describe this as insanely painful, for me it wasn’t, but I knew something had happened. When I got out and pulled off my hood, the husband of one of my classmates looked at me and said, “dude, you blew your drum!” So instead of doing my second checkout dive the next day and getting certified I ended up at the local hospital where they basically said, your drum will heal, don’t fly for three weeks. So I always make a stop at San Carlos when I’m in town to remember that day.

Recently I went back to Monterey for a weekend. It’s been a stressful time lately and I just needed to checkout and take a break. As always, Monterey delivered, great weather, good food and just a nice mellow weekend. I spent one morning at the aquarium, walked along the coast and generally just relaxed. It’s important at times just to stop and be and that’s what this weekend was for me.

Of course I brought my camera so I thought I’d share some of the photos from my time at the aquarium and at the bay. Have a happy day my friends. ~ Rev Kane