Several days ago, we visited the beach for the first time since forever. (Forever being anytime before the pandemic started.) It was a nice escape from Sonoma Valley, as it ended up being a refreshing 30°+ reduction in temperature. It was like driving from summer to fall/winter and back again. Entering Bodega Bay almost feels like crossing into an alternate universe, moving suddenly from sunny, cloudless skies into a world enveloped by haze and clouds. Kind of reminds me of a Stephen King novel, . . . but with less murder and stuff.

We decided to go up to Bodega Head, which we had only stopped briefly at once before. I hiked around a little and took some pics. I intend to look at them often to remind myself of what cool weather looks like.

Bodega bugs:

Camo Bumblebee:

The colorful hills of Bodega Head:

Western Gulls:

A Seagull “Karen”?

Some Brewer’s Blackbirds (adult male with a youngin’) bouncing about begging for breadcrumbs:

We also managed a glimpse of a seal. But only a glimpse:

And plenty of brown pelicans:

We also took our dog Charlie with us. To our knowledge, it was his first ever time seeing the ocean. Unfortunately, the trails and the beach didn’t allow dogs, so he could only look on from a distance. Feeling bad about our poor pooch’s deprived life, we departed Bodega Head and drove up the coast for a few miles looking for a dog-friendly spot. We ended up at a place called “Portuguese Beach.” Sadly, I could spot neither a port nor geese to photograph. ?

There were a couple of terns fighting over a fish:

The only bird that posed for me was this young gull, trying to look distinguished beyond his years (or beyond his months?):

For some reason it reminded me of portraits of old US Presidents. Like this one, for instance:

(My apologies to the gull for making any unseemly associations between it and Andrew Jackson.)

Anyhoo, Charlie, at long last, finally got to see the ocean! He seemed to enjoy running through the sand, but when it came to the sea itself. . . Well, we had forgotten to take into account that Charlie generally fears water and is genuinely terrified of garden hoses. So I think seeing/hearing/feeling/smelling the Pacific was a bit overwhelming to his delicate sensibilities. As soon as he touched the sea suds, it was as if he received an electric shock, and he immediately tried to hightail it back to Kansas.

And so with that, we “escaped” from the cool comforts of the beautiful beach and returned with our dog to the warm (95°F), dry, drought-stricken familiarity of good old Sonoma.

And Charlie was very happy about it.