Tide pool exploring: We rose early and put on our boots to catch low tide and check out what all lives in those usually hidden pools. The rocks are unbelievably slippery but we managed not to fall in. We saw skulpin, sea cucumbers, and lots of types of barnacles, and sea grass and quite a few anemones. There were a bunch of sixth graders out there too; and they were much better at it than we were. They found star fish…I saw them too after the kids pointed them out. The tide pool thing is definitely something that takes practice. We will likely try it again.

Mendocino Headlands: crashing waves and cragged rocks. Beautiful. There were a couple blow holes that were created when the tops of surf eroded caves collapsed and left sinkholes that are open to the sea. Pretty cool.

Abalone: our neighbors in camp went out and harvested abalone. They skin dive with a surface float ring to help with the weight of the catch. They had fried up more than they could eat and donated a mess to us for dinner. They were rolled in panko crumbs and pan seared. They are a little chewy like calamari but quite tasty.

MacMolter is ok
One of the volunteer seal watch guys came by and confirmed, MacMolter is really ok. The first couple years they molt they spend a lot of time out of the water. Something about the sting of salt water on newly exposed tender skin! They toughen up in later years then stay at sea for this unpleasant phase. Anyway, they posted “leave me alone” signs and MacMolter continued to peacefully rest on the beach.