Point Lobos

15 November 2009

… the greatest meeting of land and water in the world. — Francis McComas



After Sunday's half-marathon in Monterey, we headed out to the Point Lobos State Reserve, which is just a bit south of Carmel on the California coast.



As these pictures attest, it is a beautiful setting, with features of geologic, oceanographic, and biologic interest. We parked near Piney Woods and had a picnic there. Then, we walked northward, spending a few hours exploring the Punta de los Lobos Marinos and the Allan Memorial (Cypress) Grove before driving back to Monterey for hot chocolate at Ghiradelli's and then heading for home.



Ingrid pointed out that the "Lobos" in Point Lobos refers to the sea lions, which, in Spanish, are "Lobos Marinos" or sea wolves. We saw lots of harbor seals basking on an island in one of the many small bays. The girls also thought they saw a sea otter amidst some floating logs in another narrow bay. We definitely also saw some starfish and large crabs in the tidepools in one area we explored in detail.



Here's a bit of interesting text about the history of the site, quoted from the map we received at the entrance. "After the arrival of Europeans in 1769, Point Lobos became at various times a pasture for livestock, the site of a whaling station and an abalone cannery, and a shipping point for coal mined nearby. A portion was even subdivided into residential lots …"



"By 1898, Point Lobos had been acquired by an owner whose foresight led to its protection. AM Allan bought a parcel that included portions of Point Lobos and began to buy back the residential lots. With funds from the Save-the-Redwoods League, encouragement from an aroused pulic, and the gift of the Cypress Grove as a memorial dedicated to Allan and his wife, Point Lobos became part of the new state park system in 1933."