January 24

On a beautiful, sunny afternoon, I’m hiking in the Palos Verdes Peninsula along the cliff edge of Point Vincente, taking in the breath-taking views of the Pacific Ocean shoreline. Most of these cliff rocks are sedimentary layers that extend through much of southern and central California. These ancient rocks were deposited in a deep marine environment at water depths of a mile or more, then uplifted and exposed by plate tectonic forces. The layers, from youngest to oldest, are shale, diatomite and mudstone, all of which have been studied extensively by petroleum companies who currently extract vast quantities of oil in offshore deposits.  Facing a stiff sea breeze, I notice purple blossoms of California Lilac while far down on the shore, a receding tide reveals weathered boulders and several tide pools. Continuing along the trail, I come upon a resting, White-crowned sparrow and a perching Anna’s Hummingbird. Up ahead, I see a few Tumbleweeds next to the trail. These are essentially the dead, dried-up remains of a Russian thistle plant that roll around dispersing their seeds wherever the wind takes them. As the name suggests, this invasive plant is native to Russia. In 1873, it was introduced to the U.S. by Russian immigrants and inadvertently transported to the west coast on railroad cars. Next, I spot a patch of Coastal Buckwheat. The extensive root system of these plants grip onto soil helping to prevent landslides. Also, their branches and foliage offer coverage from wind and rain that can further destabilize slopes. Nearby, I spot yellow blossoms of Bladderpod. One of the most interesting characteristics of this plant is the “aroma” produced by its leaves. It has been described as pungent, strange, disagreeable, like burnt popcorn, like bell peppers, stinky, ill-scented, evil smelling, foul smelling, even repulsive. Finally, I climb up to an observation deck to join Caroline and fellow whale watchers. As volunteer members of the American Cetacean Society, we help identify and count marine mammals, with a focus on Eastern Pacific Gray whales (stock photo) that swim by here on their lengthy migration route. These amazing creatures have the longest known migration of any mammal. They travel 10,000-12,000 miles round trip every year between their winter calving lagoons in the warm waters of Mexico and their summer feeding grounds in the frigid Arctic seas.

 

Filling the senses

More than enough

Shorebirds and surf

Sounds from the bluff

Rocks are resistant

Waves are rough

Gray whales blow

Scenes from the bluff

Quest to survive

Competition tough

Full forces of nature

Thoughts from the bluff

 

D. DeGraaf