Today, we wanted to visit Capitola for the Christmas lights. Given it’s a regular week day, and not holiday yet, hopefully the parking wouldn’t be too bad. However, when we arrived, the road was blocked by police cars and signs that said major incoming flood! At the same time, many fire trucks zoomed by with sirens blaring. There’re people watching tides and waves roll in on the bridge outside the prohibited area. Until then I realized they were serious about tide.
Off we went, hitting road up north the coast; now we are going to chase the tide! Along Highway 1, the Pacific was quite active, even driving on the highway we still can see the dramatic waves splashing above the coastline. And the crashing sound was so dramatic, like ocean pounding on the land.
We made it to Año Nuevo State Park, where normally people come for the seal watching. But while at the gate, we were told by the ranger that due to dangerous high tides, the Seal Beach is closed, and to stay away from the overlooks, as the waves can cover 300 feet within 2 to 3 seconds. In shock, we parked the car, strolling on the deep inland path. Being closer to ocean, gave me a way deeper sound effect of angry ocean. There is heavy fog too, I’m not sure if fog is part of the high tide show. In the dense fog, I can’t see the clear picture of waves, but can hear them even louder, like a release of super power from the deep ocean. You would be amazed how much energy that is stored and presented to us once-a-while, here and there.
Once past 5 o’clock, and all I see are returning people on their way back from the end of trail. I have to see it, this is the first time I’m this close to a King Tide, especially after I got Emergency Alert warnings on my cellphone twice, and the first time I ever saw Capitola shut down. I sped up, after passing the last person on the trail, the ranger, I made it to the end, and the farthest I’m allowed. There’s a trail with a railing used to guide people down to the beach, but now it’s blocked, and the beach is gone, completely under water. Even with fog and darkened sky, I can pick out the waves, pushing their way from deep sea, layer by layer crashing the coastline, where the ocean meet the land. This is just warming up, based on the warning I got. The real performance is not put out for show yet. The real show has no entrance! I was like a kid, sneaking back-stage to get a peek of a real performer rehearsing for the show. I took some videos and turned around, didn’t want to risk any danger.
I followed up on the news about Santa Cruz County tides: the pier of Santa Cruz collapsed; the restaurant and the restroom at the end of the pier fell into the water and floated out to sea. 3 people fell into water, fortunately 2 were rescued, and one was self-rescued.
I further studied about the tide: “These higher than normal “spring” tides occur during a new or full moon and when the Earth is at its perigee, or during specific seasons around the country. In California and much of the West Coast, they occur in the months closest to the winter and summer solstices.”
Yes, Winter Solstice was just the day before yesterday. What a celebration by nature! I was lucky to witness the pre-show from the ocean, to share the energy from the humble deep ocean, to be part of this moment on earth.