Relaxing at Pismo Beach

Friday, July 31, 2020

It was finally time for our small mini-vacation to Pismo Beach for surfing and relaxation. Inna and I woke up at 07:30 and loaded the Toyota Sienna minivan with our surfboards, wetsuits, and beach toys.

After a delicious breakfast (Inna made some crepes with caviar), we embarked on the 3-hour drive to Pismo Beach. The drive was uneventful. At about 13:00, we stopped for lunch at Ventana Grill - one of our favorite restaurants in the area.

We were seated on the outside patio and were a bit cold; I even had to return to the minivan to grab jackets for Inna and me (due to the blistering wind)

Alex, Inna, and I - all ordered cups of delicious, freshly made Clam Chowder. Inna thought it was the best clam chowder she'd ever tasted - though I also liked it at Dorn's Cafe in nearby Morro Bay. For entrees, Inna and I ordered individual Mahi-Mahi Sandwiches. We both enjoyed them, but I was already full of clam chowder and barely finished my sandwich. Alex ordered Fish & Chips and was quite happy.

After lunch, we head to our Sandcastle Hotel. With standard check-in at 16:00, we could not check in early. We decided to stroll on Pismo Beach. During the walk, Alex developed a headache. Perhaps he overheated during the long, three-hour car drive.

Waves were mushy and all broken up. There were not too many surfers, and Alex was slightly disappointed with what he saw. He wasn't confident that surfing would be possible in the next few days. Wave forecasts on MSW (Magic Seaweed) and Surfline weren't very favorable.

After our walk, we waited on the Sandcastle Hotel's patio, which had nice furniture and fire tables overlooking the beach.

At about 17:15, we registered at our hotel and brought all our clothes to our room - #211. Inna was hoping for an upgrade to an ocean-view room, but the hotel was fully booked.

Inna arranged dinner in Paso Robles and the special Bruce Munro: Field of Light Show At Sensorio.

The drive to Paso Robles wasn't long, and we arrived at 18:20. It was much hotter in Paso Robles (from 70F in Pismo Beach to 90F in Paso Robles).

Our dinner at Thomas Hill Organics restaurant went perfectly well, although I was less than enthusiastic about my main selections.

For starters, we ordered cold Gazpacho soup. I really liked the gazpacho (a bit spicy), but it was not as delicious as the one I enjoyed in Cafe Demel in Vienna. Alex could not finish his soup, as he was not used to its spiciness (Inna and I endeavored to help him).

For the main entrees, Alex selected the Summer Burrata Salad. I liked the Sate Ayam plate. Inna chose the Spiced Beef Empanadas.

After dinner, we saw Bruce Munro's Field of Light At Sensorio.

We enjoyed the 1/2 mile walk around the field of artificial, electric-powered flowers. It was a unique experience. I hoped to bring a monopod or tripod to take photos, but it was prohibited.


Saturday, August 1, 2020

I woke up at 08:00, put on my wetsuit, and surfed on my Wavestorm 8' - directly across from the Sandcastle Hotel. The waves were surprisingly clean, and I managed to catch 6 waves for nice rides! I returned to the hotel at around 09:30. Since everyone was ravenous, we decided to find a place to have breakfast.

After looking at Yelp, Inna decided to try Penny's All American Cafe. We proceeded on foot since it was a 15-minute walk from Sandcastle Hotel. When we arrived, we added our names to the register and waited about 30 minutes to be seated.

I ordered a Denver Omelet with hashbrowns and toasted sourdough bread. Inna ordered Penny's Favorite omelet. Alex ordered Dave's Mess: 2 Eggs Scrambled with/ Home Fries, Ham, Sausage, Bacon, and Cheddar Cheese. We liked our breakfast, but it took too long (with all the waiting).

We returned to our hotel, and I brought the beach umbrella and chairs while Alex and I decided to surf some more. Afternoon surfing was not as pleasant as the waves were inconsistent and difficult to predict.

Inna made dinner reservations at the Granada Hotel & Bistro in San Luis Obispo (about 15 minutes away).

We really liked the food and ambiance of Granada Bistro; it seemed like an upscale restaurant among tourist-oriented eateries. For starters, we selected Chips & Dip - a really delicious appetizer.

I selected the highly recommended (by our waiter) Fried Chicken for my entree. It was incredibly delicious with the sweet honey/sour sauce.

Inna selected Smoked Salmon with Kale Salad. Although she liked it, she would have been happier with Fried Chicken. Alex ordered the Burger, and he really liked it.

The green tea was also quite delicious. Alex chose a Peanut Butter Cookie with Ice Cream for dessert, while Inna and I shared the Meyer Lemon Bar.

We enjoyed our dessert a lot!

Sunday, August 2, 2020

I was planning to wake up at 07:30 to go surfing with Alex on Pismo Beach; however, when I woke up and checked the forecast, the beach was completely fogged in. I decided to wait an hour to see what would happen.

Fortunately, at 08:30, the fog cleared over Pismo Beach, and Alex and I quickly dressed, put on our wetsuits, and headed to the beach with our surfboards. Alex used his Kym Thompson 6'6" shortboard while I brought my 8' Wavestorm.

Once we paddled out, we saw lots of surfers all spread out. There was plenty of room for everyone (unlike The Hook, where the lineup is very concentrated). The swells were very lovely and easy to catch. Alex caught about 20 waves, and I also saw many rides (between 6 and 10). We enjoyed surfing here, with the smooth sandy bottom (even during low tide). 

Pismo is supposed to be best on a high tide. This was pleasant and enjoyable for a "one" star MSW day. Alex was ecstatic about the cutback he was able to try.

At about 10:40, Alex's leash broke, so we returned to our room. We still need to check out our hotel. Inna delayed check out until noon (from the standard 11:00 check out)

After packing our clothes and electronics, we packed our car and headed to the Sandcastle Patio to enjoy the beautiful morning.

I enjoyed sitting on the patio and reading my Kindle's next book, Demagogue: The Life and Long Shadow of Senator Joe McCarthy. It was an engaging and exciting read.

At about 13:00, we headed to Ventana Grill for lunch before our long drive to San Jose. When we arrived there, we were required to wait about 30 minutes before being seated.

We walked around the area, taking photos of brown pelicans (which inhabit this area).

The views of Pismo Beach were also quite magnificent.

Once seated at Ventana Grill, we ordered clam chowder (for everyone). Alex also ordered the Mahi-Mahi Sandwich. I decided to try the VG Burrito, and it was enormous.

Pismo Beach Trip Report

 

Highlights

• Surfing at Pismo Beach
• Lunch and Dinner at Ventana Grill
• Dinner at Granada Bistro (in San Luis Obispo)
• Sensorio Paso Robles show
  

 

Lowlights

• Dinner at Thomas Hill Organics (in San Luis Obispo) was uninspiring
  

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Celebrating Alex's 18th Birthday

It was that time of the year - Alex's 18th Birthday! I can't believe he is already that old. With Covid-19 still raging, we could not invite any of Alex's friends to celebrate this significant milestone.

For presents, we decided to surprise Alex with the following:

• Apple Watch Series 3 (so he could watch his heart rate during exercise)
• Dyson Pure Cool Link, Air Purifier & Fan, TP02 (to cool his room)
• A used Carverboard (43" original, to help Alex practice his surfing on land)
• Monoprice BT-300ANC Wireless Over-Ear Headphones (to replace broken Bose version)
• An Etrade custodial account so he could learn to buy/sell stocks

We decided to head to Pedro's in Los Gatos for dinner to enjoy his Birthday.

After dinner, Inna surprised Alex with a freshly baked birthday cake:

The birthday cake was delicious!

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Golfing at Emerald Hills

With waves in Santa Cruz non-existent, I took Alex for miniature golf at Emerald Hills Golfland in San Jose. Alex would have preferred to surf in Capitola instead.

I teed off first, followed by Alex. By luck or skill, I gained an early lead. I sunk the ball in two strokes on the first hole while Alex took five.

Here is a video from my Canon G7x Mark II of Alex putting:

We enjoyed playing despite having to wear Covid-19 masks and the sweltering heat.

Here is the final scorecard. I completed the course with 44, and Alex with 50.

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Windsurfing at Sherman Island

With Andy Brandt's ABK Clinic canceled due to COVID-19, I took some time off work to enjoy the best season winds at Sherman Island. July is usually the most consistent time for strong winds.

Sunday, July 26, 2020

My week of windsurfing began on Sunday, July 26. After waking up at 05:45, I drove early to Sherman Island, arriving at the Sherman Island County Park at 07:30. I parked my van and started rigging (as a couple windsurfers beat me to the water).

I rigged an Ezzy Elite 5.0m sail with a Fanatic 105-liter FSW STB with a 30-cm fin. The tide was still flooding when I hit the water at 08:15 (but it was scheduled to start ebbing at around 09:30.) At Sherman Island, the best windsurfing is usually reserved for Westerly winds on an Ebb tide. An ebb tide ensures easy sailing back (without fighting the strong current and the wind).

I had a fantastic one hour of windsurfing, but the wind started to weaken a bit, and I decided to return and change sails to a larger Ezzy Elite 5.7m. Once rigged, this new sail made a significant difference in the rest of my sailing.

At about 10:30, I was exhausted and decided to return home. I de-rigged my gear, stowed it in the minivan, and returned home, arriving at about 13:00.

Here are a GoPro Hero 7 Black video highlights of my windsurfing session:

Monday, July 27, 2020

After waking up at 05:45, I drove early to Sherman Island, arriving at Sherman Island County Park at 07:45. Monday's traffic was much heavier than Sunday's. 

When I arrived, I was surprised to be among the first early birds in the parking lot. No one was even windsurfing, and the wind was strong and gusty.

After some hesitation (at being the first there), I rigged my Ezzy Elite 5.0m sail and set up my Fanatic 105-liter FSW STB. I was one of the first windsurfers on the water at 08:45. Although the river was still flooding (until 10:00), I had no difficulty returning. The wind was blowing about 21 knots with many gusts.

Here are a GoPro Hero 7 Black video highlights of my windsurfing session:

I sailed until 11:15 when I quit for the day. Although I made many jibe attempts, a successful jibe still eluded me.

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

After waking up at 07:45, I ate a decent breakfast (toast with pastrami) and drove early to Sherman Island, arriving at Sherman Island County Park at 10:15.

When I arrived, a few vans were parked in the Sherman Island County Park parking lot, but no one was on the water. I did see a few kiteboarders and wing dingers racing on the water.

I rigged my Ezzy Elite 5.0m (since iwindurf.com was reporting speeds of 20 knots) with my Fanatic 105-liter Freestyle Wave. The tide was still flooding but about to ebb at 11:00.

I started windsurfing at about 10:45 and was fully powered on my Ezzy Elite 5.0m sail. Despite the flooding tide, I had no problems returning to the launch area. As the tide turned to ebb, the water calmed down a bit, so returning was much more accessible; the wind gusted up and down, and I had some speedy sailing sessions throughout the day.

At about 13:00, the wind picked up so much that I switched windsurf boards to the Goya 84-liter quad. The quad-fin Goya would handle the additional wind better. It did! I felt more in control riding the Goya, though it was much harder to get it planned.

On one of the runs, I crashed and hurt the pinkie on my right hand. Ouch!

Here are the GoPro Hero7 Black video highlights of my windsurfing session:

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Windsurfing Waddell Creek

Waddell Beach (aka Creek) is one of the premier windsurfing spots in the San Francisco Bay area. With strong winds in the summer months and large waves in the fall & spring, it's a famous location where competitions are frequently held.

I haven't windsurfed at Waddell for a long time. It's a difficult place to sail due to a powerful beach break and crowded conditions. I decided to try windsurfing there with both wind and wave forecast favorable (17-23 knots of NW wind with 3-5 foot waves).

The drive from South San Joswas - is only about one hour, with some traffic in the Santa Cruz area. The Waddell parking lot was packed when I arrived, but I found a space.

Rigging and launching are complicated by the lack of grass (to rig sails) and a rocky staircase to the beach. After seeing many windsurfers on 5.0m sails, I decided to also rig an Ezzy Elite 5.0m on my Fanatic 105-liter STB FreestyleWave board.

Launching from the beach is difficult due to the powerful shore break and non-stop incoming waves. After jumping through several wave sets, I finally passed the wave-breaking spot and sailed in the open ocean. I enjoyed sailing on the ocean without worrying about breaking waves.

Here is a short GoPro Hero7 Black video of my windsurfing session at Waddell:



I really enjoyed my sailing here, but I disliked all the sand. It took me a long time to clean up all of my gear.

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Nuking Winds at Sherman Island

In anticipation of a windy day at Sherman Island, I prepacked my minivan with Windsurfing gear, including my Goya 84-liter Quad Custom Pro and 2018 Fanatic 105-liter Freewave STB.

I woke up at 5:40 and checked the wind forecast at Sherman Island. According to iWindsurf, the wind was already 26 knots! With the ebbing tide running until noon, my best shot would be to drive there ASAP.

After a drink of water, I packed my wetsuit, apple, and banana and was off. The drive to Sherman Island took about 85 minutes. I parked at Sherman Island County Park (which was already getting full of cars, even at this early time). There were already many windsurfers on the water!

With the strong wind, I rigged my Ezzy Elite 4.0m sail (my smallest sail) on an Ezzy 370cm mast. I decided to use my Goya 84-liter Quad, as I needed the extra control provided by the four fins. With the ebb tide, returning would be easy.

The wind was mighty and gusty. Sailing across the river was quite challenging. Usually, on my single-fin Fanatic Freewave 105-liter board, I encounter a lot of spinouts during these conditions. However, the quad fins of the Goya Custom kept me planted without any hint of spinout.

Here is my GoPro Hero7 Black video of my excellent windsurfing session:


 

There were many large ramps, and I had some lovely long jumps. Although I tried multiple jibes, I failed all of them.

After two hours of excellent windsurfing, I was physically exhausted. I unrigged my gear, drove home, and returned at 12:30pm.

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Exploring Morro Bay

With July 4, Independence Day (a 4-day weekend) rapidly approaching, Inna and I were considering various travel options. We really wanted to get away from San Jose, but the increased incidence of COVID-19 made planning for a getaway difficult.

Considering various alternatives, including Mendocino, Lake Tahoe, Bear Valley, and Morro Bay, we decided on Morro Bay. Having never visited Morro Bay, we liked exploring new locations, hiking new trails, and surfing at newly discovered beaches.

Inna found a reasonably-priced hotel - The Landing at Morro Bay - with an excellent cancellation policy (cancel anytime); we decided to book it for the July 4th weekend (July 3 to 6th).


Friday, July 3, 2020

On Friday morning, after packing our Toyota Sienna minivan with surfboards, beach chairs, and clothes, I drove the 180 miles (3 hours) to Morro Bay, mainly on Highway 101. The drive was not challenging, and the traffic was not heavy (with only a few slowdowns on the way). Arriving at 12:15, we proceeded to The Landing and checked in early (the usual check-in is at 16:00), but our room was already prepared.

Since we were hungry from our long drive, we walked to the Dorn's Cafe next door (also highly recommended by Ellen Miller) for lunch. We decided to sit outside on the patio, but we ended up shivering. Even the firepit on our table did not provide sufficient warmth. Morro Bay was much colder than San Jose, and we did not anticipate the lower temperature.

We were immediately brought freshly baked bread and water when we sat down. I ordered a Clam Chowder (delicious) and a Turkey/Avocado/Bacon sandwich with french fries. The sandwich was recommended by our waiter and was delicious. 

Inna ordered the Fish Sandwich (made with Red Snapper) and a cup of Clam Chowder soup. She also liked it a lot. Alex ordered the Fish & Chips with Clam Chowder. We were all very happy (though a bit cold). Inna and I also drank some freshly dripped coffee (which helped to revive us).

After lunch, we decided to walk along Embarcadero to Morro Rock. Along the way, we explored multiple shops. We found out that Kayaks and SUPs could be rented for $15/hour, and many restaurants had patio dining open.

We also found a few cuddly sea otters sleeping in the calm waters near us, and Inna took hundreds of photos! Walking to Morro Rock, we found another set of sleeping/frolicking sea otters, and Inna took even more photos.

We made our way to Morro Rock beach, where we observed a few surfers riding some of the smaller waves there. The surf looked confused, but many longboarders were surfing well. We decided to try surfing on the morning of July 4.

While Alex and I watched the surfers, Inna rested her foot (which began to hurt). Once she felt better, we returned to The Landing Hotel and decided to visit the Estuary or the Morro Bay State Park boardwalk. Inna hoped to catch closer glimpses of various native birds. Although we saw some egrets in the distance, we never saw any birds nearby.

Since we still had time (before dinner), we decided to visit the nearby Black Hill (which has spectacular views of Morro Bay and surrounding areas).

The hike to the top of Black Hill was short but steep, and we ascended quickly to the peak. The views from the top of Black Hill, the golf course below, and Morro Rock in the distance were magnificent.

We returned to The Landing Hotel and rested a bit before eating dinner. Since I had an uneaten portion of my turkey sandwich left, I decided to eat it for my dinner portion. Inna and Alex, however, ordered some take-out from The House of Juju restaurant. Alex selected the "Athena" burger (Angus Beef cooked medium, served with our Homemade Kalamata Olive Aioli, Feta Cheese, Lettuce, Red Onion, & Sliced Tomato). At the same time, Inna ordered a Shrimp Taco with Italian salad. Alex liked his burger but did not say whether it was better than his usual SuperDuper.

After dinner, Inna walked to Dorn's Cafe and ordered hot, black tea for everyone (and some lemon cheesecake dessert). The cheesecake was delicious!

Returning to our room, we decided to relax after our long day of walking and hiking. Although The Landing Hotel is newly refurbished, its walls are paper thin, and we could hear our upstairs neighbors walking. It brought back memories of dorm living at Lehigh University.


Saturday, July 4, 2020

I woke up early, at around 05:50, to prepare for the planned surfing session at Morro Rock. Alex and I quickly dressed and arrived at Morro Rock at about 06:20. The whole area was enveloped in thick fog, though the parking lot was already quite packed at this early hour.

We waited to see if any surfers would enter the water, and a few went surfing (though we could not know whether they were surfing). At around 07:15, the fog cleared considerably, and we decided to try our luck at surfing there.

Alex chose his old shortboard - the Kym Thompson 6'6"- while I chose my trusty Wavestorm 8'. After climbing down some rocks, we entered the chilly water.

Waves were quite disorganized, coming from different directions. I managed to catch a few waves. They were not as powerful as the ones we are used to surfing at The Hook in Santa Cruz. Catching waves took much more effort, and Alex and I missed many opportunities. By 09:15, the ocean calmed down, and the wave height and frequency decreased. We decided to head back to shore and return to The Lodge for a quick shower and breakfast.

Returning home at around 09:45, we cleaned our wetsuits, took showers, and changed into fresh clothes. Inna made breakfast reservations at Dorn's Cafe for 10:45, and we headed there (once we were ready).

I selected the Denver Omelet (ham, cheese, and green peppers) and 3 buttermilk pancakes, while Inna and Alex chose Harry's Scramble (ground beef, eggs). Alex selected buttermilk pancakes for his side dish, while Inna chose the hashbrowns). We really enjoyed our breakfast and stayed on until 11:45.

With breakfast/lunch over, Alex returned to our hotel room to study Calculus while Inna and I headed for a few hikes.

Our first hike was in Los Osos Oaks State Natural Reserve. We hiked along small (elfin) trees with moss growing over them. There was a lot of poison oak on the trail, and we even got lost for a bit (as the trail is not well marked).

However, it was a relatively short hike with many interesting tree formations.

For our second hike, Inna explored the Bluff Trail in the Montana de Oro (Montana de Oro State Park). After finding parking (quite full), we started our hike, overlooking the California continental shelf and the beautiful cliffs that stare back at the cold Pacific Ocean.

We enjoyed the multiple overlooks, birds, and squirrels that inhabit the bluff. In one part of the hike, we walked down to the beach, looking at tide pools, mollusks, and oysters that washed up onshore. The hike was relatively flat but long, requiring about two hours.

After we returned home, we rested and decided to eat some delicious local ice cream at Crill's Salt Water Taffy. We were lucky to arrive in time to order (as Crill's closes at 17:30 on Saturdays). I liked the rocky road, cookies' n' cream, and mint chocolate chip flavors. Crill's purchases Burnardoz Ice cream (which tastes homemade). 

Since Inna had a horrible migraine, we rested indoors in our hotel room until dinner at 20:00. Inna made dinner reservations at Dorn's Cafe at 20:00 (we wanted to eat at Ventura Grill in Pismo Beach, but it was unavailable.)

Dinner at Dorn's Cafe was delicious as usual (but this time, we sat inside). I ordered a cup of the delicious clam chowder and Fish & Chips (with exquisite tartar sauce). Inna ordered the "Shrimp Scampi," which was also outstanding. Alex enjoyed his "Pasta Pomodoro". For dessert, we shared a delicious mousse. 

Sunday, July 5, 2020

I woke up early, at around 06:30, to prepare for the planned surfing session at Morro Rock. Alex and I quickly dressed and arrived at Morro Rock at about 07:00. This time, the day was clear, and no fog was present. Many surfers were already in the water.

Alex chose his old shortboard - the Kym Thompson 6'6"- while I chose my trusty Wavestorm 8'. After climbing down some rocks, we entered the chilly water.

Waves were disorganized but bigger than on Saturday, coming from different directions. I caught 7 other waves, with the first being my best and longest ride. By 09:30, the ocean calmed down, and the wave height and frequency decreased. We decided to head back to shore and return to The Lodge for a quick shower and breakfast.

Returning home around 10:00, we cleaned our wetsuits, took showers, and changed into fresh clothes. Inna made breakfast reservations at Dorn's Cafe for 12:00, but we tried the "walk-in" method and were seated at 11:30 for breakfast/lunch.

After our brunch, we decided to go kayaking in Morro Bay.

We were able to paddle close to both seals and sea otters. Many sea otters were sleeping, and others were playing around.

When approaching the seals, they made a lot of seal noises.

After kayaking, we decided to cool off by eating ice cream at Crill's Salt Water Taffy. I enjoyed the strawberry & rocky road flavors, while Inna and Alex stayed with their favorites: cookies' n cream and rocky road.

With plenty of time left on this warm summer day, we decided to hike around and explore Morro Rock. Near Morro Rock, we noticed a lot of man-made rock formations and large boulders, which we had not seen before.

We had to carefully step and climb around them to reach the ocean nearby.

After returning to our hotel (The Landing), Inna thought it might be fun to hike at Elfin Forest. With a short 10-minute drive, we quickly parked our van and started on a fast, 1-mile hike.

We saw many miniature trees, with overlooks of the ocean and the salt-water ponds around.

Walking on the wood-covered road was pleasant and enjoyable. After the short hike, we returned to The Landing for rest before dinner at our favorite Dorn's Cafe.

Inna ordered a cup of the clam chowder and Sauteed Scallops while I enjoyed a bowl of the delicious Clam Chowder and the Spinach Salad with Blackened Salmon. Alex tried the Steak Sandwich with a cup of Clam Chowder.

Monday, July 6, 2020

We woke up around 06:30 to prepare for the planned surfing session at Morro Rock. We were also considering surfing at Pismo Beach (which may have had more organized waves). Alex and I quickly dressed and arrived at Morro Rock at about 07:00. There were only a few surfers in the water.

I debated whether or not to drive to Pismo Beach. Since it was our last day, and we needed to return to San Jose for Alex to take his MITx Computer Science mid-term, I decided to surf at Morro Rock.

Both Alex and I chose our trusty pair of Wavestorm 8' surfboards. After climbing down some rocks, we entered the chilly water.

Waves were very disorganized, coming from multiple directions. Some waves were forming, and others collapsing; selecting the proper wave for surfing was hard. Both Alex and I tried to choose the best wave with limited success. I caught a few waves, but they either closed out early or died on me, so my rides were not memorable. Alex had better success and managed a few longer rides.

While surfing, Inna decided to walk over to Morro Rock, taking photos of birds and some of the last minutes of our surfing session.

At around 09:30, we packed our car and returned to The Lodge to change, check out of the hotel, and eat breakfast at Dorn's Cafe.

Our last breakfast in Morro Bay was delicious, and I enjoyed my Denver Omelet with a side dish of buttermilk pancakes.

Morro Bay Trip Report

Highlights

• Eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner at Dorn's Cafe
• Watching Cute Sea Otters sleeping in Morro Bay
• Surfing at Morro Rock
• Savoring delicious ice cream at Crill's Salt Water Taffy
• Hiking the Bluff Trail in the Montana de Oro 
• Hiking Los Osos Oaks State Natural Reserve

Lowlights

• Three-hour drive to San Jose

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