If you look closely at this photo, you can see the two nostrils breathing, from another seal under the water.
I went to visit my mom today to celebrate her 86th birthday. I noticed the waves were happening, so we decided to check the surf. On days like this growing up, I would have developed a stomach ache, so I could leave school early and hang out at the beach. I would never do anything like that now of course……Well, unless it was a really sunny day and I was doing something I didn’t like…….
This shot is looking south towards Crawlers beach.
Anyhoo, decent sized waves were breaking off of La Jolla Cove mid-day which is unusual.
The seals were having a blast playing in the waves. This guy is scoping out the sets!
You can see the cormorant’s tail. He barely made it over! There is also a seal inside the wave at the upper right.
This seal could care less about the waves. He’s having a lobster lunch thank you very much and has no time for games. You can see half the lobster in his mouth. He is eyeing the other half to make sure he doesn’t lose it.
A youngster is taking a break from all the action!
This big old guy, bah-humbug! He sees waves come and go. It’s all a snooze for him.
It is so annoying when kelp gets stuck on your nose.
The cormorants and egrets were watching for little fish tossed up by the waves.
Mama seagull’s getting tired of feeding these pushy adolescents, they’re always demanding more fish and shrimp. Gimme, gimme, gimme! Adolescents of all species are frequently over-indulged in La Jolla. The seagull probably picked up this trait from watching humans. Just another example of the well known phenomona, seagull see, seagull do…..or is that monkeys?
Happy Birthday Mom! And many, many, more!
I was betting that the second one was only a reflection…….. Great shot! My mother is turning 90 this year……it was only 3 years ago that we were able to convince her to give up her bicycle~! Whether we like it or not she still drives her little pickup.
Thanks for sharing
I love it! Good for your mom!! My mother has a far more active social life than I do. She is always off to the theatre, concerts etc. Pretty darn nice to have these role models~
Great photos; I love the guy scoping out the sets, but they are all cute. We lived down in SoCal for five years, and I never made it to La Jolla….gotta go back for a visit!
Happy Birthday to your Mom!
The beach is the draw in LJ. The crowds and traffic are not! Cheers to you & thank you~
Simply beautiful pictures,Cindy.
Thank you my friend~
Happy birthday to your mother!
Thank you! She is the happiest 86 year old I know!
They are gorgeous 🙂
Aren’t they! They are fun too swim with too as long as there are not too many of them!
Awww….. It’s so beautiful
So happy you think so! Cheers to you~
🙂
I remember La Jolla on my trip in California two years ago, and I still remember the stunning beauty of the place, and especially the presence of the seals. Thanks for the lovely memory trip! 🙂
The seals are a big controversy in La Jolla. Some wish to protect, others to remove. I was born and grew up in LJ. When I was a kid there were no seals. Fisherman killed them relentlessly. Now they are protected. So glad you enjoyed them!
Oh, I wasn’t aware the seals are in so much danger in LJ, how sad!!
Great pics – lived in Southern California for years (20+) and loved to visit La Jolla – beautiful area. These photos just feel like summer, beautiful bright colors and wildlife. Happy birthday to your mother.
Unfortunately, it is now overcrowded, with densely packed houses, and big traffic problems. It reminds me of Waikiki in the summer. I, like you, prefer the wide open space of the more wild west!
Happy Birthday Mama! If I had a view like this I would have never made it to school!!!
There was so much more to learn……. well, actually there were boys!!!!
Happy days. Your animal photos always make me smile x
That makes me happy! Cheers to you~
Happy Birthday to your Mom, Cindy! Lovely seals, they look so sweet. Can I have some lobster now? Pawkisses 🙂
Well I’m afraid you’d have to ask the seal and he doesn’t look like he’s sharing……cheers & thanks!
LJ is a very special place. Happy birthday to you mother, Cindy!
What a fun and beautiful post!
So glad you liked it! Merci beau coup~
Very nice set, Cindy. Thank you for sharing 🙂
Thank you and you know I have always admired your photos. You notice I broke the #8 rule with this post though!! Couldn’t cut~
Wonderful animals pictures and wonderful cake! It looks so yummy… happy birthday to your Mum!
That cake was a key lime ice cream pie with meringue! It was reportedly delicious! Cheers to you~
The seals are adorable!! Happy Birthday to your mom!! Hugz Lisa
Muchas gracias mi amiga!
Happy birthday to Mom and I just love this series of photographs!
So glad!! Mil grazi~
I was going to say this is your best post yet (I just love the seals) but they’re all so wonderful when I run them through my mind! So, I’ll just say adorable shots of the seals and a very happy birthday to your Mom!
What could be nicer to say? Thank you Linda~
I have to agree that La Jolla is one of those special places, especially on a stunningly sunny day. Thanks once again for sharing your pictures and bringing back wonderful memories of our visit there. 🙂
And now you live year round on uncrowded tropical beaches with a low cost of living! How smart are you~
Happy Birthday to your mom! 🙂
Looks like the seals were really enjoying themselves!
I think they live the life of Ryan and know it!!
These photos are gorgeous! God has indeed blessed you with such a talent for photography and writing! The very first picture is my favorite, Happy Birthday to your Mom!
Awww. I am so glad we encountered each other in blogdom. Seals are hard to get good face shots of because their eyes are so black with no visible sceleras. The first photo is a little eerie. So glad you enjoyed it~
Awww…Happy Birthday to your Mother, and thanks for inviting us along to the ‘party’. I think the seals would agree that it sure was a swell day. 😀
Laughing……it was tubular mon! Gnarly swells dude. The seals were rippin it….Can you believe I grew up with this??? lol~
I can indeed 🙂
Happy Birthday Mom.
She will read this and thanks you!
WOW, great photo’s! We like to drive to LJ when we’re in San Diego just to watch the sea lions, so playful and fun.
They are HILARIOUS to watch! There are both seals and sea lions. Although these photos are only seals. Once we saw a sea lion on a cliff about 20 feet above the water. No idea how or why he went there!! Maybe he was chased by a shark~
Beautiful shots!!! Happy Birthday Mom!!!
She’s reading your comment and is tickled! Thank you~
absolutely gorgeous shots Cindy…you know how drawn I am to such water shots!!! Happy Birthday to your Mom…hope you both had a wonderful visit!
Yes I do know! You do a fabulous job with them. Loved your recent bumble bee photo. Stellar. Thanks for the Bday wishes. My mom will read them!
Cindy–you have truly outdone yourself with this spread…is it because I use to live down San Diego way and so am particularly partial to La Jolla Cove? No…no…that isn’t it. Is it because the blues of sky and sea pop and practically roll off the page? The seals playfulness is barking and breathing practically? Well, now you are getting closer…wow. This is just the prettiest and funnest post ever–you SOOO captured the playful spirit of these gorgeous animals–and the “what about me?” of the birdeez, too…:)
It was a particularly stellar day I must admit and the seals and waves were in fine form! Often the seals just slug out on the beach, but they were down right peppy this day due to the waves. So glad you enjoyed the pics my friend~
What a phenomenal post! It makes me feel all wet and sandy and happily escaping reality in favor of joining the sea critters and the birds all enjoying sun and surf. Ohhhh I want to be there. The mountains of Virginia are wonderful, but I still miss the beach! Thanks for this momentary escape Cindy!
Next time you go to Carlsbad to visit your sun, let me know and I will take you to see the seals. We will have a blast!
These are beautiful – Happy Belated to your mom!
So nice! Thank you Teri!
Happy Birthday to your Mom! 😀
She’s reading this!! She needs to visit your blog. She is a major gourmet cook and she will be so impressed with your skill. Mom, click on Fae’s name above and it will take you to her blog. Check out the fabulous dishes she creates……..Thank you my friend!
Hello Cindy’s Mom!
I have heard of your culinary talent. I would be ecstatically delighted if you would Guest Post on my blog!
Hugs, Fae.
You sweetheart Fae! I bet she will do her lamb shanks recipe. Next time I go to SF, let’s get together……I think I will be there in OCT. I would love to meet you~
Fantastic pictures (as always!)!
Hello Cindy, I do hope this finds you well, sorry for the long absence and sudden removal of my last blog (life smacked me in the face, but I’m back on my feet and have smacked life right back!). I have missed you and my fellow bloggers, I see you everywhere I read and cherish how supportive you are of everyone. Bless you, M’lady. Keep smiling, kind regards from baldy (I’m back!) 🙂
I am so glad you are back!!! Woo Hoo!! Good for you! You’ve got to grab life by the throat and shake all you can out of it!! Thank you for your kind comments and welcome back!
Bless you, Cindy, you are a treasure. Hugs from Baldy 🙂
Same to you my friend~
Oooh! Aren’t seals just so beautiful! Love your fantastic pics and the colours 🙂
They are so fun to watch too! So glad you enjoyed them my friend~
Look like a wonderful spot. Great pics … and Happy Birthday Mom from Cincinnati.
She will be thrilled with all the b’day greetings! Thank you and cheers to you in sunny Cinncinnati!
Happy Birthday to your Mom. Cindy your posts are beautiful and the pictures are fantastic as always!
Cheers!!!!
So great to hear from you!! Very glad you enjoyed them and so glad you stopped by. Heading over to your blog now to see whats new~
Happy Birthday Cindy’s Mom!
Such a delightful way to spend a loved ones birthday thanks for sharing with us.
Beautiful shots!
Kind as always Eunice and most appreciated too!
🙂 Thanks it was how I was brought up and who I try very hard to remain 🙂
Happy Birthday to your Mom Cindy! Great photos, I was wondering how close you are to these guys and what kind of camera you are using to capture these stunning images? Thanks Cindy and keep up the good work. 🙂
Normally with the seals you can get very close because they are loafing on the beach. On this day though, they were out in the water enjoying the waves so I didn’t get very close and the shots used lots of zoom. I should go back when they are on the beach and take some super up-close face shots. I use the Sony HX300. Incredible machine! Thank you for your nice words~
Love the seal pictures — they are such cute animals! Stunning ocean shots; one day I will go to the ocean, I have my heart set on it. I hope your mom had an excellent 86th birthday and has many more!
I hope you come soon & thank you Rebecca!
So lovely post and I adore seals 🙂 !
I am so glad!! Makes posting worthwhile!!
I clicked on “Like” a few days ago and it disappeared. Somebody was complaining about that happening on WordPress recently. I can’t remember if there was an explanation for it or not.
Ronnie.
it’s happened to me a bunch of times. I never know it the likes I click on stay. Very frustratiing!
A bevy of beauties! Thanks Cindy! _Resa
Thank you my friend~
Belated Happy Birthday…I’ve got a family member 7/30 also.
A whole bunch of family in July…as hubby would say October was a busy month! 😉
I love that!! It is interesting to look at the months with the highest birth rates and calculate when people are feeling the most………roomantic!!! 🙂
I’d love to watch the seals, the photographs are amazing!
I would love to take you and Clowie to see them. I wonder if Clowie would swim out to play with them? They would love it!
Ah , so cuuuute photos 😃❤
So glad you like them! Thank you~
Gorgeous! Life in the blue waters.
Lucky guys, of course they have to contend with the occasional shark…….
Ha Ha…and James Bond too!!
This is so funny…..my husband and I are working on our Swiss Alps itinerary for next year right now, so the James Bond theme and Eiger visions were already buzzing in my brain. Now it’s switched to James in the aquatic realm, contending with sharks. James has more gadgets than these poor seals though!
It is so good to have you back Arjun! Cheers to you~
Fantastic photographs here Cindy! I shot some seals up at Morro Bay last week, but they look like rocks splashing around. I’ll figure out this camera one of these days. Have a fun 4th.
Thank you my friend. My son fell off a pier during a winter storm while sampling near Morro Bay! Beautiful spot as long as your not sampling off a pier in a storm!!! Have an awesome time~
Beautiful photographs! I love seals and the ocean. You took me there. Thanks so much Cindy.
I am so glad you came with me Nancy! You made it much more fun~