Jill Robinson

Writer, Photographer, Adventurer

california

National Geographic: This national park site is celebrating its 250th anniversary

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Across the United States this year, people are making plans to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. While much of the focus on site-specific celebrations will be on the East Coast, there’s an important West Coast connection to 1776. Spain also established El Presidio de San Francisco in 1776 to guard San Francisco Bay from British, Russian, and French incursions into Alta California, a province comprising modern-day California, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, and parts of Arizona. Want to learn more? Read my story for National Geographic.

Click for PDF of the article.

Backstage at the Monterey Bay Aquarium

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The world-acclaimed Monterey Bay Aquarium has been perched at the edge of Cannery Row since it opened in October, 1984, but each visit seems like a new one. More than 35,000 creatures representing 550 species fill the aquarium’s 34 major galleries. With nearly 200 exhibits, the aquarium is a showcase for the habitats and sea life of one of the world’s richest marine regions.

For me, any visit to the aquarium includes some quality time with the bat rays. You can usually find me among a bunch of kids, leaning over the bay ray petting pool to touch the smooth underwater flyers. It never matters how much my sleeves are rolled up—my clothes always get wet.

The Aquarium Adventures programs include an opportunity to get behind the scenes and see food preparation for aquarium residents, view some of the huge tanks from above and get a chance to feed exhibit animals. Offered for ages 8 and up, the two-hour Feeding Frenzy tour takes place before the Monterey Bay Aquarium opens on most Thursdays and Sundays. Prices are $65 per person (not including aquarium admission), or $45 for aquarium members.


My favorite part of the tour? Feeding the bat rays. With pieces of squid and shrimp between our fingers, we were instructed to hold our hands flat, like feeding a horse. That way, we’d avoid the rays’ flat teeth. Then, stretching our arms into the pool, we waited for the bat rays to come to breakfast. One at a time, rays hovered above my hand, sucking the treats into their mouths. If the food hadn’t run out, I would have stayed there for hours.

Just me, the kids and the bat rays, as usual.

Turning the Corner

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For the past month, I’ve been learning to surf on a stand-up paddleboard (SUP). No, I’m not on vacation at a surf camp. I’m just going out to a local break about three times a week and getting out there. Today, I finally turned the corner.

It’s been somewhat of a frustrating experience. At first, when I was just paddling the SUP on relatively calm water (both in Half Moon Bay and in Puerto Rico), I was an instant success. In fact, I didn’t fall off the board during any of those sessions. Sure, surfing is a completely different experience, but for a short while, I believed the learning curve would be pretty easy.

And then I went out in the surf. I fell a million times. I got saltwater up my nose. I smacked my face and got a black eye. I smacked my face again and got a split lip. But I caught a few waves, too, and those moments are golden.

Doug’s been a rather patient coach. There are times when he tells me that I’m too far away from the peak, or letting the fog spook me. Sometimes I get tired of hearing it. But after I answer, “yeah, yeah” and dismiss him—I understand why he’s saying it. Then I move a little closer to the peak, or try to find my place among the waves and rocks that I can barely see in the fog. And each time I learn something new and get a little better.

So today, on one of those beautifully clear and sunny coastal days when the water is glass and the waves aren’t too huge—I finally got it. I found my place in the lineup and I charged the waves. I put my foot farther back; I crouched down more. I got the best ride of my life, and a lot of shorter rides as well. My board also bonked me on the head once, but there was no blood, so I went back out.

I’m not as good as many of the people who surf SUPs at the same spot, but it’s not a competition. I watch them, they watch me, and sometimes they give me tips or an “atta girl.” It’s enough to make me want to keep going out and getting better in my own time.

The learning curve may have been longer than I expected, but I’m having an awesome time.

Happy at Home

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I’ve spent a lot of time on Caribbean beaches these past few months, and it’s pretty difficult to get tired of them. What’s not to like? Warm, turquoise water that’s easy to float in is pretty high on my list.

When I took a trip to Big Sur a couple of weeks ago, it reminded me why I love where I live in California. Some of the beaches are sandy and others are rocky. Sometimes, there aren’t even beaches—but huge, craggy cliffs that drop down to the Pacific. The water’s nowhere as warm as the Caribbean, but sometimes it gets some of the same hues. And not many Caribbean beaches get awesome waves to surf.

Sure, life in California can be speedy and hectic, but it doesn’t have to be, especially in these little coastal communities. When I focus on the natural beauty and not the daily grind and the tailgating cars, I love this place as much as the Caribbean. So I’m going to borrow one of the best things about my life on the island and apply it to my life here on the mainland—Caribbean time. It won’t warm the water, but hey, even my amazing powers have limits.