Sea Stack and Cove, Wilder Ranch State Beach. Santa Cruz, California. December 29, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.
Twilight view of a surf filled cove, shoreline ledges, sea stack, beach, and Monterey Peninsula at Wilder Ranch State Beach.
Although I have visited the section of the California Coast Highway between San Francisco and Santa Cruz many times and have driven past this spot frequently, I had never actually stopped at Wilder Ranch State Beach and wandered out the the ocean here. Having seen some interesting photographs of this spot recently, tonight as I drove north from Santa Cruz I decided that there was no time like the present and I pulled over and hiked down to the beach. Compared to many winter evenings along this section of the Pacific coast, it was very calm and almost warm tonight.
This photograph looks south toward Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay – the Monterey Peninsula is visible on the horizon. The sea stack is probably the most recognizable feature of this beach, though the low rock shelfs along the water’s edge are also pretty interesting. This photograph is a fairly long time exposure shot in the post sunset glow.
This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.
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Oh yes! I forgot when it was, I think back in September, I went to the Saratoga REI store in the late afternoon and spent a long time shopping. When I came out at sunset there was the most beautiful sunset with glorious red color setting the puffy clouds all ablaze from underneath. It was beautiful, and of course I didn’t have a camea. But the presence of the right clouds can make all the difference!
This is one park I still have not visited but I will need to soon. Great shot Dan, and I have been wondering about what conditions make for great sunrise and sunset color. Your picture prompted me to do a Google search and I found this:
http://www.spc.noaa.gov/publications/corfidi/sunset/
It sounds like clear, clean air is a prime ingredient. I gather that our air quality should be pretty good by Friday and so I am going to be watching for a nice display!
Clear air is good, but some thin or broken high clouds can make it even better since they create the red tones.