A BEACH WALK BLOG 2012-13
Occasional observations from afternoon and evening beach walks along Pismo State Beach,
between Oceano Beach, Grover Beach and Pismo Beach,
along with a few detours to our favorite local establishments.
ALSO SEE:
A BEACH WALK BLOG #1 -
2009A BEACH WALK BLOG #2 -
2010A BEACH WALK BLOG #3 -
2011BIRDS
OF A
FEATHER BEACH HOUSE WEBSITESHELL-EBRATION
BEACH HOUSE WEBSITE
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us on
FacebookSaturday, February 9, 2013 - Shakers Steak House & Mardi Gras
at SLOdown Pub
Dinner
tonight was at Shakers Steak House
on Grand Ave. in Arroyo Grande. It is one of the few steak houses
that raise their own cattle. The steaks were deliciously
barbequed and nicely seasoned. Decorations were noting special, but
hey, you come here for the steaks, not for the atmosphere. They
also had lamb, pork chops, ribs and other items that sounded
interesting, but will have to save that for another visit. We
were in the mood for beef tonight. After our delightful dinner,
we walked across the hall to the SLOdown
Pub, located in the same building. Stony Hunter and the
Rockhounds were playing and the theme was Mardi Gras. The SLOdown
Pub is popular with locals with a good selection of local beers and
wines, a limited but tasty selection of food, and great music every
almost every night from popular local bands. This is a family
friendly pub that attracts a wide variety of cliental, from teens to
seniors. As is typical, the dance floor is was busy. In one
corner a friendly game of pool was being played, while in another
corner couples cuddled up on the sofas. Its relaxed atmosphere makes it
a great place to meet old and new friends.
Friday, February 8, 2013 - Another Beautiful Sunset
After rain off and on for most of the day, the skies cleared to create
another beautiful sunset. The creek flowing from the Pismo Lagoon
was wider and deeper than usual, so we did not attempt to cross it.
Thursday, February 7, 2013 - An Otter in the Surf
An approaching storm created a wonderful sunset, with big billowing
clouds and high waves. An otter was playing in surf, about 15
feet from the shore. He looked at us, we look at him, and then he
dived into the waves and swam off. 
Saturday, February 2, 2013 - Beach Burgers and The Melodrama
For dinner we had a delicious burger at Beach Burgers on Pier Ave. in Oceano. It is located about half a block from the beach. They have a nice variety of hamburgers as well as tasty selection of sides. The patties were huge and the buns fresh and flavorful. I enjoyed the jalapeno burger. After our burgers we took a short walk on the beach and enjoyed another wonderful sunset. Then it was off to the Great American Melodrama. The Melodrama provides a wonderful evening of entertainment at a modest price. Tonight's show was "Ken Ludwig's The Fox on the Fairway". It was a fast-paced madcap comedy about an annual tournament between two golf clubs. Who knew golf could be so humorous. It was followed by "A Starry, Starry Night Vaudeville Revue" which was filled song, dance and comedy. Stars included everything from a star fish to rock stars to movie stars, including Bugs Bunny. An enjoyable evening was had by all.Thursday, January 31, 2013 - Beautiful Day - Busy Beach - Horse Problems
It was another warm, sunny day - a wonderful day for a beach walk. Apparently a lot of other folks thought so also. Numerous people were walking along the beach. Some with dogs, some without. Some were riding horses. One horse however did not not want to cross the small creek that drains the Pismo lagoon. The creek is about 1 to 3 inches deep. Most people on foot were either walking through or hopping over the tiny creek. But the horse would not budge. Despite the repeated urging of the rider, attempts to lead the horse across the creek, by both the rider and another horse, the horse would not cross the tiny creek.
Monday, January 21,
2013 - Ducks
Numerous ducks and a wide variety of geese and other water fowl make
home around the Oceano
Lagoon. It is fun to watch them swim by.
Sunday, January 20,
2013 - Sand Castle
The warm summer weather continues. It often seems warmer here
in
winter than in summer. In winter we often will get the warm
Santa
Lucia winds blowing down the hills, while in summer the cool ocean fog
is common. On the beach a family was constructing a
marvelous,
large, sand castle, utilizing the "drip" technique. The fine
sand
along Pismo Beach and low water table make it an ideal place to make
"drip" sand castles. 
Thursday, January
17, 2013 - Realtor on Horseback &
Surf Fishing
Horses are popular in this area. Many folks go horseback riding along
the beach. There is a special "horse area" at the Grand Ave.
beach Parking lot in Grover Beach. The City Manager of
Grover
Beach regularly rides in local parades. Today were walking
through the Strand
neighborhood in Oceano when a local Real Estate Agent
rides up
on a horse to show a house.
Along the beach there were a number of along the shore fishing in the surf.
Sunday,
January 13, 2013 - A Motel Sign in Reno
We are in Reno for a few days. It is COLD here - about
15F.
Those of us from the Central Coast, where it rarely gets close to
freezing, are not used to this kind of weather. We saw this
sign
in front
of a motel here. Based on the sign, I am not sure I would
want to
stay there.
Saturday, January
12, 2013 - Harmony Headlands
Trail
We explored the Harmony
Headlands
Trail. The
picturesque trail
starts at Highway 1, near the community of Harmony, winds
its
way to the Ocean, then along runs along the bluffs where one gets
wonderful views of the coast. The trail is about 4.5 miles long and is
relatively flat. If visiting, be sure to stop by the tiny community of Harmony,
where artists and crafters have taken over what was once a dairy
town. The Glassworks
is especially
impressive.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013 - Another Unusual Sunset
Just before the sun set behind a low cloudbank located some distance from the shore, it appeared to split into two. The smaller upper portion turned green just before it disappeared. The lower portion then set into the clouds. It was a most unusual sunset. In the evening we barbequed hotdogs at the Shell-ebration beach house, followed by an evening of karaoke. Much fun was had by all.
Sunday, January 6, 2013 - Gulls by
Pismo Creek
Hundreds of Gulls positioned themselves in the area where Pismo Creek
runs into the Ocean, watching for some food to show up. The
creek
is now deep and wide enough that we can no longer hop across, but we
actually get our feet wet. Saturday, January 5, 2013 - Lots of Birds
The recent storm must have stirred up lots of goodies for the birds, as there were thousands of birds out along the beach. Sandpipers were poking their long beaks deep into the sand. Sanderlings were running and hopping back and forth along the beach as the surf moved in and out. Further out flocks of Cormorants were bobbing up and down in the swells along the beach. The gulls stood on the beach watching all the activity, waiting for something to turn up that they could snatch away.
Friday, January 4,
2013 - An Unusual Sunset
A band of off-shore clouds produced an unusual sunset, as the sun sank
behind the clouds and into the sea.
Sunday,
December 23, 2012 -
An Engaging Performance
We had a delightful dinner at Old
Juan's Cantina in Oceano. As usual, the
food was delicious and service attentive. Then it was off to
the
show at the Great
American Melodrama
in Oceano. Tonight's performance was their annual Holiday
Extravaganza. It was a full evening of great entertainment.
First was a wonderful performance of Dicken's "A Christmas Carol".
It was
followed by a hilarious takeoff on the story of "The Three Pigs",
which was larded with numerous pig puns, along with characters from
various other fairy tales and a dash of Shakespeare. Finally
there was the Holiday Vaudeville Revue, which featured a
series of
lively song and dance acts. Following the second
intermission,
after honoring birthdays and wedding anniversaries of audience
members, Kim Harrigan was asked to come up on the stage,
ostensibly to present her with a piece of birthday cake. The
young woman looked rather confused, until her fiancée,
Justin, stepped up, presented her with a ring, and asked her
to
marry him. She sweetly accepted and the audience went wild.
Kevin, the House Manager consumed the piece of cake while all this was
going on. Throughout the rest of the show
the actors worked various references into the production about to the
engagement. 
Wednesday, December
19, 2012 - Pretty Waves
It was a cool, clear, sunny day. The Met
Life Blimp flew overhead. The surf was unusually heavy, at
least
for the Pismo Beach area. Sprays of mist sailed off the waves
as
they crashed towards the shore. 
Sunday,
December
16, 2012 - Santa Claus comes to town!
Each year, Santa Claus comes to Grover Beach and Oceano in a big Fire
Truck, with lights blazing and the siren sounding, courtesy of the Five
Cities
Fire Authority. Santa slowly drives up and down
most of the
streets in town, giving girls and boys, as well as adults, a chance to
meet and greet Santa. Rather than a crew of elves, Santa has
a
crew of firefighters giving him a hand and guiding his fire truck. 
Tuesday,
December
11, 2012 - A River Returns
We had a much needed rain storm. It has been a dry year, so
we
are grateful for the rain. The creek that sometimes flows
from
the Pismo Lagoon to the Ocean returned after many months of being
dry. Numerous birds gathered at the mouth of the creek to see
what goodies get washed down. As we approached the Pismo
Pier,
the Christmas tree came on, with its colorful lights against a colorful
sunset.
Saturday, November 24, 2012 - A Wave from an Airplane
It was another beautiful, warm afternoon. As we walked along the beach, Banner Airways flew overhead in their Stearman biplane. We waved at the airplane, and the airplane tipped its wings to wave back to us.
Friday,
November 23, 2012 - Pismo Beach Christmas Tree
Pismo Beach lighted their "Christmas Tree" located a the end of the
Pier. It can be seen for miles around.
Thursday, November 22, 2012 - Happy Thanksgiving
It was a warm Thanksgiving, with temperatures about 70. A lot of folks, including us, decided to take an afternoon waddle on the beach after gorging on a delicious Thanksgiving meal. People were snapping photos of the family at the beach and of the gorgeous sunset.
Saturday, November
17, 2012 - Sunsets
There have been many beautiful and impressive sunsets this
week.
The impressive sunsets were made even more colorful by smoke from a
controlled burn at Montaña
De Oro State Park, which is a short distance up the
coast.
The controlled burn got out of control and burned more than was
intended. Rain later in the week made sure the fire
completely
was out, and produced more impressive clouds and sunsets.
Sunday, November 11, 2012 - Pug Party
The local Pug Rescue Society held its first annual Pugsgiving at the Pismo Beach Golf Course in Grover Beach. There were lots of Pugs, music, more Pugs, food, Pugs, and even a few other dogs as well. It was fun seeing so many Pugs running around.
Monday,
November 5, 2012 - Birds on the Beach
The warm weather continues, with temperatures in the 70's. It
is
often warmer on the Central Coast in the Fall and Winter than in the
Summer! There have been numerous birds on the beach,
including
sandpipers, egrets, and of course, lots of gulls.
Saturday -
Sunday October
20-21, 2012 - Busy Weekend
It
was a busy weekend. The 66th annual Pismo Clam Festivals was
going on in Pismo Beach, with a parade, bands, food, contests and more
food all weekend. Saturday afternoon was unusually
chilly.
I am sure the Hot Chocolate vendor did well. The sun came out
Sunday afternoon for a glorious afternoon of music. Saturday
we
also attended the Central Coast Classic in Arroyo Grande. The
Central Coast Classic is a marching band and color guard field show
competition, bringing together High School marching bands from the
Central Valley and the Central Coast. The kids did wonderful
shows with precision formations all while marching and playing their
instruments. The Templeton High School band was most amazing,
with the band members changing instruments without a break in the
music. Even one of the Color Guards was playing an instrument
at
one point.Thursday, October 18, 2012 - 50+ Expo
We headed off to the 50+ Expo at the South County Regional Center in Arroyo Grande. Most vendors was handing out candy, cookies or other sweets. Except for the Arroyo Grande Community Hospital. It was giving out free blood glucose testing.Tuesday, October 16, 2012 - Unusual Sunset
It was an unusual
sunset this evening. As the sun
descended through the off-shore fog bank, it looked almost like a
nuclear explosion rising from the Ocean.Sunday, October 14, 2012 - Oso Flaco Lake
We hiked through Oso Flaco Lake today. As we entered the park there was a sign warning us about bear sightings. We did not see any skinny bears ( or other any other sort for that matter). We did see a variety birds as we crossed the bridge over the lagoon as well as a large number of birds along the beach, as well as a few photographers taking pictures of the birds.
Saturday, October 13, 2012 - Looking Up
It was a beautiful warm morning. Along the beach thousands of
Sanderlings were scurrying back and forth. It is fascinating
to
watch them. Many will hop on one leg, yet still are able to
move
amazingly fast. One will grab something in its beak and
another
Sanderling will chase it until the item is dropped.
The
next bird picks it up and the cycle is repeated. I am not
sure
when they have a chance eat whatever it is they are carrying
around. Also along the beach are the Sandpipers and an
occasional
gull, looking much more sedate. A group of pelicans
fly in
formation, just inches above the breaking waves. It is
amazing
how close they fly to the surface, without ever touching it.
Higher over head a group of five Ultra-lights take off from the Oceano
Airport
and head north. Even higher the SkyDive Pismo Beach
plane
gains altitude, ready to make a parachute dropFriday, October 12, 2012 - Dinner at Brad's
We walked to downtown Pismo from the Grover Beach parking lot and had dinner at Brad's Restaurant. The Tri-tip salad was excellent, with a generous portion of their famous barbequed tri-tip. Service was prompt and attentive. The sun broke through the clouds as we were finishing dinner, providing for a beautiful late afternoon stroll along the beach back to Grover.Wednesday, October 10, 2012 - Dolphins!
The morning brought some much needed rain. It has been months since we had rain around here. The skies cleared and it was a warm and sunny afternoon. The sea was remarkable calm and flat, especially considering a storm had just passed through. About 60 yards offshore a school of dolphins were leaping through the water.
Monday, October 8,
2012 - Wonderful Sunsets
The sunsets have been gorgeous, and tonight’s was especially
spectacular. It was another warm afternoon. The sunset
started
off with a series bright orange rays spreading out to heaven.
As
the sun disappeared behind a low cloud the rays merged into one,
creating a great orange finger pointing into the sky. The sun
then briefly emerged beneath the low cloud as a bright orange ball,
before dipping behind the horizon. The bright finger of
orange
continued to reach into the sky even after the sun had
vanished.
All along the beach people were stopping to take pictures and admire
the beauty. Unfortunately it is impossible to capture the
grandure of the sunset using a smart phone camera.
Monday, October 1, 2012 - We are having a heatwave!
It got up to the mid 80's by the beach, and over 100 inland. A breeze off the ocean kept the beach quite comfortable, so as might be expected, a lot of folks came to the beach to cool off. Though it was busy, with miles of beach along here, there was plenty of room for everyone without crowdsSunday, September 23, 2012 - Sand Sculptures
For the last three days, artist Phil Singer from New York, has been creating huge, wonderful and imaginative sand sculptures next to the Pismo Pier. I only wish one of my cameras was working so I could get a picture, however both my Nikon and Kodak died. Modern digital cameras just don't last like the old film cameras.Saturday, September 22, 2012 - Party of the Beach!
We attended a wonderful birthday party on the beach this evening, complete with a campfire and making s'mores while relaxing in the sand. Others were also enjoying the beach, I counted over a dozen other campfires up and down the coast between Grover Beach and Oceano. Groups ranged in size from 2 to over 50. One group even brought a horse trailer onto the beach and was giving horse and pony rides. Some of the young kids looked a bit apprehensive at the "big" ponies, but once they got on they were smiling with delight. Watching a fire on the beach while listening to the surf is a fun and relaxing way to spend an evening.Friday, September 21, 2012 - Space Shuttle Flys By
At about 11:15 this morning the Space Shuttle Endeavour, mounted atop a special Boeing 747 and escorted by a chase plane, flew over Pismo Beach, Grover Beach and Oceano, on its way to Los Angeles. It was quite an impressive sight!Saturday, September 15, 2012 - A Busy Beach
It was a beautiful sunny Saturday afternoon and a lot was going on. On the water surfers were riding the waves, and jet skiers jumping them. Overhead were sky divers were parachuting and the Banner Airways biplane was giving scenic rides. On the beach were numerous folks like us taking an afternoon walk, driving, or just parked and enjoying the sunshine and waves. A large flock of Sanderlings were scurrying back and forth along the shore. Further south were the ATV riders, and a bit to the north, Beach Butlerz was gearing up for a big beach party. A wonderful Saturday afternoon was being had by all.Wednesday, September 12, 2012 - Sanderlings are Back!
The Sanderlings started returning from their annual migration to the Arctic a few days ago. Today they were out in full force. There were thousands of them on the beach between Pier Ave. in Oceano and Grand Avenue in Grover Beach. It is fascinating to watch the birds move all together, like a herd. As we approach the flocks the they run on either side of us, then close in behind us as soon as we pass. We felt like Moses parting the Red Sea, only we were parting the huge flocks of Sanderlings. Even the vehicles driving on the beach did not seem to disturb them.The Sanderlings enjoy the excellent fall and winter weather on the Central Coast. It has been sunny, with a light breeze and temperatures in the 60's to low 70's on most days. You should come join the Sanderlings for some beautiful Central Coast weather.
While in Oceano we spied an Osprey that had pulled a fish out of the Oceano Lagoon.
Thursday,
August 2, 2012
- Beach Party
Sunday,
June
24, 2012 Dogs dancing to the music in the Park
Saturday, June 23,
2012 Canoeing on the
Oceano
Lagoon
Friday,
June 15, 2012 Jesus on the Beach