Sp-u-lash!

Wave versus rock.

Taken at Pescadero beach last weekend, before the ugly stuff started to fall around here.

It's rainy season, so you'll likely see pictures taken at something approaching weeklong intervals, then meted out one a day for a while.

Daly City Overlook / SEBC

Wednesday, had to go downtown, forgot to take the D70 with me, so this one is from the Small Emergency Backup Camera.

Taken at the Daly City overlook (Skyline at John Daly).

Dedicated to the task...

VERY COLD WATER. This is a really dedicated pooch. He chased out into this FREEZING COLD WATER to get a tennis ball. That's right, a tennis ball.

Did I mention that this water is a tad cool. We're talking about 45-50 degrees top. Surfers wear wetsuits cold.

And yet, this little Jack Russell Terrier (who belongs to our trainer Fawn) just jumped in.

Sun Dog ...

This is a phenomenom that I have always heard called a "Sun Dog". It is sorta like a rainbow, only it forms near sunset. There are always 2, equadistant from the setting sun.

I like this because the sundog beautifully illuminated the cloud. I also like the contrast between the foreground tree and the brilliantly lit sky.

Pacific Sunset / Steep Hill ...

This picture was taken just before sunset on a street in Pacifica.

This is a VERY steep street -- check out the sign that I'm standing next to:

Someone walked to the ocean...

Sometimes pictures just throw themselves at you. I needed to go into the city, so I decided that I would swing by Ocean Beach on my way in and snap some pics. I couldn't find a parking spot until almost all the way to the cliff house, but when I finally did, I stepped out of the car, and saw this.

The footprints speak to me -- they speak of action, without action. It almost seems like that old "footprints" story about walking with Jesus.

Sunset -- Ocean ...

The view westward (duh) down the street that Shura (our oh-so-awesome dog sitter) lives on, just after the sun dipped below the horizon.

I guess I'm just a sucker for heavy light contrast.

Marine Layer coming in...

I liked this picture because of the contrasts. The close focus of the bird and the guy looking out onto the beach versus the shrouding of the Cliff House and "Bird Poop Rock" by the fog (aka Marine Layer).

A Royal Visit...

(click the picture for the full size)

The Queen Mary came to visit San Francisco today. She is the largest vessel ever to sail into San Francisco harbor.

I had planned to get a really good pic of her passing under the BOB. Unfortunately, about a million other photographers had the same idea, so I could only get as close at the Presidio Main Post (here). I did get quite a few shots of her passing under the bridge, but, in reviewing the take -- I found I didn't like any of them as much as I did this one.

I'm sure you can see the better pics of her entering the harbor at The San Francisco Chronicle page.

One last chase ...

I went to visit my son today (he's at UC Davis, which is about 70 miles from here). On my way home, I was still trying to find that great picture to take, when I noticed that the sun was going down, and, if I hustled, I could get to the beach in time to get a sunset picture.

Of course, I didn't count on the backup at the tolls on the Bay Bridge, so, alas, when I got to Ocean Beach, the sun had finished its journey below the horizon. Dejected, I turned the car down Great Highway and started home. At a stoplight, however, I looked out at the ocean, and saw a surprising site.

The beach was still FULL of people. Many were starting to wind their way back to the parking lot, but litterally hundreds of folks were still out on the beach -- a fair number of them with dogs, still splashing around in the surf.

I hurredly parked my car, grabbed my trusty D70, and headed down the sand.

I particularly like the fact that I caught the little guy completely in mid jump. I also liked the way the shadowy reflections in the wet sand blur the line where the people end.