又去看海 (Leave no stone unturned)

回来两个星期了，身体好像还没有完全恢复。难得某人提出要出去走走，那就走吧。秋天的南加，山是秃的，草是枯的，只有那一片海常蓝。

那就去看海吧。

秋的天空更加高远。这条路只有几个月没有开，再来时，路的右边在拓宽，另一边似乎有了新建的房子。

12点左右到停车场，付了一小时$2.5的停车费，以为时间足够了。走出停车场，宽阔的海一览无遗地呈现在眼前，伴着和煦的海风，令人心旷神怡。

一季未见的海似乎更加碧绿蔚蓝。

一个人：

一男一女：

一男三女：

一只白鸭 （雌的？）：

一雌一雄？

二雌一雄？：

中午12点是低潮。海水的退位，给了礁石重见天日的机会，它们裸露在阳光下，凹凸不平，坑坑洼洼。靠海的那一侧被密密麻麻的青口紧紧包围着，靠近沙滩的那片礁石上竟然被绿绿的海苔所覆盖着。

我们小心翼翼地踏上岩石，有如走进被一块块礁石围起来的天然水族馆。只见脚下身旁一个个小小的lagoon, 海水清澈见底，水中央长着一簇簇绿水草和厚厚一大片棕色的海带，它们静静地覆盖着水面，只有当海的余浪冲进礁石间才随波逐流一番。两边海水覆盖的礁石上铺满紫色的sea urchins，像一朵朵盛开在水中的娇艳花朵，在水流的荡漾中轻盈地飘动着，婀娜着。。。Lagoon的底部是细沙或是乱石，偶尔又见淡绿的海葵长在不显眼处。

 

 

 

畅游水中的是快乐的海鱼，这些平常需要snorkeling到海水深一点的地方才能看见的，那日我们站在岩石上就看见了。还见潜伏在底部的居寄蟹、小螃蟹，其中一只小螃蟹还伸着它的小钳子从青口中间的细缝里掏肉吃呢。

 

在身边一个老美的启发下，我们也学他从岩石上拧下一个青口，用脚把它砸开，挖出里面的肉扔进水中给鱼儿吃，然后就站在岸上看脚下的鱼儿一拥而上在抢吃。。。
时光就这样在流逝。不知不觉中，一小时的停车时间很快就到了，我们只好只身返回。

中间去了Costco, 加了油，买了点吃的，两点多趁海水还没有涨潮，奔赴第二个海滩，那里有一个在退潮时形成的tidal pool。我们走在那一片裸露着乱石的海涂上，除了看见不远处的海鸟在空中翱翔，不时垂直地扑入海面扑食，一无所获，乱石堆中貌似一片荒芜。就在我们准备折身回去时，看见一群孩子围着一个高个子的小伙子兴奋地说着话，原来他们捉到一只章鱼了。我们也凑近身去看，只见小伙子手上捧着一堆乱石，乱石中一只camouflaged的章鱼抓住乱石不放，想借此逃生，然而它蠕动的爪子还是出卖了它。待石头一块块被扒开，它终于原形毕露。孩子们争先恐后地去摸，去抓到自己手里玩，随后又去海涂上翻动着别处的大石头，以期找到更多的章鱼。。。

 

那一刻我们也被孩子们的欢乐所感染，遂也想起多年前的一个午后曾带女儿来此地找章鱼的时光。。。

 

A paradise bird gleaming in the sun:

 

Pelicans are plummeting to snatch food under the water:

The bird is possibly having a big feast. Is that a lobster ? 

The beach on a sunny autumn Saturday was inviting. The sky was blue. The air was crisp and dry. Sitting on a bench overlooking the turquoise water below, we felt refreshing, especially after two weeks’ stay in China and another two weeks’ jet lag at home.

With low tide that noon, the bare reef was exposed to the sunlight. The rocky surface on the far side was covered with mussels, big and small, that squeezed tightly with each other. Walled by reefs or rocks like caves is crystal  clear sea water, in the middle of which grow lushly some underwater sea grass and sea weeds.  Spreading along the bank are some brilliant purple flowers, except these plant-looking “flowers” are as a matter of fact sea urchins.  At the bottom of the caves are fine sands, piled with rocks and mussel shells, upon which dotted some hermit crabs, small crabs and occasionally a couple of sea anemone. Schools of Fish are happily seen swimming around. A guy was found feeding fish with the cracked mussel meat. We soon followed suit.

We were greeted with a greater surprise visiting another tidal pool. For the first half an hour, nothing was found. Just as we were about to return empty-handedly, we saw a few kids surrounding a tall guy and watching something attentively. As we approached closer, we saw in a man’s palm a heap of little rocks.  He told us that an octopus was camouflaged in the middle. Rocks were what the octopus desperately held on to for life.  But its limbs were soon tired from gripping the rocks. Rocks either got loosened or were pulled away by the man.  The octopus without hard rocks protecting it was left helpless with only a soft body and wriggling limbs. Kids were taught to touch and feel it tenderly, and not for long were asked to release it back to the puddle. Obviously not content, kids were on their own, determined to leave no rocks unturned.  They searched here and there, lifted heavy rocks with two little hands. Their eyes glued to the ground underneath in search of something moving. Hard work was paid off in the end, as one or two more octopuses were found to their delight.