Memories of Sunnier Summer Days

Brrr! It sure has been cold outside these days! (For those of you who are not in the US, much of the country has been facing some serious ice storms this week). Although I do love the cold - and especially the snow -, I thought it might be a good idea to share some images of a warmer summer day at La Jolla Cove in San Diego. So, huddle up in your warmest layers and join me as I share some images of the incredible marine life of California, including sea lions, pelicans, cormorants, and even an osprey.

Sea Lions and Friends

Another highlight of La Jolla is the local colony of California sea lions, which bask among the crowds of (almost perfectly evenly spaced) cormorants. The easiest way to tell them apart from the Pacific harbor seals which also inhabit these shores is to look at their ears: sea lions have ear flaps, whereas seals have only holes with no pinnae. Additionally, while sea lions live in La Jolla’s beaches year-round, seals are only seen there in large numbers in the winter.

In this blog post, I share a few photos of these amazing pinnipeds, as well as some of the feathered friends they share their habitats with. Enjoy!

Golden Light at La Jolla Cove

It has been a little while! Earlier this year, my husband and I (see our shared travel photography website here) moved from New Zealand to the United States, reducing all our belongings back down to two suitcases. In doing so, we sold off nearly all of our camera gear and took a bit of a gamble in switching to a mirrorless system. I’m happy to say it was a big upgrade - the Canon R3 is a huge step up from the 5DIII, and I have been having an absolutely fantastic time with this camera.

My time in San Diego, California, has allowed me to explore some incredible new places, brimming with new photo opportunities. Now I am back and ready to share many exciting new images here on the blog!

I will begin by sharing some sunrise images of La Jolla Cove, which has proven a fantastic place to spot seabirds, seals, and sea lions. Let’s start with some beautiful golden light over the cormorants and pelicans this week. As always, I will let the photos to speak for themselves…

Abel Tasman Surroundings

The Abel Tasman region of New Zealand has many wonderful views to offer - green countryside, perfectly transparent water springs, and orange sand beaches! It is also at the very top of the South Island, meaning it has milder climate than most of the remaining island, and warm summers. Besides, the biggest city in the region, Nelson, has some of the best restaurants and wineries in all of New Zealand. It is no wonder the place is so popular with holidaymakers and retirees!

Below are just a few of my images from my brief visits to the Te Waikoropupū Springs and two of the local beaches…