Surf's up

Dee

Beautiful day for shooting the high surf. Those are people standing on the pier!

dkapp

I like this one. Where was it taken? I don't recognize the pier.

Dave

DoctorIt

where are the surfers

Harryb

Good capture of the surf coming in. Excellent detail in the shot.

Harry

Dee

The famous pier?

dkapp wrote:

I like this one. Where was it taken? I don't recognize the pier.

Dave

Pacifica, CA

Dee

Thanks Harry

Harryb wrote:

Good capture of the surf coming in. Excellent detail in the shot.

Harry

It was just perfect picture taking lighting and waves! Lots of light so the camera chose a fast shutter speed and a small aperture.

Dee

Erik ... surfers....

DoctorIt wrote:

where are the surfers

I'm not sure these were surfing waves. They kind of peaked quickly and crashed. However, they were surfing at Mavericks earlier in the day. I check the Mavericks surf cam when I have some time to see how the waves are as I don't have a white water view from my window. What I see on the Mavericks cam is usually an indication of the surf. When I saw surfboards and board trails through the waves, and the waves were up yesterday, I knew there was a chance I'd have some waves to photograph. It was also unusually bright with a nice blue sky today.

ian408

Dee wrote:

I'm not sure these were surfing waves. They kind of peaked quickly and crashed. However, they were surfing at Mavericks earlier in the day. I check the Mavericks surf cam when I have some time to see how the waves are as I don't have a white water view from my window. What I see on the Mavericks cam is usually an indication of the surf. When I saw surfboards and board trails through the waves, and the waves were up yesterday, I knew there was a chance I'd have some waves to photograph. It was also unusually bright with a nice blue sky today.

Dee, I don't think the Maverick's surf contest has happened yet. Head over to the air force station for a look when it does (bring the BIG glass ).

Ian

Dee

Ian

ian408 wrote:

Dee, I don't think the Maverick's surf contest has happened yet. Head over to the air force station for a look when it does (bring the BIG glass ).

Ian

Where the heck do you park when they are having the contest? I suspect there's some secret back road we've missed. The only way I know to get out there is to park near the bog and walk out and around the point. That takes forever and is a little too far for me to handle easily.

Aren't all the good shots from a boat or jet ski? (Jet ski, am I crazy?)

Anyway, any insider info would be appreciated.

ian408

Yes. You have to park near the bog and hike. The walk is about a mile.
There are some views from the
hillside but the boat is the best--but $185/trip. You definetly need a long lens
to shoot from the shore (and get anything useful). I was out on the bike a few
weeks back and didn't see any place of obvious advantage for avoiding the
parking situation. I forget if you can even get to the Air Force part of the
hill?

Dee

ian408 wrote:

Yes. You have to park near the bog and hike. The walk is about a mile.
There are some views from the
hillside but the boat is the best--but $185/trip. You definetly need a long lens
to shoot from the shore (and get anything useful). I was out on the bike a few
weeks back and didn't see any place of obvious advantage for avoiding the
parking situation. I forget if you can even get to the Air Force part of the
hill?

Yikes $185! Sorry to hear that. That's a long hike out. Some people climb up the cliff face (I've seen photos of them) but the Station is closed to all civilians and auto traffic. I'll have to drive out and check the sign to see if there's been any change.

Steve Cavigliano

Kewl Dee


Nice pic of that darn pier, that I can never find in the dark..... I like the way the offshore breeze is blowing the spray back when the wave is about to break. The waves were big like this Thursday. But, like these, too closed out for riding.

Nice shot Dee and I'm glad you didn't shoot it from the pier


Steve

Andy

Dee wrote:

Pacifica, CA

hmmm you mean that famous, and huuuuuuuge pier that steve coulnd't find last trip we made to pacifica?

ian408

andy wrote:

hmmm you mean that famous, and huuuuuuuge pier that steve coulnd't find last trip we made to pacifica?

Uh, how'd you miss it

ian

Steve Cavigliano

ian408 wrote:

Uh, how'd you miss it

ian

Well Ian, I hadn't been there in years, it was a moonless night and it's not like they have any signs on Hwy 1 (or in Pacifica anywhere). We had a nice drive through the neighborhood though :lol We did finally find it, but it didn't have any lights on it So much for that brilliant idea...lol

Steve

Hey Andy

Dee

Indeed there is a sign

Steve Cavigliano wrote:

Well Ian, I hadn't been there in years, it was a moonless night and it's not like they have any signs on Hwy 1 (or in Pacifica anywhere). We had a nice drive through the neighborhood though :lol We did finally find it, but it didn't have any lights on it So much for that brilliant idea...lol

Steve

But I'm not sure from which direction it is. You mean it's not on mapquest? But hey, when it comes to finding places, don't remind me of when Ed and I were trying to show Andy around town! I still blush.....

Dee

Northbound sign for Pacifica Pier for Steve and Andy

Steve Cavigliano wrote:

Nice pic of that darn pier, that I can never find in the dark.....

Heading north see the sign? I admit you have to keep your eyes open for it since it's on the side of the road. This is immediately after the Sharp Park Road Exit.

It's easiest and more scenic to "not" pay attention to the sign on the offramp, but continue straight on Oceana Blvd. You'll pass Eureka Square Shopping Center on the right. At the next stop sign (Paloma) turn left over the highway and continue straight until you hit the water. (One stop sign in front of Winter's Bar, next at Palmetto Ave.) Well you turn left on Beach Blvd (one way street). There are 2 or 3 little pullouts for standing only before you hit the Pier. One pullout near the pier allows 20 minute access. Go past the pier and turn left then immediate right into a parking area. Read the parking sign first, there's one day and time it's permit parking only. Or continue down Beach Blvd for a little ways and there's plenty of parking.

Coming from the north heading south, there's another Pacifica Pier sign but it's in between two overhead signs and easy to miss, but you take the Paloma/Francisco exit. At the stop sign (Winter's Bar) take a right, the next stop will be Palmetto, continue straight one block to Beach Blvd.

If the waves are good, as you drive down Paloma toward the water you can see white water spray, as that's one of the spots the waves come over the seawall. There's another one or two on Beach Blvd, so its really safest to park you car at the old sewage processing plant (no longer in use) or down past the pier. Sharp Park Golf Course borders the south side of Clarendon Road (besides golf they have a public restaurant). There's a 7 Eleven on Clarendon one block from the ocean for a quick snack, coffee or soda, but you'll have to take Palmetto up a few blocks and turn left to get back to Beach Blvd.

Oh, the reason to take Oceana, you can go 30 instead of 25 and there are no stop signs as there are on Francesco and Palmetto.

Why anyone would want to take pictures of the pier in the dark is beyond me. The town is not very well lighted, and unless it's foggy the lights on Beach Blvd and on the pier aren't that bright. The Pier closes at 10 p.m.

Andy

thanks dee, this is great stuff.

steve: please print and put in your navigator's file.

i drive -- steve keeps us in ribs and soda. and he's supposed to navigate