Morro Bay, California: December, 2025
Brown Pelican & Pacific sunset
Forget the Fog
In early December, San Francisco Bay was enveloped for weeks in coastal fog, a dense marine layer that reduces the world to moist shades of gray. After a while, we escaped to Morro Bay and found open skies and deliciously warm days.
Morro refers to any prominent hill. Granitic Morro Rock, which resolutely guards the entrance to the estuary, is a twenty-four million old volcanic plug. The dozen or so prominences in the vicinity are of similar origin.
We camped at the State Park campground and enjoyed the long beaches and varied estuarine habitats.
Want good food? Bayside Cafe at the Park’s marina is fantastic.
Snapshots
Below are some scenes that caught our eye.
Morro Strand
Marbled Godwit
Common Loons were diving down and finding crabs to devour.
Bald Eagle
Marbled Godwit, a youngster
Gulls were quite active at dusk
Greater Yellowlegs
Least Sandpiper
Common Loon
Long-billed Curlew
Royal Tern, juvenile
Great Egret
Long-billed Curlew
Black Phoebe
Royal Tern, adult
Common Loon having a bath
Morro Strand
Western Gull
Savannah Sparrow
Great Blue Heron
Ring-billed Gull
Willet
Dune Lupine
Bald Eagle
Short-billed Gull
Whimbrel
Racing the Dragon boat
The golden hour
John Kooistra:
August 10, 1970
The beach
has as many moods as I.
I like the quiet one best
but usually
it is beyond my control.
Take gulls
congregated in self-interest
squalling and clamoring.
One is glad for so much life.
A single gull
like an oboe out on the flats
is simply mournful.
One is drawn here
especially at sunset,
that strange time between,
neither day nor night,
when evening fills
with the light
your life will end on.