Santa Cruz Summer

Our traditional annual trip to Santa Cruz had to be suspended last year as Uncle Dave was working in Spain. And we weren't springing for tickets to Spain.

So this year, with Dave back at home in Santa Cruz, we picked up with our tradition of getting Michael and the kids on the Great Dipper (old wooden roller coaster on the Boardwalk) and the log ride.




Valerie proceeded to consume the world's largest bag of kettle corn. Here's Uncle Dave with his nephew and nieces down by the ever popular Wipe Out ride and the bumper cars.


Rex posed for a Santa Cruz logo shot in one of the stores on the boardwalk.


There were loads of sea lions under the pier. You can kind of see one behind Valerie here.


Valerie is a thrill seeker. She seems quiet and mild mannered on the outside ... Rex shouted to her while she was in line, "$5 says you chicken out at the last minute!" Valerie countered with bravado, "Make it $10, Rex!"

Rex owes Valerie $5.

In the meantime, Valerie was still toting the trough of kettle corn that I refused to hold. So, she turned it into seagull entertainment.


Rex was all over the beach at the Boardwalk. He and Valerie dove through lots of waves in an effort to get near a sea otter that had come close to shore.




Valerie collected an assortment of shells and sand dollars.


The place was loaded with sea lions.


We stopped for a family portrait on the pier.


The following day we made our pilgrimage to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

The otters are always fun!

I had hopes of getting some good pix of kids in front of the jelly fish, however, the jellies were the only ones willing to smile.


After a morning at the aquarium where we even saw spouts of humpback whales in the Bay, we stopped for lunch and took the kids to the always fun Denis the Menace playground. Here's Rex & Valerie on the climbing wall.


On the way home we stopped to check out more sea otters. I cannot get enough of those guys.

We had to stand on the edge of a sandy cliff to see them. In the case one was inclined to not take the warnings posted seriously, I thought the condition of this sign and a few others at the bottom of the cliff made the point abundantly clear.



Posing on the cold and windy beach in Monterey where there were shells to be collected and birds to chase.


I don't need no stinkin' bucket and shovel to have a good time!