The majesty of Big Sur
Few places can compete with this glorious stretch of scenery along the northern California Coast
First in an occasional series of postings from my recent trip to Big Sur
There are a few places I’ve seen that are so grand, so massive that I can’t get my brain around them
The Grand Canyon is one.
Big Sur is another one.
Stretching roughly from Carmel-By-The-Sea on the north to San Simeon on the south, and with U.S. 1 as its is main artery of transit, Big Sur is 71 miles of Pacific vistas, bucolic coastlines, and misty hillsides melting into the ocean.
Drive its main artery on weekend and you’ll whiz past a cornucopia of civilization intent upon sampling its adjacent beaches and deep waters: scuba divers carrying tanks of air, families toting lawn chairs and kids, young couples walking hand in land on the gravel shoulder wearing only sandals. It’s all there.
But don’t let your gaze wander because the roadways up and down Big Sur have more curves than a circle and navigating them safely with a stream of people on one side and a cement curb on the other is like constantly threading a needle at 55 miles an hour.
With all this as the background, Garrapata State Park, just south of Carmel is a welcome respite and stopping point. But hiking the two main trails that spread out from the entrance along the coast is and up and down journey that will test even those in good shape. And a 10-pound backpack full of camera gear doesn’t make it any easier.
I know because I have been visiting the coastal trails in the 2,939-acre park for few years now, so I’m familiar with how they wind past rocky inlets flush waves crashing against the shoreline.
Telling the visual story of this place takes many clicks of the shutter; here are the results of a few recent efforts; there are so many more to be had.
“Lost in Thought”
The Pacific seemed to rumble constantly as waves rushed in against the brown black shoreline rocks and nearby out cropings A long exposure (25 to 30 seconds) and multiple exposures with ND filters created pools of milky white around the rocks and smoothed the undulating waves.
I love this dreamy, ethereal look and how it stands in stark contrast to the rhythmic beat of wave against rock. A picture, no matter how stunning only tells part of the story. The sound of the wind and the crashing waves on this day told the restl
“Many from One”
As I’ve been trying to say, telling the visual story of a place as large as Garpatta takes more than one image.
The place has as many grand vitas as it has varieties of coastal vegetation. Plants of all shapes and sizes lining its trails.
Its title, “Many from One,” is a nod to my belief that all the plants, indeed, all the beauty around us, is he creation of something larger and more powerful than all of us.
“The Sea”
I was drawn to this scene off the southern trail because It casts a bright light on the shapes, textures and color of Big Sur.
I love how the carmel colored rocks rest easily between the plants and the roiling waves of the Pacific. In
the distance coastal rock formations—so common along this coastline—form a graceful inlet to capture its waves.
Big Sur at it’s finest!
Beautiful images and what a lovely trip you had! I love the slow shutter on the first images...Actually, you are speaking my language Ernest! Big Sur is my all-time favorite place in the United States! That area of the country is where I dragged the 'big boy', my Pentax 67 and multiple heavy lenses up and around the area. I'm so glad I did! It's heaven on earth.
I really like “many from one” Simon.