Lights, Camera, More Lights

In the last moments of sunset the night before, Tom’s friend Ryan had taken us to Newport Beach, where I had my first glimpse of the Pacific Ocean, and actually got my feet wet in its waters. The views proved more stunning in the daylight and the light allowed us to enjoy more of the details.

Stopping at Lookout Point above Newport Harbor, the wide-open, rough waters of the ocean were noticeable in the distance, giving me a sense of their power. The breakwaters of the harbor were just below us, calming the seas. We watched several boats come and go, enjoying the beautiful fall day. Maybe if I could swim at all, we could enjoy going out on one of them.

Newport Harbor is considered one of the finest small boat harbors on the Pacific Coast, and has approximately 9,000 slips and moorings. It was constructed by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1934 and is designated as a Historical Civil Engineering Landmark for its design and construction. As a former civil engineer, seeing places like this makes me think back to the projects I worked on and wonder how they fared over time. I was surprised to learn that it requires very little maintenance or dredging.

Heisler Park in Laguna Beach was a fantastic spot for our next stop. We strolled along the promenade delighting equally in the views of the ocean and the abundant flora in full spectrum of colors. I miss having a yard and plants now that we are full time in the motorhome, so I cherish seeing them as we travel around. Palm trees stood as sentinels along the path, framing the views of the ocean. We walked down to the waters edge where there were several tide pools that tiny sea creature call home. Tom’s keen eyes spotted dozens of small fish, crabs, and anemone. He pointed them out along the way. Ryan found a large shell that was in nearly perfect shape, but just like in the national parks, you are not to remove anything from here, so we put it back after looking at it closer. As we were down there, the sights and sounds of the waves crashing against the rocks made me reminiscent of days spent at the Atlantic Ocean

Leaving the ocean behind us, we headed up to Top of the World Park. There are several hiking trails branching out from the park, and some panoramic views of the ocean to the west and “the valley” to the east. Unfortunately, I don’t have any photos of those views, but I did capture a couple of delightful succulent plants as we were standing beside.

Later that night, after I had pushed him past his breaking point with my noncommunication, disrespectful silence, and pouting attitude, Tom graciously suggested that we change clothes and go out again to see the lighthouses above Long Beach. We tried going to see the Queen Mary along the way, but there was a huge Halloween event going on in front of the ship. The hordes of people, and the long lines of traffic waiting to go in, made us change our mind and head for quieter areas. There seemed to be food trucks, restaurants, and donut places all along the way, but I missed the clues Tom was giving me, and caused us to miss out on trying something new, or at least having a tasty confection.

We continued on until we reached Point Vicente Lighthouse. This white, cylindrical tower rises 185 feet above the ocean, perched on the edge of a cliff. In the dark, it is quite picturesque nestled among the manicured palm trees. People have reported seeing an apparition of a tall, serene woman in a flowing gown as the light rotates. They feel it’s the wife of a former keeper, looking for her missing husband. We did not see it this evening, but I believe it is there. Since the area is an active Coast Guard facility with a tall fence surrounding it, we were unable to get close. We did take countless photos, trying to capture the flashing beacon, but alas, the ones you see here are the best we could do.

Point Fermin Lighthouse looks like a victorian home, until you look closely to notice the lightroom atop the tower. The warm amber glow of the street lamps lit up the surroundings. Unfortunately, its light was extinguished during World War 2, so that it would not aid the enemy, and was not relit after the war. It fell into disrepair until being refurbished and preserved in the 1970’s for all of us to enjoy. Strolling back to the truck, the lighting made the trees resemble giant mushrooms, or if you so imagine, a bad 1960’s haircut.

Lookout Point Park was along our way back from the lighthouses. We stopped for a moment to appreciate the spectacular night view of Long Beach. What looks like millions of individual lights, brightened the night sky to show off the harbor. There were several other vehicles there, but by the look of the steamed-up windows, I think their intentions differed from ours.

The Pacific Ocean provided us with another fabulous day. With the sunlight glistening off its surface, the lighthouses shining brightly, and the lights of Long Beach lighting up the night sky, this day will long be remembered.

Yesterday, we gave Jeff a hand washing and waxing his cars. They really shined up and he appreciated the help. We also sprayed out the wheels and bed of our truck that have been coated in thick dust for the last several months. I think just that little bit of cleaning helps. We enjoyed a large gas station pizza with Jeff as we watched the Weird Al movie.

Today was obsurdly windy. We could not prop up the solar panels without them blowing over, so they spent the day safely flat on the ground. Fortunately, we were still able to get the batteries over 90%, including running the water heater for an hour. They got to 100% yesterday, the first time since the eclipse! I am thankful for the portable solar panels Tom added to our system and their ability to help recharge our lithium batteries. Our new power cord was delivered today, this one is 20 feet longer and will replace the one that has started to come apart. When we tried plugging in here a week ago, it said we had an open ground, so we’ve been relying solar power or running the generator during cooking. Hopefully, replacing the cord remedies the issue.

Share your comments on Facebook or email us at roadfronts@gmail.com