Swimming with seals in Northern California

We pull into a little town in Northern California to get gas and behind us stops a beaten up old Volkwagen bus with a peace sign on it. On the side of the street are people with dreadlocks sitting on the side with guitars, dogs and big backpacks. Edmee thinks: "Wow, this is really where the time stood still - hippies in California as I know from the movies. This is eco loving, free spirited California", but Francis has a different opinion. We decide to continue along the coast and the road gets narrower and windier and challenges Francis' driving skills. He can easily pass a bus drivers exam by now. We stop at a very scenic campground directly on a very deserted beach and Francis takes his surfboard out. There is no one else out there so Francis is surprised to find another person swimming next to him in a wetsuit. He looks closer and discovers that a seal is following his surfing progress with great interest.
The Coastline is stunningly beautiful and quickly changes between sheer cliffs, to stretched out beaches or lagoons, to rolling meadows with cows under palm trees. There are no real towns or villages, just clusters of luxurious bed and breakfasts mixed with old and abandoned farms, a strange mix. We enjoy the beautiful sights, but know that this is not the place for us.

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