(Sorry about the waterspots. I need to figure out how to get the water off the lens better. Maybe keep a small spray bottle of fresh water handy for the amphib camera. I think that the waterspots are part of the experience and that the photos work, but that may not work for everyone.)
This last photo shows a tricky spot a bit to the south of Van Damme State Beach. If you go through this narrow archway, you find a cathedral-like cavern open to the sky, The trick is that there's a mass of kelp growing in the center of that archway passage that will slow your kayak to a crawl. (I vividly recall past experiences digging, digging, digging with the paddle to get through and out.) This day, the swell was working, and I couldn't tell how much clearance I was going to have at the top of the swell's rising, and I did not want to get spiked; also, the tide was rather low at this time, which may have meant more headroom, but which also meant at the surge's drop the kayak would be in a too narrow space that wouldn't matter with a higher tide or with a mellower surge.
I looked, shot, and paddled on. Another day for entry. See, I am maturing (finally).
