回來兩個星期了，身體好像還沒有完全恢複。難得某人提出要出去走走，那就走吧。秋天的南加，山是禿的，草是枯的，隻有那一片海常藍。

那就去看海吧。

秋的天空更加高遠。這條路隻有幾個月沒有開，再來時，路的右邊在拓寬，另一邊似乎有了新建的房子。

12點左右到停車場，付了一小時$2.5的停車費，以為時間足夠了。走出停車場，寬闊的海一覽無遺地呈現在眼前，伴著和煦的海風，令人心曠神怡。

一季未見的海似乎更加碧綠蔚藍。

一個人：

一男一女：

一男三女：

一隻白鴨 （雌的？）：

一雌一雄？

二雌一雄？：

中午12點是低潮。海水的退位，給了礁石重見天日的機會，它們裸露在陽光下，凹凸不平，坑坑窪窪。靠海的那一側被密密麻麻的青口緊緊包圍著，靠近沙灘的那片礁石上竟然被綠綠的海苔所覆蓋著。

我們小心翼翼地踏上岩石，有如走進被一塊塊礁石圍起來的天然水族館。隻見腳下身旁一個個小小的lagoon, 海水清澈見底，水中央長著一簇簇綠水草和厚厚一大片棕色的海帶，它們靜靜地覆蓋著水麵，隻有當海的餘浪衝進礁石間才隨波逐流一番。兩邊海水覆蓋的礁石上鋪滿紫色的sea urchins，像一朵朵盛開在水中的嬌豔花朵，在水流的蕩漾中輕盈地飄動著，婀娜著。。。Lagoon的底部是細沙或是亂石，偶爾又見淡綠的海葵長在不顯眼處。

暢遊水中的是快樂的海魚，這些平常需要snorkeling到海水深一點的地方才能看見的，那日我們站在岩石上就看見了。還見潛伏在底部的居寄蟹、小螃蟹，其中一隻小螃蟹還伸著它的小鉗子從青口中間的細縫裏掏肉吃呢。

在身邊一個老美的啟發下，我們也學他從岩石上擰下一個青口，用腳把它砸開，挖出裏麵的肉扔進水中給魚兒吃，然後就站在岸上看腳下的魚兒一擁而上在搶吃。。。
時光就這樣在流逝。不知不覺中，一小時的停車時間很快就到了，我們隻好隻身返回。

中間去了Costco, 加了油，買了點吃的，兩點多趁海水還沒有漲潮，奔赴第二個海灘，那裏有一個在退潮時形成的tidal pool。我們走在那一片裸露著亂石的海塗上，除了看見不遠處的海鳥在空中翱翔，不時垂直地撲入海麵撲食，一無所獲，亂石堆中貌似一片荒蕪。就在我們準備折身回去時，看見一群孩子圍著一個高個子的小夥子興奮地說著話，原來他們捉到一隻章魚了。我們也湊近身去看，隻見小夥子手上捧著一堆亂石，亂石中一隻camouflaged的章魚抓住亂石不放，想借此逃生，然而它蠕動的爪子還是出賣了它。待石頭一塊塊被扒開，它終於原形畢露。孩子們爭先恐後地去摸，去抓到自己手裏玩，隨後又去海塗上翻動著別處的大石頭，以期找到更多的章魚。。。

那一刻我們也被孩子們的歡樂所感染，遂也想起多年前的一個午後曾帶女兒來此地找章魚的時光。。。

A paradise bird gleaming in the sun:

Pelicans are plummeting to snatch food under the water:

The bird is possibly having a big feast. Is that a lobster ? 

The beach on a sunny autumn Saturday was inviting. The sky was blue. The air was crisp and dry. Sitting on a bench overlooking the turquoise water below, we felt refreshing, especially after two weeks’ stay in China and another two weeks’ jet lag at home.

With low tide that noon, the bare reef was exposed to the sunlight. The rocky surface on the far side was covered with mussels, big and small, that squeezed tightly with each other. Walled by reefs or rocks like caves is crystal  clear sea water, in the middle of which grow lushly some underwater sea grass and sea weeds.  Spreading along the bank are some brilliant purple flowers, except these plant-looking “flowers” are as a matter of fact sea urchins.  At the bottom of the caves are fine sands, piled with rocks and mussel shells, upon which dotted some hermit crabs, small crabs and occasionally a couple of sea anemone. Schools of Fish are happily seen swimming around. A guy was found feeding fish with the cracked mussel meat. We soon followed suit.

We were greeted with a greater surprise visiting another tidal pool. For the first half an hour, nothing was found. Just as we were about to return empty-handedly, we saw a few kids surrounding a tall guy and watching something attentively. As we approached closer, we saw in a man’s palm a heap of little rocks.  He told us that an octopus was camouflaged in the middle. Rocks were what the octopus desperately held on to for life.  But its limbs were soon tired from gripping the rocks. Rocks either got loosened or were pulled away by the man.  The octopus without hard rocks protecting it was left helpless with only a soft body and wriggling limbs. Kids were taught to touch and feel it tenderly, and not for long were asked to release it back to the puddle. Obviously not content, kids were on their own, determined to leave no rocks unturned.  They searched here and there, lifted heavy rocks with two little hands. Their eyes glued to the ground underneath in search of something moving. Hard work was paid off in the end, as one or two more octopuses were found to their delight.