My daughter and I went to Rialto Beach two days ago. We hiked the beach, returned and found our campsite. I bought my lifetime National Park Pass, but the park sites were full. We found a nearby private campsite that was just fine. My daughter gave it an A- for restrooms, a B for the sinks with hoses bringing cold water and a D for the regular not-bear-proof garbage cans.
After setting up the tent and dinner, we returned to Rialto for the sunset. Quite gorgeous, with the sun sinking in to the Pacific.
Earlier a ranger checked in when we were past Hole in the Wall. My daughter said, “Low tide at 3:45 and we will head back soon after that.” He grinned. Hole in the Wall is full of water when the tide is in. We could cross via a path over and behind the rock.
We wanted to see a whale, but mostly we saw rocks that were not whales. The tidepools are gorgeous.
There also were lots of brown pelicans. Wow, can they fly beautifully. My daughter points out that they look way more like airplanes than either eagles or great blue herons. It’s the wide body and the landing gear retracted and the really long glides.
They can stall and then dive.
We had a lovely trip. Meanwhile, I did not take my laptop. TYPING WITHDRAWAL! I had my journal, of course.
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For the Ragtag Daily Prompt: type.
KO Rural Mad As Hell Blog 
Beautiful tide pool.
Around here, we have white pelicans. My wife (from Seattle) was shocked that we see pelicans this far inland. (Of course, she said the same thing when she first saw gulls here.)
Them great lakes are rather ocean like. Big enough for pelicans!
Yeah, but I don’t live on a great lake – just a pretty good one. Lot of pelicans hang out in Beaver Dam Lake, which is not all that big.
Hmmm. Must be good fishing. Mmmm.
What a magnificent beach full of nature. You call those blue herons, they are more like pelicans, aren’t they?
Always wanted to meet a pelican they appear such fun friendly creatures.
Those are brown pelicans.
Thank you for that.
They are BIG and close up I don’t feel comfortable patting anything with that long a beak.
That’s fair enough, don’t want to get injured. I have handed swans and geese before though.
Heh, what did you hand them?
Ha, that should have read ‘hand fed’ what I do is place peas on my flat fingers and hold still. They place their beaks over my hand and peas and slide the peas off into their mouths. Hose beaks are like sandpaper on a wood block but with no real danger of injury so long as you’re very careful.
Peas are close to what they naturally eat in texture and content. They also don’t damage the ecosystem like bread does.
Beautiful. Now I want to see you hand feed some small fish to a pelican. I think the beak is about 1.5 feet long.
Wow that’s an enormous beak! I would have to spend some time getting to know the pelicans first. Learn there cues and such so I could approach and feed safety. If I couldn’t trust the bird I wouldn’t do it as I wouldn’t want me or the pelican to be hurt.
I am actually geese-sitting for a few days. Only two, but they don’t know me. I think I will go buy some peas and try to tempt them.
Why not. See how it goes. Start letting the eat near you first so they learn to feel comfortable with you. Then when you feel comfortable offer a pea on your flat hand and see what they do.
What species are those geese. The ones on the Broads lakes here are pink-footed or greylag, and Canadian geese.