David Multer

Somehow we’ve never been drawn into the 150 foot diameter nexus of weirdness before. With Lynda in town, we generated a list of places worth visiting and the famous Mystery Spot happened to make the grade. I was unfortunately at work that day and had to make do with the tales of strangeness. The spot is really a house built on a slant that throws off your perception big time. An added bonus is that it makes you sick to your stomach. No one figured it out, so I guess it’s still a mystery. ...

It’s been such a warm summer this year. The kids love to cool off in the ocean, and over at their Aunt Valri’s pool. The slide is clearly the most popular attraction.

It’s been a little while since we did a bonfire on the beach. Turned out to be a fantastic day and a great chance to enjoy Mars on its close approach. The kids spent many hours enjoying the waves right up until it got dark. Meanwhile the adults enjoy a few margaritas while catching up on events. Scott brought plenty of scrap wood for the fire, and we’ve got more than enough pizza for everyone. ...

Gabe and I are up early again for some fishing out on the bay. No luck with the big fish again on this trip, but we did catch similar stuff as last time. The first one was such a cute tiny fish, I couldn’t resist taking a picture. Normally I would be embarrassed at having caught something this small. The unique catch for the day was Gabe’s octopus. It was quite a trick getting it out of the boat. Those tentacles sure can hang on. ...

Just a few random photos of the kids while driving around in the car.

We went to West Marine today to check out the fishing stuff. Lots of great fishing poles and reels, but I think we’re going to wait a bit before we make the big investment. We couldn’t resist these charts of the Monterey Bay that went straight to Gabe’s wall. Gabe and I are scoping out all the great fishing spots.

It’s always a good time for a quick trip down to the beach. Monica and Gabe don’t seem to mind the cold when they go boogie boarding. Gabe goes over to the rocks to check out what people are catching.

Charlotte and the kids decide to go for an overnight camping trip down to the Big Sur area. Sure wish I didn’t have to work. Enough of the tent, time to head for the beach. Pfeiffer state beach is very nice, but I don’t know that it lives up to its most beautiful beach status. Give me a beach in Hawaii anytime. The Big Sur coastline is always spectacular. Almost like a scene from an ancient Japanese print. ...

The day has finally arrived. Gabe and I are off for some fishing in Monterey Bay. We’ve rented one of those small boats from the Capitola pier. I don’t think we’ll be heading out anywhere near as far as when Gordon and I went out for salmon a few years ago. A great blue heron is there to see us off. No big catches on this trip, other than a few big smiles. We get a nice assortment of fish, but the end of the day brings a bit of disappointment for the big fisherman. I think he wanted to bring a 300lb tuna back. ...

We promised Gabe a fishing trip, and Loch Lomond is a nice warmup before heading for the big ocean. Charlotte worked hard at stocking Gabe’s freshwater tackle box, so we’re off. Nick and Charlotte do a bit of hiking while Gabe, Monica, and I go for a bit of rowing. The fish aren’t biting, but it’s fun anyway. We top it all off with some BBQ and melted marshmallows.