Marina Dunes

We have planned to go to Jenner but decided to make a short stop at Marina Dunes, which is near Monterey. Both Avila and Ocean Cove near Jenner do not have hook ups and Ocean Cove will probably not have Cell or internet service. So we went to Marina Dunes on Tuesday. It has full hook ups and cell service. Joe will be able to do a little catch up work and we will also do laundry while we are there. We have stayed here a few years ago on a vacation  where we spent some time in Monterey and also did some kayaking at Elkhorn Slough, which is near by.

Marina Dunes RV Resort is within about 15 minutes from Monterey and Carmel. Across the street are the Dunes and there is a path for a short walk to the beach.

                                                                
                                                            

Chilling at Avila Beach

We have not been doing much of any site seeing in this area. We will be heading to Monterey where we should be doing more of that. We have just been enjoying the views, the weather, taking walks on the beach.
We did have to do some shopping, which included getting a new kindle. Unfortunately Savannah knocked over my coffee which got into my kindle. I won't leave that combination together again where she can get it.
At first it wouldn't work at all. Once it dried out, most of the buttons worked except the menu botton which of course need to read anything. We got the new third generation one that is a little smaller, thinner and lighter. Once we got it home, downloaded the book I was in the middle of, "Visit from the Goon Squad", from the computer and was set to go. Good book, by the way. The author is Jennifer Egan and this book won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction this year.
We went to the Farmers Market again on Friday. We took Savannah this time. Another nice time. Music, this week, was a group called Sparrows Gate. They are a folk group that is very Dylanesque. They were very good.
We also went back to Pete's on the Pier for some ceviche and beers. More spicy than we have usually had but very good.  Two pictures below taken from Pier

     Savannah has continued to have fun with the other dogs, playing catch with her ball and romping in the water                                            

Thar She Blows

We finally got around to taking the kayaks out. We haven't been out for awhile in the ocean. Even though they was that much of a wave, my boat got away from me when I was trying to get in it and when sideways and got dumped. Ugh, what a mess. After getting rid of most of the water and mud, made a second much more successful try. Joe and Savannah got in without any issues and so we paddled around the bay. We headed over to the Avila Pier and noticed a boat with a lot of people on it looking and pointing out to the water. Whales!!! We missed seeing some at Jalama but saw them this time. They were breaching the water and blowing water out their blow holes. Really cool. Especially as we were out in the water with them, though about a half a football field away.  Unfortunately we didn't have the camera, maybe next time.

Later in the evening we watched the news of the death of Osama Ben Laden. Congratulations to the President and Navy Seals and everyone who have been involved in this operation.

Farmers Market

We have continued to enjoy relaxing, reading,etc with Joe working part of each day. We went and checked out Lake Lopez which is outside of Arroyo Grande, about 1/2 hour from where we are staying. It has 22 miles of shoreline with plenty of activities such as boating, hiking. The campground is nice but area closest to the lake have sites pretty close together and it was pretty crowded considering it was midweek. Perhaps we will come back to kayak but still like our current location better.

Friday night we decided to go to the Farmers Maket/Fish Market. It is right in Avila on Front Street which is right next to the beach. It is only about a mile or two from where we are staying but we took a trolley that stops at the Pier and also the Front St area as well as around the surrounding area. We read on the internet that no dogs were allowed and so left Savannah home. Well when we got there, yes there was such a sign but we saw a number of dogs while we were there. I guess just some kind of law that notice had to be posted but not enforced. Anyway, sometimes we need to get away from the kids, fur type included.

It was not really that much of a market selling produce but had booths selling food, such as crepes, Indian food, fish dishes, strawberry shortcake and other desserts, etc. They also have music, which this week was Reggae. It is a nice area with several restaurants with large outdoor patios overlooking the water. Also lots of sitting areas all over.
We sat in one of the patio ares at the Custom House for a drink and steamers. Also had some large onion rings. We then walked around, and shared some clam chowder and some NYstyle cheesecake with strawberries and chocolate and carmel drizzles. Very filling and good. We listened to some music and bought some strawberries and cabbage and cilantro.

We had to catch the last trolley at 7:30 and so headed on home to our waiting puppy who had to give us lots of kisses.                                            

San Luis Port Harbor District

An easy walk from our site is the Port Harbor District and Pier. There are a number of restarurants including two at the end of the Pier.  Also on the Pier is a Fish Market and a small gift shop. The Harford wharf and pier had been built back in 1873 and had been used by smugglers to illegally move liquor during the prohibition days. In the 1950's, the district was created and funded to bring new life to the dilapidated area.
We had lunch at one of the restaurants on the Pier, Pete's Pierside Cafe. You order your food at an outdoor window and take a seat on the outdoor patio. It is a pet friendly place and there were a few other tables that had dogs sitting under them. We got fish tacos and beers. The tacos were very good with lots of fresh fish. More than you usuallly see in tacos. We just sat back and relaxed in the sun.

                                                                 

Avila Beach by way of Morro Bay

We left Jalama on Monday and made our way to Morro Bay State Park. We have stayed there before. It is a nice campground with lots of trees and across the street is the boat marina and a nice restaurant where you can sit outside with your dog. Once we set up, we drove to Pismo Beach for some shopping and decided to stop in Avila Beach to check out a camping area Joe had read about. It is Port San Luis RV Camping and is right near the Pier about a mile from the town of Avila.  There are some full hook up sites against the side of the hills and some dry camping in several turnout areas and also more camping up above.
They all have great water views and we decided to come back the next day to get a spot. They are all first come first serve. The next morning we headed back to Avila and got a great spot in one of the turnouts. It is one that we could park parallel to the shoreline so we have a great view out our big side windows.

Our motorhome above the beach area

View from our site

Another view from our site

Full hook sites

AA

Nice hook up site on one of the midlevel sites

                   Another great things about this area is that the beach is pet friendly and dogs can be off leash. Savannah gives this place 5 paws up. The day we first checked the place out we walked on the beach and she met a miniature australian shepard puppy named Sadie and they had a ball chasing each other and wrestling as puppies will do.

We signed up for two days but are thinking of staying through the weekend. Just a great place. What this life style is all about.                                                        


                                           

Chilling in Jalama

No cell phone or internet so Joe gets a little time off from work. We just relaxed and took a lot of walks on the beach. . The beach was also different than we had seen it before again due to our being here earlier than we have ever been here before.  There were many more rocks than you see in the summer as a long of the sand was gone due to the winter storms.
                                                               

                                                                                     
    Savannah is a true beach dog. Dogs can be off leash and she had a lot of fun romping around on the beach making new friends with other dogs and people.



Yummy, Crab




I love the Beach



Jumping for joy

                                                                                                                            
One day we had to have the famous Jalama burger. So good.

We ran into a couple who were parked next to us at Cattail Cove. They are Canadian and are making their way back to Canada. They have to stay in Canada for six months of the year and so only travel in the US for the other six months. They just love the places they have been in the US and really enjoy the campgrounds here. It was fun seeing them again.
We would love to stay here a few weeks but Joe needs to have internet for work and so we will leave Monday to spend some time where we know we will have that. We will leave Monday for Morro Bay.