Jalama Beach (January 23rd)

We relied on Tobia’s cellphone to wake us up Wednesday morning. We had a quick breakfast at our Inn and figured we’d head out in hopes of meeting the Coast Guard. David told me that we would meet at the Jalama Beach Store at 10am.

Driving conditions out to Jalama Beach were really bad. Parts of the road were completely flooded and others just rough. It took us almost an hour to drive out there, twice as long as expected. We pulled into a completely empty Jalama Beach Store area (even the store was closed), and parked the car at our meeting spot. To say it was raining hard would be an understatement. Our car fogged up within about a minute of our turning it off. It was just a few minutes after 9:30am when we sat back and waited anxiously.

Less than 5 minutes later, to my excitement, two cars were pulling in. The first was a sedan and the other an SUV. Through the fog I could see the license plate on the SUV, and it said “Government”. Ecstatically, I hopped right out of the car and walked towards the two cars. A middle aged couple emerged out of their car and we quickly chatted each other up, making sure we were both headed to Point Conception Lighthouse.

The other car passengers took a couple minutes to get out. When they did, I knew we’d see Point Conception- two Coast Guard uniformed gentlemen emerged and we quickly chatted them up too.

The locked gate, keeping people off Cojo Ranch (last sold in January 2007 for $135 million).

We waited for the others to show up and eventually after discussing the ground rules again, all us guests hopped in Brian’s (an oceanographer from Cal Poly who had a monstrous van, courtesy of the university) van, and followed the Coast Guard to Cojo Ranch, a few minutes away.

This was one of the smaller pot holes in the road rising up to the lighthouse.

We pulled up to Cojo Ranch and the Coast Guard captain opened the gate for us.

We drove for about 25 minutes, the end of which constituted some atrocious pot holes in the road. I was surprised our Cal Poly van (with 7 of us inside) could make it up the heavy slope with the horrid road and rain.

Getting out of the car, staring over the wall, we saw Point Conception Lighthouse for the first time.

As soon as we stopped, I immediately hopped out and peered over the short wall separating us from a roughly 200 foot fall down the hill to the lighthouse. It was breathtaking and made me shake nervously. On top of it all, the fog horn went off every 5 or so seconds, breaking the silence, almost as if ringing in the next act at a play. I don’t know if it was just the anticipation of finally being here that overtook me, or the beauty, or both, but I was not be able to slow down for the next 2 hours we would spend there.

At the bottom of the steep rocky hill is the lighthouse.

The Coast Guard guys had work to do.

We descended just over 150 steps down to the lighthouse, far from any form of civilization. There were a few bluffs extending out from the main lighthouse area, and they made for some beautiful views of the lighthouse. We also got to climb up into the lense room. It rained hard the entire time we were there, but it didn’t slow any of us down from appreciating things just the same. In fact, the gray rainy skies seemed to be the perfect background for this day and location. The air was cool and clear.

I had to get a picture with the lighthouse in the soaking rain.	View to the South East.	A different angle of the lighthouse.	Another angle.
Yet another angle, I wanted it all!	One of my favorite pictures of this lighthouse. I love the unique rock here and seeing the lighthouse on top of it. Waves crashing right below.	Looking up from below.	If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that was my dad in the picture, except he’s a bit taller.
More of that unique, rugged rock to the North West.	Didn’t want to leave any angle out. Don’t know if I’ll ever get to see this beauty again.	Another really nice one. We had to inch really close to the end of the bluff to get this one.	One last angle and picture of the lighthouse as the last Coast Guard officer finishes up.

Tobia and Arnon

After the Coast Guard finished their maintenance, we climbed back up the stairs from the lighthouse and ultimately headed back to the Jalama Beach store where all 7 of us had lunch together before parting our own ways.

The main street in Solvang, not too far from Point Conception.

One of the couples on the trip suggested we stop at Solvang before returning home. We ended up at a nice café in Solvang, stayed for a little while, and finally made the 4.5 hour drive back north to get back home. It rained through all of Central California, but eased up as we got closer to home.

All difficulties, anticipation and excitement aside, this was the most beautiful lighthouse terrain I have seen in all my trips. It was well worth the effort to get to Point Conception.