No frolicking, no jumping out of the water doing backflips, not much action at all, just a casual swim up and then back down the beach. I’m not talking about Caroline and me, but the dolphins in the photograph above. A small pod of bottlenose dolphins was out meandering along the coast at El Capitan State Beach as casually as could be and just beyond the rolling surf. It was a moment I wished I were one of the surfers sitting between us and them so I might have an even better view, except for that first moment spotting them, thinking that dorsal fin belonged to a shark that was about to eat me.

The first part of our day was spent with my great aunt and uncle at home in Goleta, but sometimes it’s nice to get out for some John and Caroline time.

What a luxury it is to be so close to the sea, what a shame it is that so rarely are others out here with us who live right nearby.