Pictures!!
Kristy had her digital camera at hand this weekend, so once again there is photographic documentation of our adventures!! First up, the chickens, as seen above, and in three other pictures.
Secondly, well secondly Matt "Papa Smurf" Wilkerson, Raoul Haeck and Desiree Covey joined Kristy & I for dinner on Friday at BJs and it was excellent. I really liked their "Tatonka Stout."
Thirdly, Kristy & I went to the Phi Alpha Delta (of UCSD!) Formal at Sea World.
As you can see, I am now so elderly it looks like I'm going bald!!!
(six more pictures from formal)
In addition to us, there was a contingent from UCLA there. The location and food was extremely excellent. Also, an open bar for an hour -- all this for just $30 / person!
Incidentally, all the UCI Φ A Δ chapter is not having a formal of their own, but rather going to the Formal hosted by Cal State Northridge. I think some other chapters may be as well, making it a kind of uber Φ A Δ event. At $55 / person and in Burbank, however, Kristy & I decided to opt for the convenient and highly cost effective San Diego one instead.
And now for our feature presentation, the Coronado Islands!
Kristy got tickets for the two of us for a nature cruise to the Coronado Islands for my birthday. The Coronado Islands are four rocky islands off Tijuana in Mexican waters. They have only one place of human habitation, plus a lighthouse or two, but large populations of harbour seals, sea lions, elephant seals, and various birds.
Notable history of the islands includes the use of the one cove in the islands by a pirate during the gold rush, who plundered ships passing to and from the California gold fields. More recently, in 1943, apparently, a Lieutenant L Ron Hubbard, commanding a US Navy patrol boat, bombarded one of the Coronado Islands as an impromptu "target practice." Due to the fact that he was supposed to have returned to port already, he was not authorized to anchor in Mexican territory or undertake any target practice, much less onto Mexican territory, Lt Hubbard was relieved of command. This genius would of course go on to found Scientology. (Maybe he had discovered the Coronado Islands were a secret lair of Xenu)
The "Bright And Morning Star" -- what kind of name is that?
Also, I have no idea why that little lookout tower has a cross and Star of David on it.
Land ho!
This miniscule village is the only non-government habitation (there may also be a few Mexican Navy / Coastguard persons stationed in lonely lighthouses)
These cute little sausages are harbour seals. Bigger version of the picture is better.
Lighthouse? See also.
Cormorants!
The big sausages here are elephant seals. The smaller ones are sea lions.
Or see the bigger version of this sausage party.
and returning to SD.
We also saw several submarines in the submarine base. They looked like giant sausages.
Or, of course, you can view these pictures plus more on flickr.