We decided to continue our travels down the West Coast of the USA, pausing for a few days in Morro Bay, California. Morro Bay was a nostalgic visit for my boyfriend.

When my partner was 14 years old, sailing out of Morro Bay on a 45-foot sailboat, he had a bit of a traumatic experience. In strong coastal winds, the mast snapped in half, right near Morro Rock. He gratefully remembers the kindness of that Morro Bay community.

Truth be told, I suddenly became enthusiastic about heading to Morro Bay while we were passing through a nearby community (where drugged individuals in the street were preventing us from proceeding). As soon as we inched our way out of that situation, I had a PTSD need to escape.

The drive into Morro Bay felt beautiful.

Initially, we thought we’d camp at the Morro Bay State Park (near the Museum of Natural History). However, their showers were operated by coins, and so far on this trip, coin showers had been unpredictable, cold, or broken.

So, in Morro Bay, we decided to splurge on the rare hotel stay so we could relax and fully enjoy our own private shower, private toilet, and private bedroom. Our camping was placed on hold, for at least one night.

We immediately experienced Morro Bay’s strong winds. Sometimes it just whipped air around. At other times, the strong wind swirled walls of sand around like a tornado—fast, high, and wide. Sometimes those walls of sand would slam into us. Hard. Little. Pellets.

While dodging the sand, we watched nearby seals, sea lions, and sea otters. We actually found the otters closer to Morro Rock, near a kelp bed. The otters were easy to find as they were right off the walking path, bobbing in the water, where everyone paused to watch.

It was important to keep motions slow and voices low, to respect and protect the sea otters as they cared for their young, fed, and romped with each other. They were adorable. I couldn’t believe we could enjoy them so close to shore.

And we absolutely loved the local food at Shine Cafe, where their menu (and next-door health food store) offered plenty of delicious gluten-free vegan options. That said, I somehow only have one food photo below, when I should have umpteen.

Maybe it’s because I spent much of my time in Morro Bay reflecting on what we had witnessed in the nearby community.