Day 5

Good Morning


Jeremiah and I had our alarm set for 6:30am to get up for whale watching. At 6:10am, however, my mother knocks on our door wanting us to get up, even though the plan isn't to leave the house until 7:30am.


Jeremiah and I are ready by 7:00am. We offer multiple times to help pack lunches and get everything ready, but our offers are ignored.


At 7:20am, Jennifer's fiancé Lionel shows up with Starbucks. Thank goodness. He has written "BECCA BOO" on my cup. Apparently he has learned it is my family nickname, and I think it is very sweet of him.

Starbucks coffee cup with name written on white paper cup.

Whale Watching


We leave the house around 7:40am and make our way to Moss Landing. We all have regular tickets, which get you on the main level of the whale watching tour boat. I end up getting a free upgrade since it is my 30th birthday. The upgraded ticket allows me to go to the upper deck. My mom goes and gets everyone upgraded tickets so we can all stick together. Almost the whole California family is present. We board the Sea Goddess, ready to see whales!


We immediately see an otter in the pier. As we leave the pier, we come across a group of dolphins. Trivia bit: a group of dolphins is called a pod. They don't surface, so we only get to see a bit of their backs as they came up for air.


We go further out into the bay where we find a humpback mother (cow) and her baby (calf). The calf breaches a few times for us, which is incredible!


On the way back to port, we see some sea lions and another otter. We are truly blessed to see so many animals!

Two whales swimming side by side in blue ocean waters.
Dolphin fin breaking through calm blue ocean waters.
Humpback whale surfacing in blue ocean waters.
A humpback whale breaks the ocean surface, showing its dark body against misty blue waters.
Whale surfacing among seabirds in misty ocean waters.
Boats docked at a marina with calm water reflections in the harbor.
Dolphin surfacing in tranquil turquoise waters.
Couple enjoying a boat ride together on the ocean.
Rolling ocean waves create a serene blue seascape under misty skies.
Whale tail rising majestically from blue ocean waters.
Humpback whale performing an elegant breach against a bright blue ocean backdrop.
Majestic humpback whale breaching in bright blue ocean waters on a clear day.
Calm marina waters reflect docked boats and harbor infrastructure.
Weathered fishing boats docked at a marina with blue and white paint schemes.
Tour boat named Goddess Fantasy docked at a marina with passengers boarding.

Moss Landing State Beach


After disembarking, we all load back into our cars and make our way over to Moss Landing State Beach. 


Jeremiah somehow spots an otter near the rocks on the coast, all wrapped up in seaweed. It is so well wrapped that I am convinced he is mistaken until I am within ten feet of the otter. The otter has entangled itself so that it won't float away while it naps. 


My parents stay near the car, but the rest of us are down on the rocks admiring the otter and other sea creatures we can find, including a huge purple starfish!

Sandy path winds through coastal dunes covered in green vegetation.
Figure hiking up a steep coastal hill covered in lush green vegetation.
Baby ducks swimming among lily pads and debris in murky water.
Close-up of moss growing on weathered rock formation with textured surface.

Relaxing Afternoon


It's time to head home, but we first go into Santa Cruz for coffee. Jeremiah and I get blended coffees from Santa Cruz Coffee Roasting Company.


We head back to the house, where Jeremiah and I play Matching with Omer for a few rounds. We also complete four puzzles with him.


One of my requests for my 30th birthday is to have a seafood dinner. We all go to King's Fish House, where Lionel very generously paid for dinner.


We return to the house. My mother has baked me apple pie for my birthday (my other special request). The family sings me happy birthday, and we eat the delicious pie. Seriously, my mom makes the best pies.


I open my gifts after we are done eating pie. I receive a Polish pottery piece that is a pitcher with a bunny design on it from my parents. Jennifer and my sister Katrina (who is in Montana at the time) gift me a baseball tote purse and baseball Keds. Lionel gifts me a gnome from Germany that he had purchased when he was there a few weeks prior.


It's a lovely birthday, and I am deeply grateful for my family.