Catalina: Part 1

This past weekend, I hopped on a very slow boat and visited Catalina Island for the first time to visit my wonderful and close friend Prestyn.  She is the Program Director for a camp there, The Catalina Experience.  It was so lovely to relax, get away from work, and have nothing in particular to do.  We went on a 10 mile hike (up to the airport, where we munched on bison burgers and tacos), snorkeled, paddle boarded, and laid out in the sun and enjoyed each other's company.  We caught up about life and work, talked about fish species from the Pacific Coast and dreamed of future travel adventures.  I'm so lucky to have a friend that accepts me for exactly who I am, and who I can share my nerdy side with. Who else would not bat an eye when I shouted "fox fox fox fox!" (we spotted three on our hike, and I couldn't have been more excited)

a lovely place to lie out

frolicking in the sand

Prestyn + the pier at White's Landing

I started out pretty pasty (photo by Prestyn McCord)

quails that are endemic to the island, which I grew quite fond of

Apples to Apples

prayer flags in Prestyn's hooch (worst word ever)

I saw three bison while visiting

the beginning of our hike

bison spotting

simply had to take a touristy photo with it (photo by Prestyn McCord)

funnily enough, this sign pointed to exactly where I saw a bison

we played a game called Follow the Telephone Poles

low clouds and lovely ridges

another bison

a bison rolling around in his wallow

Prestyn +her camp in the background

photo by Prestyn McCord

funnel spiders never cease to fascinate me

"I'm lichen it!" - Prestyn (the cutest)

bison prints/wallow

we both spent half the hike marveling at the views