(stay)cation: standup paddle board lesson and a monterey getaway

Exhausting but exhilarating weekend. My Friday started with a stand-up paddleboarding lesson in Redwood Shores with Nicole. And because of outrigger canoe paddling and surfing, standing up on that humongous fiberglass board with a long paddle felt somewhat easy. No pictures because I can't take photos when engaged in open water activities, and that's more than okay. After the lesson, I drove immediately to Monterey. T'was cold and windy, and I turned my beach weekend into an eating vacation. Right away I spotted a seafood restaurant where the locals eat.                             

It's not a beach vacation unless I eat oysters, and omg ate 6. Should've asked the waiter if I could just order 3.

 

The oysters were ginormous.

Then I ordered the halibut special which came with penne pasta and sauteed organic vegetables. I think I prefer more tender white fish to halibut, which I find kind of tough when grilled--they're better boiled and then dipped in melted butter.

The next day at the regatta, my women's novice team of Ho'okahi Pu'uwai came in 5th in our heat, BUT I was a "loaned paddler" to the Napa's Ohana Wa'a club and our co-ed novice team came in 2nd though really we were 1st in our heat because the 1st team was penalized 10 seconds. In the finals, we came in 2nd or 3rd. I then just sat in my beach chair and watched races as well as helped with food prep and serving for our club.                

I didn't stick around for the awards ceremony and started packing up the rice cooker and foldable chair for my car. Saw this boat and thought of my parents because all 3 of us are Libra.

We finished the regatta at 2:30, and so I walked Fisherman's Wharf (ugh) and then the commercial Wharf #2, where I found the Sandbar & Grill and ate my second seafood meal of a bowl of mussels before returning to my hotel and finally collapsing into sleep. Got up the next morning to meet Nicole at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, for which we were both nostalgic.            

 

The Monterey Bay Aquarium seemed smaller than we remembered. Mainly we relished the views of the bay.

We got hungry and looked for a restaurant on Cannery Row for lunch. Nicole mentioned the 2 that were her family's favorites, and we went to the Fish Hopper. Now there's an idea for a Bloody Mary: prawns instead of bacon.                                 

I dithered over the petrale sole stuffed with crab and prawns and the sanddabs while Nicole was indecisive over seabass or halibut. She ended up going with Taste of Monterey while I went with the Sanddabs, but we both...

 

...shared the Oysters Rockefeller.

While I drank a glass of Chardonnay, Nicole drank the fancy Watermelon Cucumber Refresher, infused watermelon cucumber vodka, triple sec, fresh lime juice, and agave nectar.

We both liked what we ordered. I enjoyed my grilled sanddabs in butter lemon caper sauce with mashed potatoes and sauteed organic vegetables (every waiter seems to rave about the veggies) while she relished her Cajun seabass and prawns with artichoke ravioli and spinach and tomatoes in a cream sauce.

 

Afterward we ate mini ice cream sundaes at Ghirardelli Square and again relished the views of the bay.

I did want some more last views of the giant kelp forest, so we returned to the aquarium. Again I think we enjoyed views of the Monterey Bay more.                            

But if you're a kid, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is definitely a highlight.

I definitely love giant kelp...

 

...though the leopard sharks and rockfish and sturgeon also fascinate.

I was also entranced by the rainbow trout and steelhead.

Farewell to Monterey...

I hope to return and spend longer than a weekend, standup paddleboarding and maybe even take up an invitation by Hi'ilani 'O Ke Kai and do outrigger canoe at Del Monte Beach.