trip to malibu: fun, but ultimate failure

As if I don't get enough of the Pacific Coast Highway driving to and from work every day, Jesse and I decided to head up the coast two weekends ago to Malibu to check out the beaches. Verdict: they look much like the beaches in Santa Monica except that when you turn around you see trees and cliffs instead of city buildings. Well, that's worth something.

We went to Point Dume State Beach and headed up the bluffs for a great view. They say that this is a great place for whale-watching in November and March. After our little "hike," I was pretty hot and hopped right in the water. It was enjoyable for a little bit...nice waves, etc. But then a big one came, and like an amateur, I just stood there and screamed. I am not being dramatic here (except maybe a little): that wave smashed me to the ground, tossed me around, and spit me out on the shore. I almost lost my bathing suit, my hair was full of sand, and Jesse said I looked a little like a body that had been washed up to shore. Well, technically I was a body that had washed up to shore. It was only after I got back up to the beach chairs that I realized my knee was bleeding. It got pretty swollen that afternoon and looked awful.

I sat out the rest of the afternoon on the beach chairs, and watched everyone else playing in the waves, assuming, of course, that someone would have as hard a time as I had staying upright. But, nope, not even the little kids seemed the least bit phased by what I thought were pretty strong waves. I guess that is what happens when you grow up with the ocean as your playground.

Major upside of the day: we saw a school of dolphins AND a seal swim by. That almost made up for the wounded knee.

P.S. Over a week later, my knee still hurts. Is this what happens in your thirties?

Westward Beach, where we were

Another beach we saw from the bluffs, a little more secluded

Westward Beach again