La Selva Overlook
La Selva is Spanish for "The Forest". About 6 miles south of Santa Cruz, the little well-hidden hamlet of La Selva Beach sits on a forested bluff overlooking a vast expanse of beach that stretches for many miles in both directions. The beach is a favorite of surfers, who park at the Overlook and jog like sure-footed goats down the cliffs, across the railroad tracks (which carry the daily cement-train from Davenport to Watsonville), then down more cliffs to get to the beach.
The Overlook is also a favorite of sunset-watchers and sunset-photographers, both of which are also seen in this photograph. On this particular day, the surf was up and a bright moon would make for excellent night-surfing, long after the sunset-watchers were gone.
This is also a great place to watch monster winter waves, beautiful post-storm clouds, and to catch the first light of day over the ocean.
Hey, bring a picnic and some friends. Any excuse will do; it's a rare place of tranquility along the busy coast of California.