I wasn’t surprised when I woke up New Year’s Day morning to a blue sky. During my lifetime I’ve been amazed at how infrequently it rains on New Year’s Day.
Growing up, my family enjoyed watching the Rose Parade go along Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, and I recall some very chilly nights and mornings there, but rarely any rain even during a wet year. The Rose Bowl game in the stadium warmed us up.
In the week preceding New Year’s Day this year however, we’ve had some gully-washer storms that dropped copious quantities of rain on the coastal flood plain, and even more in our coastal mountains and the back ranges. My daughter Heather Dunning and her husband Jim visited Paradise Road and found the water was high enough that the road was closed at the first crossing.
Our lakes are rising nicely. It is fun visiting Cachuma Lake after a big rain. I’ve been fishing there, sitting in a lawn chair at water’s edge and had to get up and move the chair up the slope a bit to keep from sitting in water that was rising fast enough to watch it eat up shoreline. I remember catching catfish that were patrolling the shoreline to see what edibles might have washed into the lake.
With good weather the first week of the new year, I encourage you to go look at our local water spots. Paradise Road is a fun place, and the roar of the river brings smiles to drought-saddened faces. Cachuma Lake is gorgeous and the new restaurant there has some nice outdoor seating with stunning views.
If you have a plane or are able to rent a plane or helicopter, it is worth a flight over the entire watershed above Cachuma Lake. Gibraltar and Jameson reservoirs are also holding impressive amounts of water right now, and the river looks lively all along the watershed.
Another highly recommended spot to visit this week is Nojoqui Falls Park. Take the walk and go see the falls. When the water flow is strong, that is an impressive spot to enjoy. Not far from there is the stream that runs along Hwy. 101 and flows into the sea at Gaviota State Park. It is a stream worthy of taking a walk along.
Right in Goleta we have a surprisingly scenic lake — Lake Los Carneros. It is just big enough to be called a lake instead of a pond, and after good rains, it swells to capacity. There are lots and lots of nice places around the lake to enjoy a picnic. It can actually be a decent fishing lake, too, with a variety of fish.
We’re pretty lucky here to have such gorgeous water spots, but it is easy to forget about them during prolonged droughts when there isn’t much to look at. When we get a break from the drought like we have now, get out there and enjoy those water spots. Maybe I’ll see you there.
— Capt. David Bacon operates WaveWalker Charters and is president of SOFTIN Inc., a nonprofit organization providing seafaring opportunities for those in need. Visit softininc.blogspot.com to learn more about the organization and how you can help. Click here to read previous columns. The opinions expressed are his own.
