Strolling Around Ventura

If Friday was bicycling day in Ventura, today was walking day.  We decided to take a longer coffee walk this morning and headed north along the beach toward the Emma Wood State Beach Campground, in the distance, where maybe 30 RV's were parked right on the land overlooking the beach.  You can see them in the distance in this photo:

Just below our campground, some nameless structure on the beach has been graced with people's art and seems to be the better for it:

As we headed up the beach, we encountered a strange couple and decided to take their photo:

All along the beaches of Ventura there are hordes of water birds of many varieties, perhaps the greatest number and variety we've seen since the Everglades.  Here, some little flying ones are congregating at water's edge, waiting to see what the tide brings in for breakfast:

Birds of another kind populate the beaches, and here we see signs of one kind left, presumably, from some romantic evening watching the sun set over the Pacific:

Eventually we got to the RV campground that was our goal.  The rigs were parked all along the beach, front or back facing the ocean, each with a large, primitive stone fireplace and beach access.  It was clear these people were enjoying the beauty and solitude:

On our walk back to our RV park, an Amtrak train came roaring by.  Thus the rule is proved that no RV campground can exist anywhere except between highways and railroads:

As we turned to continue on our way, we heard the purring sound of a small gasoline engine from above.  We looked up and saw two ultralight aircraft cruising down the beach just about 50 feet in the air:

After a hearty breakfast and some catching up on things (including admiring a quilt Dave's sister Leslie sent us), we headed out for a walk south along the beach into downtown Ventura.  The Ventura River empties into the Pacific between our campground and the city.  Where it spreads to flow into the ocean, it forms a rich, green estuary where dozens of different types of shore birds congregate:

Once back around to the ocean, we started to see the human wildlife, including this solitary paddleboarder, paddling his way into the afternoon sun:

Looking south along the promenade, the Ventura Pier beckoned from beyond a row of lush palm trees:

From the pier, Surfers Point, where we had been looking from the promenade, stuck out into the ocean, creating a beautiful cove for the sunbathers, surfers, dog walkers, residents and tourists:

The pier itself was bustling with fishermen, lining both sides, trying their luck at casting bait to the fishes.  Ventura itself sets upon the hill in the background:

The pier had originally been constructed as a wharf in 1872 to permit loading and unloading of cargo on ocean-going ships.  Eventually, after the railroad caused the eclipse of ocean shipping for more local traffic, the wharf embarked on a new life as a pier for the enjoyment and recreation of local people.

This cause us to wonder:  What IS the difference between a wharf (which this structure was originally when the cargo ships came in) and a pier (which is what it is now, when the people walk out on it and fish and such)?  AZWritingCoach answers the question this way:

"Otis Redding was sitting on the dock of the bay, watching the tide roll away. When you visit San Francisco, you simply must go to Fisherman’s Wharf, and perhaps wander out on Pier 39. What’s the difference between a dock, a wharf and a pier? 

"San Francisco gives us the best visual example: 

"• A wharf is a structure running parallel to the shoreline to which boats tie up to load or unload cargo or passengers.
"• A pier has the same function, except it sticks out into the water perpendicular to the shoreline.
"• Dock means the areas between all these structures where the ships are. It has also come to mean the whole area, including the structures. 

"So Otis would have been better off sitting on the wharf or pier of the bay. But that wouldn’t have had quite the same ring to it."

We pondered the significance of this as we walked up California Street into historic downtown Ventura and found what turned out to be a very good, and inexpensive, Indian restaurant.  With the off-putting name "Bollywood" (it is one of a chain of three restaurants started in Studio City), it nevertheless convinced us that the owners know what they are doing as far as genuine Indian cuisine is concerned.

We headed on back to our RV, stopping to pick up some groceries, and made a bee line over to the hot tub for some warm water therapy.  Here's Kathy enduring the regimen:

David didn't mind it himself:

We paused to enjoy the palm trees swaying in the early evening sky, with the temperate breezes blowing on us as we soaked our sore muscles:

Now it's time to run over and enjoy a live music show the campground is offering, which will just about finish up the day.  Have a good night, all.