September is a great time to be alive and place kicking on the central coast. Temperature wise it’s the warmest month of the year and days like the last few with warm summer breezes give Santa Cruz its well-deserved reputation of a paradise by the sea with cold water. There’s something magical about living on the edge of the continent . Or as the quote by a now deceased local resident on a bench along West Cliff Drive reads, “I live by the sea. Enough said.”

These first four shots are from a fabulous sunrise at Lighthouse Point from back in November of 2005. This was an outstanding morning to be an American League fan with a camera. The last two photos were shot at sunset at Natural Bridge State Beach. Reflections on an afternoon spent riding the waves in the blue Pacific. Or as my friend Carol puts it, “End of a perfect day at NB’s.”

You may have sometime wondered. Just who was it that discovered this watery piece of real estate? Magellen, Cortez, Dick Clark? Actually, it was Vasco de Nunez de Balboa, who while in Panana in 1513 was told by the Indians of a sea on the other side of the Isthmus. On September 1, Balboa set out to discover this great sea, taking with him 190 Spanish soldiers, a pack of dogs and 1,000 Indian slaves. It took 25 days to wade thru the dense jungles of Panama before they came upon the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean. What an incredible moment that must have been. Clad in full armor, Balboa waded into the water and claimed the sea and the all the shores on which it washed the property of the King of Spain. For his efforts, Balboa, one of the greatest explorers of the new world, was later condemned as a traitor and charged with treason and condemned to death by a governor jealous of his successes. He met his death by the executioner’s axe. Shouldn’t someone have given him a head’s up on that? And by the way, it was the Portuguese explorer Magellen, not Balboa, who bestowed the ocean its name “Pacifica,” meaning peaceful because the waters seemed so calm.

So now you’re probably wondering, if Rocky Balboa discovered the Pacific, who was it that discovered California? I’m glad you inquired. The honor goes to Portuguese navigator Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo, who scoped it out upon his arrival in San Diego Bay for a Chargers-Raiders game in 1542. Spain wanted him to find an easier route to the Pacific rather than the long loop around South America. They were hoping to find a route thru the American continent via an alleged northwest passage called the Strait of Anian. So as Cabrillo sailed up and down the coast of California, every time he saw a big river, he wondered if he had found the passage. He claimed California for the Spanish crown and as all explorers were required to do when they encountered a new group of Indians, read them an explanation called a “requerimiento”. It was an act of taking possession of the land and was read in Spanish, Latin and Yiddish, none of which the Indians understood. It basically ordered the Indians to submit their land to Spain because of religious justification ordered by the pope. Ah, to be young again and a conquistador.

And finally, for our first blog of the new month, birthday wishes go out to the wild west legend Jesse James, who following the civil war, formed a group of outlaws with his brother Frank that robbed banks, trains and stagecoaches. In 1882, after the governor of Missouri offered a $10,000 reward for their capture dead or alive, a member of the gang shot Jesse in the back of the head and claimed the reward. You just don’t see that kind of loyalty any more. So on that note enjoy the day and the colors in the sky. In the words of The Happenings and their #1 hit from the summer of 1966, “See you in September.”

To finish off this week of incredibly, beautiful Hawaiian-like weather here on the central coast, let’s journey back to July and a foggy morning down at Cowell’s Beach. Unlike the past few days, the marine layer tends to hang off the coast like groupies backstage at an Aerosmith concert. It usually breaks around midday and going from overcast gray to Pacific blue is always a delight and this day proved to be no exception.

The first three shots are from that morning but to give you some real Cowell’s contrast I went back into the photo vault and pulled out these items. The fourth shot is Cowells before sunrise, the fifth an early afternoon cloud conference and the last shot a late winter rainbow that had the crowd buzzing. As you can see from the wetsuits in the water, Cowell’s Beach is one of the best places in the world to learn how to surf. All the energy pushing around Steamer’s Lane and Lighthouse Point mellows out by the time it gets to Cowells and the result is a long, gentle, easy wave that breaks for a very long time.

Cowell’s is one of the most crowded surfing spots in Santa Cruz but most of the surfers are beginners so there’s very little animosity, unlike in the stands at an Oakland Raider game. And with the resurgence of modern longboarding, Cowell’s has become more popular than ever. And finally, a shout out goes to New York Yankee Hall of Fame shortstop Phil Rizzuto, who passed away this week after a four-decade career as the team’s broadcaster. Phil’s stream of consciousness commentary included his love of cannolis and his fear of snakes, lightning and traffic and called anyone who made a mistake a “huckleberry.” He also figured in a memorable plot point of a “Seinfeld” episode because of a key chain that uttered his most famous exclamation, “Holy Cow!” and that phrase is what landed him on today’s blast. Thanks for all the memories, Scooter and rest in peace. Enjoy Cowells and the weekend.