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.