The solstice of Dec. 21, our shortest day of the year, begins the winter season. A series of extreme high tides from 6.5 to 7 feet will wash up in the mornings, with corresponding very low tides in the afternoons. The solstice is paired with the peak of the Ursa meteor shower. This shower is easier to find, originating in Ursa Minor, the Little Bear—or, as we know it, the Little Dipper.
Rain has turned the hillsides green, while the bright red berries of a tall, broad-leafed shrub known as toyon or California holly (Heteromeles arbutifolia) have added some holiday color. These sprays of berries were roasted and eaten by Coast Miwok. The Mexican-rooted Californios of the early 19th century adapted the recipe and added sugar to the roasted berries for a cider-like drink.
The first large male northern elephant seal has arrived at the main colony, below the headlands and not in a convenient viewing spot. This colony is typically larger than the Drakes Beach group and is where the first seals pulled up in 1981 before coming around to the Chimney Rock area.
If you are spending time puddle jumping in the Bear Valley dirt parking lot, you may notice what look like moving wires: horsehair worms living out a brief life in wet environs.