A Walk at Sunset Beach State Park by Tina Fay Tillotson
Sunset Beach State Park, near Watsonville / Pajaro Dunes
I love the beach, and I miss living close to the ocean back in Orange County, having moved to Gilroy a year and a half ago. So, when a fellow teacher invited me and another colleague to take a walk on the beach close to his house, I was delighted. The home was nestled on the most charming bit of land, part ranch, part beachy cottage.
But it was the walk to this private part of Sunset State Beach / Pajaro Dunes that was so incredibly unique. Our walk led us alongside a strawberry farm full of endless, lush, rows overflowing with ripe, juicy, strawberries. I have never seen farmland tucked next to a beachside property, it was such a novel experience, I couldn’ t stop marveling at what a delight it was to have these strawberries, in their ripe, red, glory, guiding us all the way to the beach.
I was amazed at how many pelicans were roaming around this private area that we were exploring. Come to find out, parts of this beach are sanctioned off from the public as a breeding and nesting area for the pelicans during the winter months, and in the Spring, they migrate as far North as British Columbia. I had the good fortune of visiting this beach when the pelicans were abundant and agreeable to pose for photographs. This is my favorite shot from the beach-walk. I was lucky to catch one bird flying through the scene, and I like the repeating pattern of the unmistakable, silhouetted pelicans, and the long triangle of dry sand that points towards their path.
This lovely beach is just 35 minutes from Gilroy, going South on the 101 and the CA129 West.
Tina Fay Tillotson teaches photography at CHS in Gilroy. Growing up in Orange County, California. She earned a bachelor’ s in art history & photography from Chapman University and a master’ s in education from Grand Canyon University. She has been practicing Photography since her freshman year in high school and it continues to be her passion today.“ I have two amazing daughters that mean the world to me and give me so much joy, and I am blessed and grateful to be teaching Photography at Christopher High School.”
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