winter at the beach

In the days after a storm (or between storms as it looks like it may be), things are often strangely beautiful in LA. For one thing, the sky is always so crystal clear that it is unlike anything I have ever seen - anywhere. Things fairly far away, like the snow-capped San Gabriel Mountains, look right next door. It's somewhat surreal. Another typical feature is that the waves are huge, which again can be surreal in how striking they are. It draws a few brave surfers out, but not as many as usual, because the crashing of the waves is pretty rough. That crashing is dramatic both visually and in how loud they are. But it seems to bring a lot out who just stare at the sea pondering and pensive at a time when the beach seems so solitary, even with others around.