Giant Dipper

Today was one of those unbelievable days in Northern California - 75 degree F at the beach (23.8 C). I was fortunate to be invited on a O'Neill Sea Odyssey outing. This is a group that takes elementary school students on a 60' catamaran for a sale on Monterey Bay (off the shores of Santa Cruz California). These students are mostly from resource limited schools and most of them have never been out on the ocean, let alone on a beautiful boat like the O'Neill cat.

The students learn the importance of watershed management and are introduced to marine species found off the coast. They are instructed on the importance of recycling and trash management to prevent ocean contamination and pollution. They are shown how they can be empowered to make a difference. I've been on several of these outings and can tell you that it makes an impression on them and they understand their role in watershed management when they are through.

The photo I chose was the famous Santa Cruz Boardwalk and its main feature - the "Giant Dipper."

If viewed large, you can see the cars coming down the largest "dip" as riders raise their hands off the rail to show their courage. It's quite a ride, old and rickety. It's been a Santa Cruz attraction for 85 years and has had over 50 million riders. Additional information for fun.

Enjoy!