Long Time No Speak

Good morning and greetings, harbor and Navy Seal fans.  My name is Geoff Gilbert, and I have been writing a weekly photo blog for the last four years at SunriseSantaCruz.com that features the beauty of this cold-water paradise on California's central coast.

Also included in these weekly adventures inside my mind and stream of unconsciousness are references to news, lots of weather, sports, television, rock n' roll lyrics, past life experiences and as many metaphors as I can fit into a sentence.     

So, wow, patch.com.  Who knew?  I remembered riding a horse named Patches back at sleep-away camp, but I had no idea that it would someday lead to this position of cyber prominence.  Growing up in New Jersey, I did not know that one day I would be shooting spectacular sunrises over Monterey Bay while writing blogs about sea lions, killer tornadoes and my son's no-look passing and jump serving.  I had never wanted to do anything besides runway modeling.          

So I'm ready to jump on board and show you the incredible beauty that is Santa Cruz, California, where the redwoods meet the sea and homeless.  But even more importantly, I'm hoping to bring a smile to your face, or perhaps even some laughter, because that is what my rabbi told me is the gift I have been given.  Well, that and being a Brad Pitt look-alike.     

Today's photo is representative of where I'm coming from on the photographic front.  It's called "Orange Explosion" and was taken on Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday back in 2005.  It's also the first sunrise I ever took my daughter to.  When we got down to West Cliff Drive, the sky was on fire with color.  My then eight-year-old asked me, "Daddy, is the sky always like this is the morning?" I replied, "Only on national holidays."     

So that's our first date.  Although it was short, I thought it went okay.  I'll catch you somewhere near midcourt.  Aloha, mahalo and, later, sports fans.