Tag Archives: Writing

Steelhead Fishing, Santa Ynez River (1948)

Posted on April 11, 2014 by Jack Elliott

A tributary of the Santa Ynez River which once was the spawning grounds of thirty-inch steelhead. Seventy years ago the Santa Ynez River in Santa Barbara County was known in California as “the most productive of all the little steelhead … Continue reading →

Posted in Santa Barbara County | Tagged Angling, Fishing, History, Nature, Photos, Santa Ynez River, Steelhead, Travel, Trout, Wildlife, Writing | 5 Comments

SPAM, Backcountry Delicacy Par Excellence

Posted on March 29, 2014 by Jack Elliott

“. . . the mouthwatering taste of SPAM® Classic seasoned with black pepper. It’s a delicious dream come true.” In a previous entry I dubbed the Santa Barbara County original, Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing, “a nutritionist’s nightmare, a glutton’s godsend.” Well, … Continue reading →

Posted in Ventura County | Tagged Backpacking, Camping, Cooking, Food, Hiking, Hiking (2), San Rafael Peak, Sespe Wilderness, SPAM, Writing | 6 Comments

Swordfish Cave, Earliest Chumash Rock Art On California’s Central Coast

Posted on February 11, 2014 by Jack Elliott

“The people venerated the swordfish because they sometimes chased whales ashore and thus the people had a lot of meat.” —Luisa Ygnacio (c. 1835-1922) “All, whatever there is in the ocean is just like everything that is here on this … Continue reading →

Posted in Santa Barbara County | Tagged Archaeology, Chumash, History, Indians, Native Americans, Petroglyphs, Photos, Pictographs, Rock Art, Swordfish, Writing | 9 Comments

Point Conception, the Cape Horn of the Pacific

Posted on February 9, 2014 by Jack Elliott

A mural of Point Conception lighthouse painted on the exterior of a building in Lompoc, California, Santa Barbara County. An accompanying reader board describes the surrounding coastline as “the mariner’s stretch of nightmare coast known as ‘the graveyard of ships.’” … Continue reading →

Posted in Santa Barbara County | Tagged History, Illustrations, Lighthouses, Non-fiction, Ocean, Pacific, Point Conception, Richard Henry Dana Jr., Sailing, Sea, Writing | 4 Comments

8@20 WNW 286°

Posted on January 29, 2014 by Jack Elliott

A lesser set wave on Friday, January 24, 2014. As an observer it’s interesting to me, the big(ger) wave event along this stretch of coastline. I surf and I surf, and I surf, through the months or even years, and … Continue reading →