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McWay Falls and McWay Cove
I shot this photo of McWay Falls and McWay Cove, at daybreak in November 2015.
This week (January 28, 2021), a section of California Highway 1 that runs through Big Sur along the Pacific coast washed away after heavy rains in the area.
Reading that news, I opened my catalog of photos I've taken in that area.
Located in the Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, this overlook of McWay Falls and McWay Cove is perhaps a half-mile walk from the McWay Falls parking
There's a pullout on the highway but the view is not as good. The falls and cove are named for the homesteader that first laid claim to the lands
Tidefall
The McWay Falls is one of only two tidefalls in California. A tidefall is a waterfall that drops into the sea. Technically, it's now only a tidefall at high tide. A series of storms with heavy rainfall in 1983 caused a mudslide which resulted in the beach you see to the left of the image. It's like deja vu all over again.
After the 1983 mud slides it took a year to rebuild and reopen the road. It's too early to tell how long last week's mud slide will take to repair.
Accommodations
There are lots of hotels and camping opportunities in Big Sur.
We were staying at the Glen Oaks, about 12 miles to the north. In the daylight, it's a pretty drive. In the darkness, not so much with all the twists and turns of the road cut into the mountain edge.
After shooting, at around 9:30 am, we drove back to Glen Oaks for breakfast at the Cottages Grocery Restaurant. Pre-COVID, the restaurant was buzzing with customers even at 10:00 am. I'm sure they're looking forward to the return of those days.
Image Capture:
Image Processing:
- Simple contrast adjustments in Adobe Lightroom
- Adjustments in Adobe Photoshop
- Adjustments in Nik Color Efex Pro 4 by DxO
