You shoulda been there

A Pacific Barracuda was logged at Pacific Grove on iNaturalist, and that is a fish almost nobody here gets to write down: one of only 5 sightings in these waters in the past year. Offshore, NDBC 46042 was having its loudest day of the week, with an average sea of 9.1 ft against 4.5 ft on its flattest day. The dominant period peaked at 17 s there, long clean energy from weather nobody on this coast saw. That is a lot of water on the move.

Also on iNaturalist that day, a Pacific Staghorn Sculpin and a Cassin's Auklet were logged at Monterey Bay, ordinary company for a rare guest. The days are shorter. Sunset came at 5:08 pm.

You totally missed it

The barracuda did not wait for the printing. A fish seen 5 times in a year is a visitor, not a resident, and it passed Pacific Grove a full day before you read this. The swell is gone too, spent on the rocks, its 17 s of patience already foam and sand. The bay keeps its own schedule. You were not on it.