Lab Hike at Point Lobos Nature Preserve

Point Lobos, CA —On Saturday, May 12th, members from the Wu Lab, Hu Lab and Liao Lab joined the Mahajan Lab at Point Lobos State Preserve just south of Carmel, California for a leisurely walk along the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. At the turn of the century, Point Lobos was home to whaling and abalone industries. Today its rich sea life attracts divers from all over the world. Divers share the ocean with seals, sea lions, and sea otters who enjoy the protection of hidden coves. Nature enthusiasts come to the preserve to get a glimpse of migrating whales and to witness the migration of a large variety of bird species. 

During the hike, the group stopped to watch cormorants stealing from their neighbor’s nests on Bird Island. At least 100 birds sat on nests that lined the island in neat rows. Just steps away at China Cove, sea lions and their pups played in the water and basked on the beach. The southern section of the trail was windy and cool, but as the trail looped north, the wind died down and the group stopped for lunch and explored tide pools that are home to urchins, snails, crabs, limpets, and green, brown, and red algae. Beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean and protected coves, great conversation, and perfect walking weather made the day a great success.