What shark?!

Hey did I ever tell you about the vacation in LA and I almost was eaten by a shark? No? Really? Well, the shark didn't eat me since I am here to tell you about it. 

I actually took a week's vacation. Elle and I went on a Theme Park vacation. We started at Santa Cruz Beach and Boardwalk then went to Pismo Beach then on down to Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm then home. 

We were so excited to get going that we stopped in San Francisco and played around there for a while and then on to Santa Cruz. We had a great time at Santa Cruz.

On to Pismo Beach. I gotta say I was little disappointed. I thought it would be more like Santa Cruz. Not just a pier and not much more. 

Then we were in LA. We found a motel for the rest of our stay in LA close to Disneyland and a discount for paying cash. Do they still have that? Cash? What's cash you say. These  little green slips of paper. Yeah I don't carry any anymore either. Debit card city. But I digress. 

We make our plans. Off to Disneyland (my first time) the next day and then Knotts Berry Farm sometime in the next few days and then ... well we'll see.

Now one thing you need to know about my friend Elle. She loves the water. Our motel had to have a pool and we had to make it to the ocean. She is also very friendly. So she was hanging out at the pool and I was in our room figuring out how to get to the Hard Rock Cafe the next day. She comes back and says she made friends at the Pool with a family and they are taking us to Newport Beach about 15 miles away. Cool. Who? Well, I guess it's okay.

The next day we go with this family. They seem friendly enough. We pile in their non-descript van. I am bit nervous by this time. We don't know these folks. It's Mom, Dad, Son and Daughter. As I think back on it could have been the Griswolds. But Elle we don't know these people. They don't know us. What were you thinking? After all it is her idea. I am just along for the ride. That's my story and I am sticking to it.

We did end up at Newport Beach (as I white-knuckled it and was having visions of being tied up and held for ransom.) But we made it. There are 8 million people in LA. Newport Beach is a famous beach. A big famous beach. There were 3 people at the beach. What is wrong with this picture? The gate was open. We entered the parking lot and didn't have any trouble finding a parking place. We got our things out and were marveling at the fact we really scored with the whole beach to ourselves. AWESOME!!! Cool. 

For some reason it didn't bother us that there was 1 older couple walking about a half mile down the beach and only 1 other person a half mile the other way. It was in the afternoon and a beautiful day. We went swimming in the ocean and splashed each other and threw each other around. And generally had a great time. The water was warm! We marveled at how our feet sunk in the sand so quickly in the sand with each wave. We could swim out in the waves and not freeze. Whohoo. Great time. 

Now it's time to leave. We pack up. The sun is going down. What a great day. The family is really cool. They really were very nice. We are in the van and heading out the way we came but the gate is now closed and locked. After driving around we can't find a way out so we basically broke out. Like breaking out of prison. It was a bit of an adventure. We went over a hill and burn then the sidewalk and out on the road. Off road 4 wheeling. Whohoooo. Fun. We went back to the motel, said goodbye to this very nice family (they were leaving the next day) and generally were pretty pleased with ourselves.

So this was on a Wednesday. We had other adventures in LA and decided a couple of days later to head home. We get home on Saturday and we are telling my folks about our trip and what a good time we had. Then my mother asks the question that stumps us both. The one that says we are so lucky. We have kept our guardian angels busy this week.

Mother - "So did you see the shark?" 

Us - Hunh? "What shark?" 

Mother - "The one that was spotted at in LA." 

Us - "Where in LA?"

Mother - "Newport Beach."

Us - "WHEN?"

Mother - "Wednesday."

Immediately I hear da dun da dun da dun the theme from Jaws is loud in my mind and I can see that large great white eating that boat the Orca. What shark? There are so many different kinds after all. It could much ado about nothing after all. 

A great white she says was spotted not 50 feet off shore. 

Now we know why there was no one on the beach that day. And why the gate was locked. 

Elle and I just looked at each other with our mouths open and said "Nope, didn't see it."