Over Palos Verdes Peninsula

My son took me for a perfect flight around the peninsula on the last day of last year. Prominant in this view is the Palos Verdes High School, designed by Richard Neutra in 1961.

Flying High over Horseshoe Cove

Taken last May from the back seat of a Citabria, with my son as the pilot.

"R" is for Rock (abc Wednesday)

The busiest approach to Palos Verdes is Hawthorne Blvd, coming from Torrance, and what I call "PV Rock" - the hill in the photo - towers over the street as it starts the climb up the hill. I took the photo in 2008 from the back seat of a Cessna 172 upon leaving Torrance Airport with my son and his flight instructor.

Join ABC Wednesday.

'O' is for Overhead Overview- PVHS (2009 & 1967)

Join ABC Wednesday.

Aerial view of Palos Verdes High School (designed by Richard Neutra), photographed in May 2009
Photo of PVHS from 1967 yearbook, curtesy of the Palos Verdes Library - Local History Room.

"26 Miles Across the Sea, Santa Catalina is A-waitin' for..."

My lucky son took these photos on his flight over Catalina Island today. (I had so stay home so it was just him and his flight instructor viewing this amazing scenery.)

Looking NW, past the Isthmus toward the northern tip

"Twenty- six miles across the sea
Santa Catalina is a-waitin' for me
Santa Catalina, the island of romance, romance, romance, romance

Water all around it everywhere
Tropical trees and the salty air
But for me the thing that's a-waitin' there-romance..." 26 Miles by The Four Preps, recorded in 1958

The Isthmus of Santa Catalina (with the white Bird Rock).

The cliffs on the "hidden side", the coast not facing the mainland.

At Crystalaire Airport (Monochrome Monday)

The back of San Gabriel Mts (from small private airport in Llano, CA).
Above Crystalaire airport (taken last March during my 1-of-2 rides in a glider). The band "above" the airstrip is the California aquaduct.
Moon over Saddleback-like mountain.

Check out all of Alieni's Monochrome Weekly submissions by clicking here .

Long Point - 2009 and 1960

New Terranea Resort at Long Point (opened June 2009) - aerial photo from last May's flight with my son and his instructor.
Marineland of the Pacific, circa 1960's. (Curtesy of PV Interpretive Center poster).

Aerial view of Portuguese Bend

I took the aerial photo last May, on an overcast day with the top of the peninsula covered in low clouds. Yesterday's Rancho Palos Verdes fire was in this vicinity (I think toward the right of the picture). Notice the dry grass that was the perfect fuel for the fire. We are all so thankful that the fire is contained with no injuries, but sadly six homes were damaged. Last night, I watched the news in awe of the firefighters on the ground and in the helicopters, battling the blaze. My hopes are now that the other fires still burning in LA County will be contained very soon.

"T" is for Twenty-Niner Left at Torrance Airport

Coming in for a landing after the flight around the peninsula, on last Mother's day, with my student pilot son and his instructor.

From City of Torrance web page:
"Runways:
29R-11L 5,000 feet by 150 feet asphalt paving
29L-11R 3,000 feet by 75 feet asphalt paving
33 Degrees-48 Minutes-12.09 Seconds-North Latitude
118 Degrees-20 Minutes-19.31 Seconds-West Longitude
These two runways are capable of handling a maximum aircraft weight of 20,000 lbs. per wheel. The combination of length and weight capacity makes the runways near ideal for general aviation, but are not recommended for air carrier type aircraft.
The airport is 101 feet above sea level, and is served by an FAA Control Tower. Modem navigational safety aids are in use to assure safe takeoff and landing operations. "

Join Mrs. Nesbitt's ABC Wednesday Round 4!

'Q' is for Quarry - Palos Verdes Peninsula - Aerial Views (3)

Chandler's sand and gravel quarry on the northern side of PV.

"First operational in the '30s, Chandler's has been infilling the quarry since the '70s. It is now the center of a redevelopment project to turn the quarry and adjacent country club into 112 single family homes, a new golf course, and a new clubhouse."

Palos Verdes Peninsula - Aerial Views (2) - "Swim Club" & Malaga School

Palos Verdes Beach and Athletic Club (posted here) and Malaga School (posted here) in Palos Verdes Estates.

Palos Verdes Peninsula - Aerial Views (1)

Point Vicente with the PV landmark - Pt. Vicente lighthouse and Coast Guard residential buildings. On the far left is the Interpretive Center from Saturday's photo. The between the overcast morning duing the flight and some camera shake, the photos are not so crisp. But the pilot in command, my 14 year-old student pilot son, did an excellent job.

Lighthouse from the air

Photo of Pt. Vicente Lighthouse from a helicopter taken on 4th of July in 2003. I took a short ride along the coastline with my then little son & his friend.

Takeoff @ SEATAC: Sky Watch Friday

not from Palos Verdes but from Seattle's beautiful airport and ... "Ground Watch" ...
... a perfect day in Seattle.
See more skies at Tom's Sky Watch Friday: http://womtig.blogspot.com/ (My apologies to Kim & Chuck for usurping their city for one day.)

Rooftops from Above

In the center are the same Ridgegate townhome rooftops as posted yesterday ... but this time from a Cessna 172. The photo was taken last Sunday, with my son at the controls as a student pilot (with his instructor, of course) while I enjoyed the sights from the back. A great afternoon for a flight in the LA basin. Not much air traffic, maybe due to the heat, or maybe to the rising cost of fuel.