When we visited Mendocino back in May 2022, the waters off the headlands might have been described as a sort of milky turquoise blue. Ten months later, the color of the ocean was closer to pewter — at least on this particular afternoon. I had only a short amount of time to say my goodbyes to the sea before we headed inland for home the next day. And on this trip, I had found very little chance to spend time gazing at the waves and breathing the salty air, thanks to the unpredictability of the weather. How could I leave the coast without spending even just a few minutes meditating on the boom and hiss of the wild Pacific surf?