Rachel Kippen

The most precious resource we have is our time. You gift me your time when you read this column. I don’t take this responsibility lightly. We’ve spent more than five years together and I thank you for paying me your mind. This will be my last column, and I will sorely miss our correspondence. I am moving and by the time this article appears in print, California will be in my rearview.

Local nonprofit Black Surf Santa Cruz is preparing for its Liberation Paddle Out on June 22 at Cowell Beach from noon to 5 p.m. in conjunction with the city of Santa Cruz’s Juneteenth festivities. This is the organization’s fourth annual event and its second year as a certified California nonprofit institution. To decrease barriers to participation caused by lack of parking, this year’s paddle out includes free bus shuttle rides to Cowell’s parking lot.

I never really understood the motivation behind geocaching, the recreational activity in which hobbyists locate hidden treasures using GPS. It seemed like a lot of effort for a tiny reward. Then I encountered my first nudibranch, a type of vibrant sea slug. I was swimming to Flat Island in Kailua and this bright red, almost-winged creature lifted itself from the benthos, undulating just a few feet above the seafloor.