For my writing assignment #2, I chose to go somewhere that I have never been before. The place I chose to go was to the Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz. Before I went on this field trip, I had never heard anything about it. When I asked my friends if they knew of any natural sites or museums, the first one they recommended was the Natural Bridges State Beaches. I asked them what was so interesting and significant about the place and they told me that I would find out when I go there myself. .
When I arrived to the beach, I couldn't help but notice the bridge that was built, not built by man, but built by nature. The bridge connected by three arches that were carved out of sandstone cliff is what inspired the naming of the Natural Bridges. Waves" crashing into the walls of the cliffs is what created the bridge as well as other natural bridges. As time goes on, the bridges are slowly starting to erode and fade away. It's somewhat sad to see something that is very interesting is slowly disappearing away piece by piece every time a wave hits the wall of the bridge.
What also was very fascinating that learned was that this beach is that it's the home of is a temporary home for 150,000 Monarchs each winter. The reason for there being so many butterflies that go to the beach is because of the mild ocean air. The air provides a wintering site free from the deadly frosts of the inland areas. The monarchs spend the spring and summer living in the valley regions west of the Rocky Mountains, where milkweed-the only plant that a monarch caterpillar eats-is plentiful. At the beach, along the trails, the eucalyptus grove planted by early settlers gives the butterflies a safe roost until spring, when they fly back inland. When I walked through the trails, I saw hundreds of different types of butterflies that were just covered with many beautiful colors. I have never seen that many monarchs together ever in my life before.
