DEL REY OAKS FROG POND

Monterey Bay is a mecca for adventure seekers of all levels. Most of the attractions are well known and well advertised, but there are a few places left for those of us with adventurous spirits to uncover. The Del Rey Oaks Frog Pond is one such find.

Tucked away in its own quiet little world, surrounded by busy streets and highways, the Frog Pond manages to carve out a place of peaceful wonder. Fifty feet into its path around the pond, you almost forget the hustle and bustle of city life. It's a wonderful place to relax and take time to smell the flowers.

Since it's a mini-ecosystem on its own, this wetlands reserve can be vastly different each season. Autumn is a great time to visit for scenery, with windy gusts moving the long grass, still waters and trees. Winter is quiet, with a crispness to the air that lets you smell the flora keenly. Spring brings new awakenings, with baby ducklings, cygnets and tadpoles. Wildflowers are in full bloom and the pond is alive. Summer is the most active of all, with frogs singing the lead, ducks bringing in the harmonies, and the wild blackberries providing a fragrant backdrop of the simpler things in life.

If you have enough advance planning time, get a copy of "Plants of the Frog Pond Natural Area" by L. Dittman. It's available for $1.50 from the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District in Garland Park (659-4488) or Del Rey Oaks City Hall. It's 22 pages of wonderfully done illustrations and simple explanations of plants that can be found in the Frog Pond area. Having this book along will double your enjoyment as you are able to pick out and identify Bull Thistles, Velvet Grass, Telegraph Weeds and much, much more. Including poison oak! It's an important part of the natural balance and it is plentiful. Wear long pants or be very careful to stick to the trails. Long pants are a better idea because you might enjoy taking one of the shortcuts. They're lesser-used trails that criss-cross the wetlands area in a couple of different places. Awaken that explorer sense within and take the path less traveled.

Or just enjoy a relaxing stroll. If you begin the path counter-clockwise, you'll end up on the deck overlooking the pond. This is a good place to bring a picnic lunch or snack. The deck has a built-in bench, and hangs over the pond a few feet to provide a good view. It's a nice rest after the trail. Depending upon your pace, the trip around can last fifteen minutes to an hour. If you have little ones with you, plan for the hour ;-). If you have your dog with you, plan for the fifteen minutes! The Frog Pond is an ideal place to take your pup for a stretch. Those of us living on base know how cramped our animals are in tiny and/or unfenced backyards. Let Rex extend those legs and do a little discovering of his own. Just remember to keep him leashed and bring something to carry out waste with (there are no refuse cans at the preserve.)

The Frog Pond is a great excursion for any and all ages. It's free and it's open every day from dawn to dusk. It's educational, recreational and just plain interesting!

(c) 2000 Paul and Julie Gentry. Note: this article first appeared in The Classmate magazine.