Cliff House, the Camera Obscura and Seal Rocks

The rain was really pouring now as we made our way out of the Inner Sunset all the way to the coast's edge...

This stretch of road is called the Great Highway and it straddles Ocean Beach and a few historic spots in San Francisco...

Even though I was wearing a weatherproof jacket, I still got soaked. Believe it or not, there were people out on the beach walking their dogs in this heavy rain...

We wanted to check out two things this morning, even though one of them was most likely (and it was) closed: the Camera Obscura, the small camera shaped building with the pointed cupola, and even though we weren't going to eat there, the famous Cliff House, a restaurant at the top of the cliff. First built in 1958, the restaurant has had five incarnations before it's present day Neoclassical look (from the early 1910's).

On more clearer and sunnier days, you can go into the Giant Camera, which houses a camera obscura.  I read online that you have to call first to get in and that there is a small fee.

The words 'camera obscura' mean 'dark vaulted chamber' in Latin. The giant camera in San Francisco is an optical device that  projects an image of its surroundings onto a viewing screen (in this case, a horizontal table). The image is formed when a tiny hole in the building lets in the external light, in this case at the top of the cupola's point. The image is reflected by a mirror and reproduced upside down, but in full color and scale. There is a metal hood in the cupola that slowly rotates, which makes a full revolution in six minutes, which allows for a complete 360 degree view around the building.

I wish we could have seen it and hope to be able to see it in our future trip in late August.

In 1896, the restaurant was bought and rebuilt by Adolph Sutro who built the Sutro Baths, whose ruins can be seen to the north of the restaurant. The Sutro Baths had six enormous swimming pools and was once the largest indoor swimming pool establishment. Many well heeled folks flocked to the coast and the baths  back in the old days. The restaurant has two parts, a more casual Bistro Restaurant and the more formal Sutro's.


The rocks in the distance are known as Seal Rocks, known for the sea lions that live there. We didn't see any that day but during a previous visit back in summer of 2009, I remember hearing them in the distance.


The wind was really picking up and the rain was pretty strong. I didn't want us to stay out much longer or get sick.

Sigh. Next time, camera obscura!

Here is the next best thing though - a video featuring the guy who operates this device!

Very cool, eh!

A view of the beach, the Outer Sunset and a man and his dogs...

In the distance, you can see the North (Dutch) Windill, which is located at the northern end of Golden Gate Park; it is one of two in the park. Both used to pump water, but are now restored and decorative rather than functional.

We didn't go into Cliff House, but looked around in their gift shop as well as a corridor inside that had framed historical photos.

I don't think TC will ever forget this day because of that rain!

Cliff House
1090 Point Lobos Ave
San Francisco, CA 94121
(415) 386-3330 (Cliff House)

www.cliffhouse.com

Camera Obscura (on the cliff seawall)
1096 Point Lobos Ave
(415) 750-0415

www.giantcamera.com

I hope the weather's much nicer when we visit later this summer...


Before we made the big drive down to Gilroy, we would make a few more stops for certain desserts (some for us and some for gifts)...