A surfer carves out a massive cutback on a wave he rides next to the Santa Cruz Small Craft Harbor jetty on Thursday. (Dan Coyro/Sentinel)
A surfer kicks out off the back of a crashing overhead wave at Natural Bridges Thursday. (Dan Coyro/Sentinel)
A surfer ducks under the falling lip of an overhead wave off Natural Bridges Thursday morning. (Dan Coyro/Sentinel)
Afternoon clouds streak an other-worldly skyscape on Monday in advance of the rain forecast for today as a boat passes the jetty lighthouse en route the open water of the Monterey Bay. (Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel)
Contributed photo of the sunrise over the Santa Cruz Harbor lighthouse by Pete Esteban.
Esteban took the shot on Oct. 17, 2010. His wife, Bonnie, prints out sunrise and sunset schedules and tide schedules, Esteban often gets up at 5:30 in the morning to get his sunrise shots.
“We’re so lucky to be here,” Esteban said. “I feel so sorry for people in Fresno. We are so blessed to be on Monterey Bay.”
Esteban was the yearbook photographer for Watsonville High back in 1968. Every Wednesday night, he shoots the yacht races at the Harbor and he estimates he’s got 30,000 pictures.
“I’ve got two great shots and 10 that are good,” Esteban said.”
Esteban was diagnosed with cancer this year, and chemo has made it tougher to get out to the beach. He says he has to judge the chances of getting a good shot and how strong he’s feeling, but if the conditions are right, he figures out a way.
“If there’s a good sunrise, and I know it’s going to be good like this one, I’ll drag myself down there.”
On October 17, Esteban remembers it was raining and he covered himself up and rested the camera on a railing for a tripod.
“It just kept getting better and better and better,” Esteban said.
