Cliffside north of Shark Fin Cove

Right off the Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Cruz County, Shark Fin Cove is easy to miss. Just south of Davenport you’ll see a little parking lot on the west side of the road. A short walk from the lot will bring you to the infamous shark fin shaped rock. If you walk on the north cliffside of the cove, you’ll find a path that continues along the coast providing a variety of photo possibilities and will lead you to the spot I took the featured image.

With consistent weather in California, there’s no bad time to visit Shark Fin Cove and its surroundings.

This location is great for sunsets as the water reflects the color in the sky and provides a warm glow on the oceanside. Night photography is also great here as it’s secludedness helps reduce light pollution.

There are always inherent dangers associated with heights and cliffs. Use caution when walking near the edge.

I used a wide-angle lens (24mm) to incorporate as much of the scene that I could.

With the sun setting, I noticed the way the light was hitting the flowers on the cliff’s edge. I instructed my subject to walk along the edge where it netted out. I then waited for the right wave to complete the photo.

This is adjacent to Shark Fin Cove with beach access.