Carmel-by-the-Sea’s mile long beach has a story to tell, a smelly one. Taken this week, the photo shows two groups of people on an overcast day. In the background (upper left)  barely visible beach goers gather near the “main” section, located below the parking lot at the end of Ocean Avenue. Here the ocean air is fresh and the sand is postcard perfect throughout the day. In the middle, walkers approach kelp beds left after high tide.  I am standing right above a giant pile of kelp that is very ripe–as the weather heats up the stench intensifies until high tide returns.  The handful of million dollar homes behind me are not spared this important bit of nature’s life cycle.