Posted by Jody on May 21, 2013
Rip Currents – Break the Grip of the Rip!

Rip Current Safety Sign Posted on Lifeguard Tower
If Caught in a Rip Current
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Don’t fight the current
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Swim out of the current, then to shore
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If you can’t escape, float or tread water
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If you need help, call or wave for assistance
~~~
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), rip currents are the #1 safety threat at beaches.
Rip currents can be really hard to spot, so exercise caution if you see the following:
- a channel of churning, choppy water;
- an area with a noticeable difference in color;
- a line of foam, seaweed, or debris moving steadily out to sea;
- and/or a break in the incoming wave pattern.
If you get caught in one:
- Stay calm, don’t fight the current.
- Swim sideways out of the current and parellel to the shore, then at an angle back to the shore.
If you can’t escape it:
- Float or calmly tread water. The rip current will eventually fade.
- Try to face the shore, wave your arms, and yell for help.
If you see someone caught in one, DO NOT try to rescue them yourself, instead:
- Get a lifeguard or call 911.
- Yell instructions.
- And if possible, throw a life preserver or floatation device.
These things may help you save a life.
The ocean can be a source of fun and excitement, but you should always be careful of hazards that exist. Only swim at lifeguard protected beaches. Before your next trip to the beach, know how to spot a rip current and how to break the grip of the rip.
Source: Ocean Today (NOAA)

Lifeguard Tower with Posted Rip Current Safety Signs
Please take a look at these very helpful links:
“Don’t get sucked in by the rip…” Rip Current Science and Safety Video: Australia
The Grip of the Rip – NOAA Video
United States Lifesaving Association Rip Current Survival Guide
How Rip Currents Form
Have a safe day at the beach!
This week’s WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge topic is Escape.
~~~
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Posted in Beach Safety Tips, Tuesday Tallies & Tips | Tagged: beach, beach safety sign, escape, NOAA, postaday, rip current safety, Weekly Photo Challenge | 3 Comments »
Posted by Jody on May 17, 2013

Cycling at San Francisco’s Aquatic Park Beach

Joy Riding on Bryan Beach, Texas Gulf Coast

A Ride to the Beach!

Free Parking: Wavy Bike Rack at Manhattan Beach, California
Why not ride a bicycle to the beach during National Bike Month?
Bicycle riding is fun & healthy, and the parking is free!
~~~
Helpful links:
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Posted in Today's Special | Tagged: beach, bicycle, bike, family beach activities, National Bike Month | 5 Comments »
Posted by Jody on May 15, 2013

Benches Line the Santa Cruz Wharf

Rental Kayaks on the Santa Cruz Wharf

Looking Beneath the Wharf (Sea Lion on the Crossbeam)

A Quiet View

Friends

Santa Cruz Main Beach to the Santa Cruz Wharf

Sunset on the Wharf: The Santa Cruz Wharf also features restaurants, gift shops and boat rentals.

Good Morning Sunshine!

Basking in the Morning Sun

A view toward Cowell Beach,Santa Cruz, California

Lifeguard Headquarters, Santa Cruz Wharf

Sunset at the Santa Cruz Wharf

Sea Lion on the Crossbeams Beneath the Santa Cruz Wharf

“Sea Lions Just Stopping By” the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

The Santa Cruz Wharf
The Santa Cruz Wharf on California’s Central Coast ~A quiet midweek in early May~
At 2,745 feet in length, the wooden Santa Cruz Wharf is the longest pier on the West Coast of the USA.
Greg and I had the best time exploring the Santa Cruz Wharf. We could hear the California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) barking from the beach, but we didn’t spot the first set of these noisy critters until we got to the very end of the wharf. The next morning, there were quite a few sea lions out enjoying the sunshine on the deck alongside the wharf’s waterside stairs. They were quite active and very entertaining!
About the marine sanctuary aspect of the Santa Cruz Wharf:
“The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS) is a Federally protected marine area offshore of California’s central coast. Stretching from Marin to Cambria, the MBNMS encompasses a shoreline length of 276 miles and 6,094 square miles of ocean. Supporting one of the world’s most diverse marine ecosystems, it is home to numerous mammals, seabirds, fishes, invertebrates and plants in a remarkably productive coastal environment. The MBNMS was established for the purpose of resource protection, research, education, and public use of this national treasure. The MBNMS is part of a system of 13 National Marine Sanctuaries and one marine national monument, administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.”
Source: Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
~~~
More helpful links~ The City of Santa Cruz: The Santa Cruz Wharf
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Foundation
Marine Protected Areas and the California Marine Life Protection Act
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Posted in Beach and Coastal Wildlife, Northern California Beaches, Sea Lions and Seals | Tagged: beach, California Sea Lions, California's Central Coast, Marine Protected Area, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, pier, Santa Cruz Wharf, Zalophus californianus | 4 Comments »
Posted by Jody on May 14, 2013
~Patterns in the Sand~

Art on the Beach
~ Making Patterns in the Sand ~

On Manhattan Beach, Southern California
This week’s WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge theme is Pattern.
~~~
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Posted in Sand and Shoreline, Southern California Beaches, Today's Special | Tagged: beach, Manhattan Beach California, pattern, postaday, Weekly Photo Challenge | 4 Comments »
Posted by Jody on May 11, 2013

Mother and Daughter on the Oregon Coast
A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.
~Washington Irving, Author
~~~
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Posted in Today's Special | Tagged: beach, Happy Mother's Day | 11 Comments »
Posted by Jody on May 11, 2013

Main Beach and Cowell Beach

Main Beach and Cowell Beach

Beautiful Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz Treasure Hunter

Main Beach from the Bluff, Santa Cruz

Main Beach and Cowell Beach, Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz Beach and Boardwalk

Santa Cruz, California

Santa Cruz Sands

View from the tracks

Play it Safe at the Beach!

16 beach volleyball courts are available for rent on the main beach in Santa Cruz

From the beach to the boardwalk

Cowell Beach in Santa Cruz, California

Main Beach and Cowell Beach
~Last week on beautiful Main Beach/Cowell Beach in Santa Cruz on California’s Central Coast~
Helpful link~ City of Santa Cruz: Main Beach and Cowell Beach
~~~
Can you believe that this week’s Travel Theme is Beaches? I just pushed the “Easy” button! 
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Posted in Boardwalk, Northern California Beaches | Tagged: beach, beaches, California's Central Coast, Cowell Beach, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Santa Cruz California Beach, Santa Cruz Main Beach, Travel Theme | 8 Comments »
Posted by Jody on May 9, 2013

Sky Glider, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

“World’s Best Seaside Amusement Park, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Undertow (under construction), Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Ferris Wheel, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Deep Fried Stuff and Such!

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Giant Dipper, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Midweek in early May 2013 at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk on California’s Central Coast
“World’s Best Seaside Amusement Park” ~ Amusement Today
~~~~
Where’s your favorite Boardwalk? We’d love to know!
Helpful link~ Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Amusement Park
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Posted in Boardwalk, Northern California Beaches | Tagged: beach, boardwalk, California's Central Coast, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Amusement Park | 12 Comments »
Posted by Jody on May 7, 2013
This looks like a really fun and tasty addition to our next beach picnic/dolphin watch day! Enjoy! ~ Have a great day at the beach, Jody
Posted in Today's Special | Tagged: beach, beach picnic foods, beach picnic ideas, vegan mock tuna recipe, vegan tuna salad | 9 Comments »
Posted by Jody on May 7, 2013
- It is against the law to touch or disturb nesting sea turtles, hatchlings, or their nests.
- If you see an injured or dead sea turtle, call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission 1-888-404-FWCC (3922) or *FWC from your cell phone.
- Avoid going to the beach at night. If you must be on the beach at night, limit your walking and do not use flashlights or flash photography.
- Turn off outside patio lights and shield indoor lights from shining directly onto the beach by closing the drapes at night. Lights disturb nesting sea turtles and hatchlings.
- While enjoying the beautiful beaches during the day, avoid disturbing marked sea turtle nests, and please take your trash with when you leave the beach.
- When crossing a dune, please use designated cross overs and walk ways. Do not climb over the dunes or disturb the dune vegetation.
- Interested in taking a guided sea turtle hike? Here’s a list of organizations permitted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to conduct public turtle watches.
The sea turtle nesting season runs from May 1-October 1.
Florida's Space Coast is located 35 miles east of Orlando on Florida's Atlantic Coast. With over than 72 miles of sandy beaches, the Space Coast is the "gateway to the stars, home of East Coast surfing and the world's second busiest port."
Happy Sea Turtle Nesting Season to you!
Posted in Atlantic Coast Beaches, Beach and Coastal Wildlife, Sea Turtles, Tuesday Tallies & Tips | Tagged: beach, Florida sea turtles, Florida Space Coast beach, sea turtle nesting season | 4 Comments »