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Archive for the ‘Beaches of North America’ Category

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Santa Cruz-a-palooza (Part 3: The Wharf & Marine Sanctuary)

Posted by Jody on May 15, 2013

Rental Kayaks on the Santa Cruz Wharf
Sunset on the Wharf: The Santa Cruz Wharf also features restaurants, gift shops and boat rentals.
The Santa Cruz Wharf
Looking Beneath the Wharf (Sea Lion on the Crossbeam)
Santa Cruz Main Beach to the Santa Cruz Wharf
Lifeguard Headquarters, Santa Cruz Wharf
Friends
Sea Lion on the Crossbeams Beneath the Santa Cruz Wharf
“Sea Lions Just Stopping By” the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
A Quiet View
Sunset at the Santa Cruz Wharf
Benches Line the Santa Cruz Wharf
Good Morning Sunshine!
A view toward Cowell Beach,Santa Cruz, California
Basking in the Morning Sun

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: , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Weekly Photo Challenge: Pattern

Posted by Jody on May 14, 2013

~Patterns in the Sand~

Pattern

Art on the Beach

 ~ Making Patterns in the Sand ~

Manhattan Beach in Southern California

On Manhattan Beach, Southern California

This week’s WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge theme is Pattern.

~~~

Posted in Sand and Shoreline, Southern California Beaches, Today's Special | Tagged: , , , , | 4 Comments »

Santa Cruz-a-palooza (Part 2: The Main Beach)

Posted by Jody on May 11, 2013

Beautiful Santa Cruz
View from the tracks
From the beach to the boardwalk
Santa Cruz Beach and Boardwalk
Cowell Beach in Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz Treasure Hunter
Main Beach from the Bluff, Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz Sands
Main Beach and Cowell Beach
Play it Safe at the Beach!
Main Beach and Cowell Beach, Santa Cruz
Main Beach and Cowell Beach
Santa Cruz, California
Main Beach and Cowell Beach
16 beach volleyball courts are available for rent on the main beach in Santa Cruz

~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! ;-)

Posted in Boardwalk, Northern California Beaches | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 8 Comments »

Santa Cruz-a-palooza (Part 1: The Boardwalk)

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

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Where’s your favorite Boardwalk? We’d love to know!

Helpful link~ Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Amusement Park

Posted in Boardwalk, Northern California Beaches | Tagged: , , , , | 12 Comments »

Sea turtle Nesting Season and How to Protect Our Beaches

Posted by Jody on May 7, 2013

Reblogged from Visit Space Coast Blog:

Click to visit the original post

The first of May officially marked the beginning of the sea turtle nesting season in the state of Florida.  Although we want people to come to Florida's Space Coast to enjoy our beaches, we also want residents and visitors to be aware that they're not the only ones out there.

To ensure the survival of sea turtles, but still enjoy yourself on our coast here's a short list of things to remember during sea turtle season:

Read more… 190 more words

  • 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."

Posted in Atlantic Coast Beaches, Beach and Coastal Wildlife, Sea Turtles, Tuesday Tallies & Tips | Tagged: , , , | 4 Comments »

Thoughtful Thursday

Posted by Jody on May 2, 2013

La Jolla, Southern California

La Jolla, Southern California

“When was the last time you spent a quiet moment just doing nothing -

just sitting and looking at the sea, or watching the wind blowing the tree limbs,

or waves rippling on a pond, a flickering candle or children playing in the park?”

~ Ralph Marston, The Daily Motivator

~~~

Posted in Southern California Beaches, Today's Special | Tagged: , , , | 16 Comments »

Simple Seaside Safety Suggestions for Spot

Posted by Jody on April 29, 2013

Quintana Beach County Park

Quintana Beach County Park

My family and I recently enjoyed another lovely day trip to Quintana Beach County Park, one of our absolute favorite Texas coastal recreation areas. This 51-acre natural beachfront playground  is the ultimate dog-friendly family choice in the Lone Star State. Located in Freeport, Texas, on the Gulf of Mexico, it’s a wonderfully scenic and a relatively quick (1 ½ hour) drive south of Houston. Quintana Beach County Park is a much more laid back alternative to the city and beaches of Galveston, which have all of the hustle and bustle you would expect from a typical seaside tourist mecca.

Quintana Beach County Park on the Upper Gulf Coast of Texas

Quintana Beach County Park on the Upper Gulf Coast of Texas

You can feel free to bring Spot along for your day at the beach. At Quintana Beach County Park our tail-wagging companions are welcome.

“Pet Safety on the Beach” as posted at Quintana Beach County Park:

  • If the sand is too hot for your bare feet, it’s too hot for your dog’s paws.
  • Keep fresh water available for your dog, drinking salt water will make him sick.
  • Use pet-friendly sunscreen on short hair, ears and nose.
  • Provide shade for your dog to rest.

~All very good safety tips~ Please remember that pets need to be restrained (at this beach) at all times and, of course, picking up after Spot is a must!

Quintana Beach County Park, Texas

Quintana Beach County Park, Texas

A while back we published a post on the many reasons to visit this lovely beach park: Quintana Beach County Park on the Texas Gulf Coast – So Many Reasons to Visit. The list includes camp sites (tents, RVs, and vacation cabins), picnic tables, modern restrooms and showers, kayaking, surfing, beachcombing, fishing… and the list goes on.  Being dog-friendly simply adds one more great reason for families to plan the perfect fun-filled trip to Quintana Beach County Park!

Do you have a favorite dog-friendly beach? Please share it with us. We’d love to know!

Here are a few more helpful links:

Quintana Beach County Park

Cesar’s Tips for Your Dog’s Day at the Beach

Doggie Heaven! Muir Beach, California

Have a great day at the beach!

~~~

Posted in Beach Safety Tips, Gulf of Mexico Beaches, Monday Miscellaneous | Tagged: , , , , , | 6 Comments »

Weekly Photo Challenge: Up

Posted by Jody on April 22, 2013

Looking up at the tallest lighthouse on the Oregon coast:

Yaqina Head Light, Newport, Oregon

Yaquina Head Lighthouse, Newport, Oregon

Gazing up 92 feet:

Yaquina Head Lighthouse

Yaquina Head Lighthouse, Newport, Oregon

Peering up inside the Yaquina Head Lighthouse tower – 114 stairs to the watch room:

Inside Yaquina Head Light

Inside Yaquina Head Lighthouse Tower


When the lighthouse was constructed in 1872, the children of lighthouse keepers and lighthouse visitors were not permitted to climb the 114 stairs in the tower to the watch room because the US Lighthouse Service feared they would trip and fall on the steep stairs or squeeze between the posts of the handrails. The Yaquina Head Lighthouse retains its historic stairs and handrails and thus the safety of children climbing the stairs is still a concern. Today, children must be at least 42 inches tall to climb the stairs of the tower. Additionally, adults must accompany and assist children ascending the lighthouse tower.

Source: Bureau of Land Management

I will vouch for that justifiable feeling of fear on the part of the US Lighthouse Service! On our last visit to this splendid lighthouse and the surrounding Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, our 5 year old grandson was “tall enough” to climb the 114 stairs to the top of the tower. I confess to being the big sissy of the group. The little guy waited patiently with my understanding hubby and quizzical son-in-law as I whizzed by them to climb to the top and back by myself. My very prudent and proper “respect” for heights seems to quickly blossom into a full blown scardey-cattedness when I’m with little ones (I know I’m not alone in this*)!

Come on up!

Glancing up at the first order Fresnel lens, manufactured in Paris in 1868 by Barbier & Fenestres:

Yaquina Head Light

Yaquina Head Lighthouse Lens

About the light:

The light has been active since Head Keeper Fayette Crosby walked up the 114 steps, to light the wicks on the evening of August 20, 1873. At that time the oil burning fixed white light was displayed from sunset to sunrise. Today, the fully automated first order Fresnel lens runs on commercial power and flashes its unique pattern of 2 seconds on, 2 seconds off, 2 seconds on, 14 seconds off, 24 hours a day. The oil burning wicks have been replaced with a 1000 watt globe.

Source: Friends of Yaquina Lighthouses

A view from the top of Yaquina Head Lighthouse toward the beaches of the Oregon Coast

Looking north from the top of Yaquina Head Lighthouse toward the beautiful beaches of the Oregon Coast

It was a “Great Day for UP!”

*My case in point: The Coastal Path, 36c – Kingsdown to St Margarets at Cliffe

~~~

WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Up

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Posted in Lighthouses, Monday Miscellaneous, Pacific Coast Beaches | Tagged: , , , , , , | 20 Comments »

In Celebration of Earth Day 2013

Posted by Jody on April 21, 2013

Redondo Beach, Southern California

Redondo Beach, Southern California

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Posted in Southern California Beaches, Today's Special | Tagged: , , | 9 Comments »

Get Away from the Crowds at Cocoa Beach, Florida

Posted by Jody on April 19, 2013

Today’s Featured Guest Post Writer is Bridget Sandorford:

Florida is known for its beautiful and diverse beaches, which offer a little bit of something for everyone, from families with small children to retirees to college students looking to have a fun vacation. Daytona Beach, Palm Beach and South Beach get some of the most attention with vacationers, but Cocoa Beach offers a much more relaxed experience for those interested in getting off the beaten path.

Empty Cocoa Beach on a cloudy day (Dennis Adams, Federal Highways Administration, via Wikimedia Commons)

Empty Cocoa Beach on a Cloudy Day (Dennis Adams, Federal Highways Administration, PD-USGov via Wikipedia)

Cocoa Beach is located about an hour-and-a-half south of its more popular cousin, Daytona Beach. But when you drive up to the soft, white sandy shore of Cocoa Beach, you won’t be inundated by droves of college students and other partygoers. The vibe at Cocoa Beach is much more relaxed and peaceful — which makes sense considering that it’s a mecca for retirees. According to the 2010 census, the median age in Cocoa Beach is 54, with 62 percent of the population being older than 45.

That doesn’t mean that there isn’t a lot for families to enjoy at Cocoa Beach! There are a number of attractions in the area, including the Cocoa Beach Pier and the Alan Shepard Beachfront Park. Of course, the two most notable landmarks are Ron Jon’s Surf Shop, which receives 2 million visitors a year, and the Kennedy Space Center. Though you can no longer watch the space shuttle launches from the shores of Cocoa Beach – - something I enjoyed doing as a child growing up in Florida — you can still take your children to the space center and learn a lot about our explorations into the final frontier.

Cocoa Beach Pier Cocoa Beach, Florida (Lane 4 Imaging via Flickr, CC BY 2.0)

Cocoa Beach Pier, Cocoa Beach, Florida (Lane 4 Imaging via Flickr, CC BY 2.0)

If all that’s not enough for you, you can also check out the Thousand Islands Conservation Area and the Cocoa Beach Aquatic Center and Pool Complex. Of course, a drive down the scenic A1A – and enjoy sharing your love of “Ice, Ice Baby” with your kids (who just won’t get it).

With the summer months approaching, the beaches are bound to start getting crowded. If you want to get off the beaten path and enjoy a little slower pace that will allow you to truly enjoy your vacation and spend some quality time with your family, consider Cocoa Beach.

 About the Author: Bridget Sandorford is a freelance food and culinary writer, where recently she’s been researching culinary school in Hawaii. In her spare time, she enjoys biking, painting and working on her first cookbook.

~~~

Even more helpful links: Visit Cocoa Beach.com

Visit Florida.com

Visit Space Coast Blog

*Bridget, you are so right! Cocoa Beach is a lovely place to visit. The girls and I once took a day trip to this area just because Major Nelson and Jeannie made their home in Cocoa Beach. It was a beautiful day on a very clean, uncrowded beach! Thanks so much for the wonderful post and for reminding me of a great day at the beach! ~Jody*

Posted in Atlantic Coast Beaches, Friday Finds | Tagged: , , , , | 13 Comments »

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