Beach

Swimwear 2009 themes are giving me a serious flashback to the beach style in Sydney, Australia when I lived there in the late 80s / early 90s. Australia, mecca to surfers and beach culture, is the birthplace of major surf labels like Mambo, Billabong and Rip Curl, to name just a few. I loved, loved, loved the fluoro (neon) colors an was particularly fond of anything in the orange spectrum, as well as the bold and simple patterns. But, like all reinvented fashion, garish neon colors have been modernized with sophisticated, and sometimes restrained, color palettes and combined with edgy design elements.

For women, triangle tops remain a staple, but updated with punky patterns and colors like Roxy’s Venice Beach Tiki Tri Bikini.

Bandeau tops, a classic 1950s silhouette, take on an edgy twist with look-at-me elements juxtaposed with elegant color palettes like Seafolly’s Bardot bandeau, and Insight’s Skywalker Bikini.

Bikini by Insight

And the full piece, once the suit of choice for those preferring modesty, is looking much sexier than the bikini these days with midriff cut outs and bold graphics like Volcom’s Knotty One Piece.

Men traditionally have had less selection on shape (it’s a choice of either speedos or boardies, unfortunately) have much more variation with strong graphical elements like chevrons, circles and stripes, even mish-mashed together, offer variation such as the Reef Technic Boardshort, which I find just plain fun to look at.

I especially love how the colors and cut of these Insight Retro Stud Mid Boardshorts work together for a modern take on a 1960s length.

As a photographer, boardies with photo transfers are my personal favorite, as seen here with the masculine design of Rusty’s Smoke Em 20, which reminds me of Donald Sultan’s large format smoke ring photographs.

Boardies by Rusty

I admit, writing for a beach blog, very few beaches take my breath away. Usually, as soon as I lay my eyes on a beach a sense of relief overcomes me and immediately a sense of reassurance, a sense that everything is, for that very moment [in my world], going to be all right. Then there is Playa Kenepa, on the western end of Curacao. Coming up on the beach I could not believe what I was seeing.

All the elements of ‘amazing’ were present: Cove – check, rocky outcroppings – check, soft sand – check, crystal clear azure waters – double check. In fact, it is so amazing that apparently another Caribbean island took a picture of Playa Kenepa and tried to market it as a piece of paradise found only on their island!

Playa Kenepa, Curacao

I was fortunate enough to see Playa Kenepa from three angles and each one was fantastic. First was from above. Walking towards the beach and seeing it reveal itself in between tree branches sent goose bumps up and down my neck and arms. It was as if I knew I had stumbled upon something special. The view from above was spectacular. Twenty-something feet above the water you could not see where the waves met the rock’s edge but you can definitely see the sandy floor and the coral rocks below. The view was overwhelming and I could not help myself, I needed to get down there FAST.

It was not until I broke the surface after my twenty-something foot plunge that I fully realized what I had just done. I remember thinking before leaping “Always aim for the darkest spot” and at the same time while in mid air “Where is the darkest spot?”

Once back on shore I looked out to the open ocean. My second view of Kenepa was perfectly framed by the two rocky cliffs that created the cove effect. I felt like I was in a TV ad, all I needed was a buzzing Blackberry to use as a skipping stone. There were people there, locals and tourists and some local proprietors selling snacks, beer and renting out beach chairs. A little touristy for my taste but the setting more than made up for it. I was fortunate enough be there on a weekday in the early afternoon, I would return to Kenepa later on in my trip only to find it swarming with people. The west side of Curacao is not as developed as the east where the majority of the population and tourists can be found so it is easily understandable that Kenepa was a hot weekend spot.

The most common mode of transportation to Kenepa would be by car but I wondered if there is a better way of getting to this place. I did – by boat.

From my studio overlooking Playa Grandi I noticed fishermen coming in and out regularly. Seeing as I was already on the west side of the island I wondered if I could convince one of the fishermen to swing around the coast and take me to Kenepa.

The boat ride was very relaxing and each time we came upon a beach it was like a surprise because they were all hidden way behind rock formations that were all made of dead coral. Needless to say, turning into Kenepa took my breath away, and once again I found myself in the water and this time waving good-bye to my friendly fisherman who just smiled, waved and shook his head.

By Sebastien Tobler

Colliding Continents

Today is a lazy day, a day for eyes closed and yeah. Mm-hmm.  Cold drinks with mint, this maybe that, who knows? Ice cream is too taxing for today, the way it melts so fast, which tells you just how lazy a day it is. Today I want a soft beach. Slack. Today I want to go to the Seychelles.

Better than bathwater. http://www.flickr.com/photos/8982863@N04/1984509590/

The very word is slow: Seychelles. And the best beach there is inarguably Anse Lazio, a beach that just sounds delicously lazy. Say it with me: Anse Lazio. Honestly the softest sand, fine grained and clean white. Shockingly clear turqoise water Indian Ocean warm and alive. Fringed by supermodel tall palms and Takamaka trees, the beach is a crescent shaped moon of paradise.

Mm-hmmmm... http://www.flickr.com/photos/8444772@N04/509817355/

Located on the northwest corner of Praslin Island in the Chevalier Bay, Anse Lazio is easily the Homecoming Queen of Seychelles beaches, if not beaches all over the world. Often included in top ten lists, this beach is perfectly situated for spectacular sunsets. Honeymooners flock here, as do families and travelers of all kinds. Due to the relative protection of coral reef, the water is ideal for swimming and snorkeling. Sea turtles are common, as well as fish of all types and color; the beauty below water easily matches that found above.

Sea turtle. http://www.flickr.com/photos/28220564@N07/2974405359/

To one side of the beach rise the craggy boulders of Pointe Chevalier. To the other side the island curves giving the crescent of beach a natural boundary, creating just the right illusion of secluded paradise. With the lush background of verdant jungle and the expanse of blinding white sand, the technicolor blue of water and sweet off-shore breeze, Anse Lazio is almost too much to take in, almost too much to believe. But close your eyes, yeah. It’s real. And I’m going.

Most people believe that Treasure Island was named for its pristine white sand beaches and crystal clear turquoise waters. It’s an understandable assumption; the island’s name and marketing slogans (”Treasure of the Gulf Coast” and “A Jewel of the Gulf Beaches) do not exaggerate the beauty of this three mile islet. But the origin of Treasure Island’s name has nothing to do with its natural assets.

Treasure Island Beach Access Park

In the early 20th century when Florida was just being discovered by a new affluent upper class, several local developers and land owners attempted to boost property sales by first burying and then “discovering” a couple of wooden chests on the beach, claiming they were filled with treasure. As the news spread, people Read More »

Once upon a time I was young and on Elba. It was the summer of 1998; people were just starting to worry about Y2K and the supposed apocalypse, at least of their computers; I was about to graduate with a Master’s degree in English with which I had no idea what to do. My boyfriend and I lived as if we were in a Hemingway novel but without the war or any of the heartache. Without the general malaise, really. We were just young and drank a lot. We traveled Europe and wore plastic jellies on the beach. His were clear and mine were pink. The water was turquoise and of all the places we went to that summer, Elba had the best beaches.

That one summer I was young.

With over 70 different beaches, the 27km long island of Elba has something for every beach-goer. Located in the middle of the Tuscan Archipelago Marine Park, the island of Elba can be reached by just an hour’s ferry ride from Piombino on the western coast of Italy. The island has an area of 200 square km and a coastline of 147 km, continuously alternating between gentle slopes and sheer cliffs, the beaches themselves varying between jagged rocks best for jumping into the water and smooth sand ideal for siestas. With Mount Capanne at the island’s apex more than a thousand meters high, Elba offers a territory rich in hidden corners to explore with both marine and mountain panoramas. The island is well prepared for tourism (on Elba there are about: 200 hotels, 50 residences, 30 camping sites, and 30 farm house inns). The number of residents on the island is a little more than twenty thousand.

Clear water. http://www.flickr.com/photos/24716098@N06/2345340932/

It would be impossible to choose just one beach on Elba. There are so many, each so different and yet each singularly stunning. While most beaches are free to the public, there are establishments on the main beaches that offer rental umbrellas, changing rooms, and sun loungers. The swimming here is fabulous–the water warm and clear. Bear in mind that the depth of most of the waters increases rather rapidly, with the exception of la Biodola, Marina di Campo, Lacona and Procchio where the water remains shallow for up to 30-40 metres.

The view from a vacation. http://www.flickr.com/photos/22266840@N00/53736988/

These days I I live in Northern California where I usually have to wear a sweatshirt to the beach. I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up but I think back to that summer I spent on Elba with wonder: The spectacular beauty of the beaches, the naivete with which we rode a Vespa along sheer cliffs, the fact that my boyfriend who is now my husband wore plastic jelly sandals at all.

Diving is an Adventure in Curacao - Photo Courtesy of Curacao Tourism Board

Clear waters. You will not be able to wrap your mind around how clear the water is until you leave and talk about it with your friends. Curacao’s beaches are amazing to say the least and attempting to talk about all of them in one post is a mistake, so we will start with a little taste of snorkeling and some good photography as an appetizer.

I lost my PADI card a few years back in Thailand and there I was swimming in one of the best dive locations in the world with a snorkel on, staring at bubbles floating up from the depths. It didn’t bother me that much given the fact that I was snorkeling around a sunken Tugboat and the visibility was perfect. This says a lot because whenever I go snorkeling I would always wish I were diving instead. I was at the tugboat and I was headed towards Director’s bay where the snorkeling was great. Curacao is many a snorkeler’s/diver’s heaven in that the entire southern coast is dotted with dive and snorkeling sites.

You really cannot miss when looking for a beach in Curacao but as a heads up, keep in mind that if you are staying in town (Willemstad is pretty much the only town) you are not close to a beach, you will need to rent a car. I highly recommend this since the minimum for a cab ride is $10. You can imagine how expensive transportation can be. While I was there I was able to find a rental car company that charged $35 a day – this included insurance.

Some snorkeling spots on Curacao that I recommend are:

1. Tugboat

2. Director’s bay

3. Jan Thielbaai

4. Oswaldo’s Drop Off

5. Playa Kalki

6. Either Grote or Kleine Knip

The Tugboat - Photo Coutesy of Curacao Tourism Board

Northern California beaches can usually be classified as one of two types: large wild expanses of dunes and ice plants, Great Beaches, if you will, and smaller beaches nestled between cliffs, great in their own right. Muir Beach is one such smaller beach, a strip of coastline south of the Point Reyes National Seashore.

View from the south end. http://www.flickr.com/photos/fatmandy/3189241742/

Located just off 101 north of the Golden Gate Bridge, Muir Beach is 6 winding miles from the Hwy 1 exit. Nestled in a coastal valley at the edge of Mount Tamalpais, the small “town” of Muir Beach is comprised of 150 homes, the nearby Muir Woods National Monument, Green Gulch Farm/Zen Center, Slide Ranch and, of course the “old” English Pub, The Pelican Inn. There is a medium sized dirt parking lot that is rarely full, and one must walk across a small bridge and a wooden walkway over the lagoon to get to the beach. The area is rife with wildlife: butterflies, deer, frogs, salmon, fox, coyote, and yes–sharks Great White and otherwise have been spotted in the water here.

Shark carcass decaying on the rocks. http://www.flickr.com/photos/orangejoshuas/3345107157/

The beach itself is usually filled with families: kids and birthday parties, boogie boarders, teenagers, some surfers. Down the beach to the right a few hundred yards is the unofficial nude beach. Here there are obviously naked people, but there are also excellent tide pools and some very friendly seals that like to warm themselves on the sand. (The seals are also nude, you see.)

Muir Beach offers a range of very basic amenities: pit toilets, water, trash cans and picnic tables are all located at the south end of the parking lot. Fires are permitted in fire rings only, three of which are on the beach toward the south end. Pets are allowed, albeit on leashes to protect wildlife.

by Barbara Weibel at Hole In The Donut Travels

Pet lovers are united in praise of their furry friends. Even research now indicates that having a loving pet can extend the quality and quantity of life. With devotion to Fido and Rover on the rise, it’s hardly surprising that pet owners want to take their dogs along on vacation, but finding pet-friendly destinations can be difficult, so Petside.com, the popular online destination for pet owners and pet enthusiasts, recently released its list of the top ten dog-friendly beaches in the U.S.:

Cape San Blas in Port St. Joe, Florida took top honors with its leash-free policies and plethora of dog-friendly activities. Owners can bring their pups year-round, anytime of day and let them run along the entire beach.A sailing program welcomes dogs aboard and many pet-friendly restaurants welcome patrons of the four-legged variety.

Cape San Blas, Port St. Joe, Florida. Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/judybaxter.

Quiet Waters Park in Annapolis, Maryland reserves a fenced-off area as a special beach just for your pooch. The beach also sponsors the annual “Howl-O-Ween Barkin Bash” costume parade where dogs and owners dress up in their best costumes and parade around the park.

Quiet Waters Park, Annapolis, Maryland. Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/xmrocks.

Block Island in Rhode Island is a small dog-friendly island. Open year-round, the island has a relaxed leash policy prohibits all motor vehicles, so you never have to worry about your pup accidentally getting injured by a car.

Block Island, Rhode Island. Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/hlkljgk.

Cannon Beach, Oregon is a four mile stretch of beach along the Pacific, conveniently located near a town filled with dog-friendly hotels, restaurants and shops. Dogs must stay on-leash, but the view is
worth it.

Cannon Beach, Oregon. Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/paraflyer.

Fort De Soto Park in St. Petersburg, Florida has a unique “Paw Playground,” consisting of separate fenced-in areas for big dogs and small dogs. The park provides dog showers, a dog beach, and fresh drinking water.

Fort De Soto Park, St. Petersburg, Florida. Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/hushed_lavinia.

Carmel City Beach in Carmel, California is perfect for the couple looking to stroll along this breathtakingly beautiful beach with their pet. Afterward, you and your dog can meander up to the charming town of Carmel, where many restaurants and shops are completely dog friendly.

Carmel City Beach, Carmel, Caiifornia. Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/j-and-p.

Jekyll Island, Georgia is known by many as the “Jewel of Georgia.” It’s a perfect, eco-friendly getaway for you and your pet. Start by walking the ten miles of unspoiled white sand beaches and spend the rest of the day taking in the natural landscape on a nature walk.

Jekyll island, Georgia. Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/53902650@N00.

Coronado in San Diego, California is famous for hosting some of the most unique dog competitions in the area, including the Loews Coronado Bay Resort surf dog competition in Imperial Beach – the nation’s largest surfing competition for pups.

Northern section of Coronado Beach, San Diego, California. Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/acflynn.

Stewart Beach in Galveston, Texas is regarded as one of the better family-oriented beaches in Texas, and when they say family, they mean the fine furry members as well and the two-legged kind!

Stewart Beach, Galveston, Texas. Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/galvestonisland.

Montrose Dog Beach on the shores of Lake Michigan in Chicago, Illinois is the final pick. Luckily for Illinois pups, Chicago is home to a wonderful dog park where the city folk bring their dogs to run in the sun (off-leash, no less) on a stretch of beach.

Wading pool at the Montrose Beach dog park, Chicago, Illinois. Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/midwestkimchee.

For more information on pet-friendly beaches, cruise over to Petside.com or hear is a great resource for Pet Travel.

It used to be that Googling “plastic beach” would issue forth pages of cosmetic surgeon listings in Newport, La Jolla and Miami. More and more, however, the term “plastic beach” is being used to describe once idyllic white sand beaches turned magnetic trash heaps for plastic flotsam. One such beach is Kamilo Beach on the Big Island of Hawaii. Bear in mind: Kamilo Beach is not special. It is hardly one of a kind. There are thousands of such plastic beaches across the globe, but today I am focusing on one: Kamilo Beach.

Perfect spot for laying out. http://www.flickr.com/photos/40175771@N00/2241995893/

As on many beaches, plastic is the new sea glass at Kamilo. Lovers can walk hand in hand beach-combing for condoms, bottles of bleach, plastic spoons, pieces of toys and gadgets and packaging that somebody somewhere once had to have. Plastic and polystyrene pellets are plentiful, the main building blocks from which most of our plastic is moulded. A few millimeters in diameter, these teeny pellets have been nicknamed “mermaid tears,” a romantic name for a nasty reality.

Located at the southern tip of the Big Island, Kamilo Beach is exposed to constant trade winds blowing directly on-shore, bringing with it debris from all over the Pacific rim. For this reason, the beach used to be a place where Native Hawaiians came to find logs for their canoes, or, to be more macabre, a place they went to find the bodies of those lost at sea. Everything washes ashore at Kamilo, and now this once beautiful white sand and driftwood beach is a foot deep in plastic jetsam.

And so it would seem that there is a new kind of sand: plastic, and a new kind of beach: toxic. A beach comprised of styrofoam and bits of fishing lures, tiny bits of a world reliant on plastic. What does one do, then, when the term plastic beach no longer applies to cosmetic surgery but to our very coastline? What does one do when Kamilo Beach is just one of thousands? What does one do with plastic bottles and tupperware, freezer bags, gallons of milk, credit cards, razors, flip flops, detergent, straws, soap, pens, toys, trash bags, computer parts, phones, eyeglasses, life?

Care for a stroll? http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1293/891569020_e73d985066.jpg

Andy Warhol once said, “Everybody’s plastic, but I love plastic. I want to be plastic.” Of course he was talking about Hollywood, but nowadays he could have been talking about anywhere, anybody. As a culture, we have become a petroleum-based mix of monomers that become polymers, to which additional chemicals are added for suppleness. Ask anyone for a global problem and you will most likely hear about AIDS or poverty, climate crisis–all very legitimate problems, but it is less likely you will hear about mermaid’s tears. And yet here we are: less than 5% of the world’s plastics are recycled and yet more and more is being produced. And bought.

Perhaps this post is too political for a blog about beaches. Perhaps I ought to bring it back to Kamilo, or somewhere prettier, a beach that is sandier maybe. Sadly it’s getting difficult to write about beaches without touching on the environment. Without knowing that somehow I need to buy less, use less, recycle more, think more. Because when I comb most beaches these days I think of one word, just one word: plastics. There’s a great future in plastics, that is, if we find a way to stop using them altogether. And if we do, perhaps one day Kamilo will be a beach filled with driftwood again, even the odd bloated carcass of someone lost at sea, a vast improvement on a foot deep heap of cigarette lighters and blister packs.

As mother to a three year old, this is what I would like in a beach: calm water, a relatively small beach so I can keep my eye on her, no wind, some (harmless) wildlife, restrooms, drinking fountains, picnic tables and a bbq. And I found all of that at a beach in Point Reyes aptly named Heart’s Desire.

Calm waters. http://www.flickr.com/photos/bad_music_laine/3648941404/

Located over the Inverness Ridge on Tomales Bay, Heart’s Desire is protected from the wind and the huge surf for which Point Reyes beaches are famous. Unlike many Northern California beaches, this little bayside cove is actually safe for swimming. The shallow water is warmer than one would expect, and the swimming area is bordered by buoys to keep larger boat traffic away. This is also a popular place to put in kayaks and canoes, which can be fun for the kids to watch. Older kids and adults might choose to swim out to the anchored raft.

Bayside Beach. http://www.flickr.com/photos/moomoo/1010277352/

Because the water is warm(ish), there are often jellyfish floating at the water’s edge. Not to worry–they are harmless. The area is also home to migrating shorebirds in the fall, peregrine falcons and the endangered snowy plover. Be careful as the snowy plover is a ground-nesting bird; their nesting season is June 1st – September 15. In addition, deer roam freely, and if you’re lucky, you might spot a fox.

To get there, drive past Inverness on Sir Francis Drake Blvd., then bear right onto Pierce Point Road. Continue on Pierce Point Road until you see the sign for Tomales Bay State Park, then make a right turn into the park. Unlike the rest of Point Reyes National Seashore, this is a State Park, so you’ll have to pay a $6 vehicle entry fee at the ranger station. It’s worth it, though. Pack some oysters for the bbq, some Goldfish crackers for the kids, a bunch of sand toys and some towels, and have a nice, warm, relaxing day at the beach!