Beach

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!

The Tiniest Little Beach in the World! I have no real credentials to say that; in fact, it is hardly a beach, the boat ramp at the end of Turney Street in Sausalito. But it has sand, a large body of water, seashells, the gentle lapping of Richardson Bay, so yeah, technically it’s a beach, and it is most definitely small.

A few weeks ago I wanted to go to the beach with my three year old daughter and my dad, but it was too windy, too foggy, too cold at the coast. My dad, a long-time Sausalito resident, suggested we go to the little beach at the end of Turney Street by the boat ramp and I thought he was crazy. I thought the only thing down there were warehouses, sail repair shops, rusty old cars top-heavy with kayak racks. But I was wrong.

Bay watch.

Located at the end of Turney Street off Briedgeway in Sausalito, this small beach has no official name. While researching it online, I could only find it referred to as the Turney Street Boat Ramp, although quite frankly if they are looking for a name I suggest using mine. Susannah Beach? Small, a little coarse, the water shallow. Well, maybe not. But here’s the thing: this beach that is not really a beach that has no name is actually quite a nice little beach if you’re looking for a small slice of sun on an otherwise cloudy day. The space is perfect for bringing young children as the area is so small they cannot get lost and the water so gentle there is no risk of rogue sneaker waves. The day that we went there were dozens of toddlers all playing in the water. So maybe the water was very slightly murky with boat residue but it’s not as if these kids were of the underwater variety. Plus, there are clean(ish) restrooms right near the parking lot.

Bay view.

One tip, though: a few days later I bragged about this spot to a friend and made plans to meet her there. At a different time of the day. Without checking the tide charts. Suffice it to say the small sandy beach led up to 20 feet of slick mud and the water was very far away. It stank. The kids were freaked out. Make sure you visit this bay beach at high tide only!

All images author’s own.

by Barbara Ann Weibel at Hole In The Donut

It’s very sad that most visitors to Puerto Rico only experience San Juan and surroundings, because this tropical island just begs to be explored, beginning with its lovely beaches. While Luquillo Beach east of the capitol is the most famous beach on the island, it is hardly the best. I often head for the southwestern corner of the island, which has numerous pretty beaches.

Balneario Boqueron, in the southwestern corner of Puerto Rico. Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/oquendo/562035868.

Of these, Boqueron Beach is one of my favorites. The village of Boqueron, filled with colorful houses and ramshackle piers, stands at the heart of a crystal clear crescent bay, with palm-fringed white sand curving away on both sides. Life is simple and slow on this side of the island, and villagers mingle with beach goers. Fishermen pull their rustic wooden boats up on the sand and sell fish still flopping around in the bottom of the boat. Local divers shuck fresh oysters, slather them with tabasco, and grinningly dare you to try one. If seafood is not your style, the village has an abundance of cantinas and local restaurants (no franchises here!).

The only time Boqueron Beach (in local lingo it’s Balneario Boqueron) gets crowded is on summer weekends. But with more than a mile of beach, there’s plenty of room for everyone. Behind the golden sands, picnic tables lie scattered beneath towering coconut palms and basketball courts await a pick-up game. Snorkeling, scuba-diving, kite-surfing, and bicycle rentals are all available at Boqueron, making it the perfect beach destination for the whole family.

Looking back at hthe crescent beach from one of the piers in the village. Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/solarpunk/526237670.

In addition to restrooms, changing facilities, and a snack bar, a string of government-run rental apartments are also found at the main beach. Because of their affordable rates and location right on the beach, these apartments so popular that reservations must be made exactly three months in advance and people line up at the reservations office. But if you are not lucky enough to snag one of these budges beauties, don’t despair; the Boqueron area offers numerous accommodation choices.

Admission to the balneario is $2 per day, but you can walk along the portion of the beach that fronts the village for free.