VICTORIA BEACH – LAGUNA, CA

Activity: Beach Stroll, Tide Pools, Tanning, Body Surfing, Skim Boarding, Sight Seeing

Laguna Beach has a treasure trove of beaches, a Treasure Island, sands of gold, and coves that are hidden gems around every point, so it should be no surprise that Laguna Beach has a Pirate’s Tower. This spectacle is found South of Main Beach and North of Treasure Island Beach.

Victoria Beach is a long sandy beach adorned with rocks, and cliffs. It’s not easy to find and parking is very limited, but it is a really nice beach. As far as public beaches go it is a little more private mainly because the parking is hard to come by.

What sets Victoria Beach apart from other great OC Beaches is ‘La Tour’, French for tower. This 60’ spire known by locals as Pirate’s Tower is almost camouflaged due to it matching so well the sandstone cliff it practically adjoins. What is the story behind Laguna’s Mysterious Tower? The house at the top of the cliff along with La Tour were built in 1926 for Senator William Brown. The house is known as Norman House and both the house and the tower are heavily French inspired. The Browns had spent time in France at the end of WW1 and had a love for all things French. The Tower is actually a means for them to get to the beach from their Norman House perched on the cliff above. Near the tower is a mysterious pool made of rock now filled with sand and at high tide, sea water.

Adding to the “shiver me timbers” pirate mystique Senator Brown sold his home and thus the tower in 1940 to an Old Sea Captain, Harold Kendrick. Captain Kendrick had a love for “a Pirate’s Life” yo ho! He would dress the part on occasion and tell tales of the Jolly Roger and swashbuckling scallywags sailing the seven seas to the neighborhood children. The Old Capt sometimes would hide coins among the rocks of the tower for the kiddies.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Ahoy me hearties and much oblige for setting sail with me on this voyage to Pirate’s Tower. One thing I have learned ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’ is that not all the treasure is silver and gold, the greatest bounty is natures. Also it’s the voyage not the destination. So follow me along to the next port for more adventure on the high seas by doing a few simple tasks: FOLLOW, COMMENT, LIKE and SHARE. If the high seas is not your cup of rum, then perhaps the High Sierra, the dry desert, or the canyon deep? It’s all in the Cap’n Log (Menu above). If you need a pirate hat like mine walk the plank to SHOP APPAREL.

Cast‘n off ye‘ scurvy dogs-

Roger Jenkins

Pursuing Balance Through Adventure