All posts by Roger Jenkins

Living in Orange County, CA. “Pursuing Balance Through Adventure” is about finding one’s self by freeing the soul through bold experiences in nature and exploring that delicate balance between responsibility and wild abandonment.

Dana Point Sea Cave

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DANA POINT CONSERVATION AREA

Activity: Beach Hike, Spelunking

1.2 miles, 82′ elevation gain, duration, 1 hour, rated Easy

Date: 1-16-23

What a splendid day… Just after winter storms deluged California with a couple weeks of heavy rains, even flooding in some areas, there are opinions I find surprising. After a couple decades of drought these storms have relieved the situation? Regardless, the powerful storms deposited much needed rain and snow pack in the mountains, cleared the air and now that the storm clouds have parted, made for a wonderful experience in nature on this fine day.

After finally experiencing the “Secret Falls”, that morning in Dana Point Harbor, I headed towards the Dana Point Headlands on Dana Point Beach. The seas were still a bit turbulent from the windy storm making it a sight to behold. The waves raced towards the shore, sometimes exploding in white water as they crashed upon the rocks.

It is just over a half mile along the beach. The venture becomes rockier as you continue until you are hoping across rocks ranging from fist size to torso size. As you proceed be sure to stop and peer into the shallow tide pools in hopes of spying tiny fish, crabs, shellfish or sea anemones. As I continued my trek I found it interesting that one spot was so thick with empty scallop shells that it completely covered the beach.

Arriving at the what appears to be the end of the road- is anything but… If you pay attention you will discover an obscure narrow opening in the rock leading into the Dana Point Sea Cave.

Sea caves are formed by the tremendous force of pounding waves against coastal cliffs. This energy is continuously at work crushing, cracking and eroding rock. A natural phenomenon coastal caves provide beauty and intrigue that are an irresistible treasure to be explored.

Entering the cave even at low tide the entrance is blocked by a pool of water 6 to 8 feet long. I watched a woman using a rock climbing technique utilizing pressure against both sides of the walls. The cave explorer straddling the water seeking tiny foot and hand holds in order to keep her shoes dry. Unfortunately her attempt to ford the pool failed. After all her effort she slipped and soaked her shoes. I succeeded in keeping my boots dry when I entered into the large cavern.

The entrance to the sea cave is a bit obscure and could be missed.

The cave about the size of a grand room has two openings both with incredible views especially on this day when the waves were larger. Such a wonderful spot to take a moment and appreciate nature and what it has created.

Pursuing Balance Through Adventure YouTube Channel
Dana Point Sea Caves
CLICK THE PIC!
SEACARVED CAVES

How the softly lapping ocean waves..
with patient chisels.. lick and lave..
newly sculpting seacarved caves
turning convex to concave.

The rocks found
in her shallows
she has turned 
to rookery hollows.

She has sculpted
the coral reef
to make room for scallops.

Inland the falls roar
the falls thunder
faster breaking rocks asunder
as Spirit too can make
new holes in hearts of stone.

Thanks for accompanying me as I found myself ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’ along the Dana Point coastline. This was a exploration I had wanted to do for awhile. Sea Caves are awesome. There is always more experiences ahead that I want to share to inspire everyone to enjoy nature. To ensure that you don’t miss anything please do this: COMMENT, LIKE, FOLLOW and SHARE. Also, I invite you to go to the menu above to see the many locations that PBTA ventures to besides the beach. Each location or activity in the menu is a separate website and thus needs to be FOLLOWED independently. Like my hat in my video? I have top quality lids and shirts available with the PBTA logo and Mantra on my SHOP APPAREL.

Happy Trails-

Roger Jenkins

Pursuing Balance Through Adventure

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Table Rock

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LAGUNA BEACH

Activity: Swimming, skim boarding, snorkeling, sunbathing, tide pools, beach walk, scrambling, and just plain exploring.

Table Rock is well known to locals and has the look and feel of secluded private beach. Once you maneuver the long set of stairs you will discover a delightfully small beach with rocks to the North and South. In the middle of the beach is a slab of rock that gives it the name, Table Rock. Because of it’s natural beauty it is a favorite for family portraits and wedding photos.

At low tide there are wonderful tide pools to checkout. Also at low tide you could either scamper on the lower part of a bluff to the South and drop down using a few hand holds or swim around to another tiny beach known as Secret Cove that leads to a picturesque tunnel, cave or arch. I would call it an arch, but I have heard it referred as all three. Going through the enchanting arch/tunnel/cave brings you to a bigger broader beach, Totuava Beach and beyond that is Thousand Steps Beach, which is the only one of the two that has public beach access.

When the waves are big be advised that this area could be dangerous with rip currents. On such days this spot is a favorite of skim boarders. There is a lifeguard stand, but no bathrooms. Table Rock is not crowded and is more secluded then other Laguna Beaches as it is not easy to find. Access is through an high end neighborhood and there is only limited parking on PCH.

Table Rock is between West Beach to the North and Totuava Beach to the South.

The Best way to see the waves and the water is in motion. CLICK THE PIC!
Stairway to Heaven
Reflection of a lifestyle
Table Rock Tide Pools and Arch.
Sea Anemones
Fish in Tide Pool at Table Rock, Laguna Beach.
THE END
Girls just wanna have sun!

If you live by the motto “Life’s a Beach’ like I do then you have come to the right place. I sure love the beach. Beach lovers subscribe to this blog by doing these easy to follow directions: FOLLOW, SHARE, LIKE and COMMENT. If you have an adventurous nature, and feel the need to rebalance the scale of our too busy, too stressed, too hectic existence- then let’s put a little counter balance weight on the other side for a change, the side with harmony, peace and tranquility, the side where your soul drinks in nourishment. Adventurous outings in nature can give you that nourishment and the feeling of: now this is more like it. Go to the menu above, get off the couch, turn off the news, lay down your tablet, (well, don’t lay it down yet you have to click menu first, lol). The menu has ideas and inspiration to get you started. Each location is a separate website and thus needs to be FOLLOWED independently. Next you will need Adventure Wear, but don’t worry I got you covered, literally. SHOP APPAREL has the latest and greatest hats, beanies, and shirts with the mantra printed right on it, ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’.

Life’s a Beach-

Roger Jenkins 

Pursuing Balance Through Adventure

Main Beach Laguna

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LAGUNA BEACH

Activity: Swimming, body surfing, skim boarding, beach strolling, suntanning, people watching

Laguna Beach is a cool place to be… the shops, the restaurants, and it’s artistic vibe. There are numerous wonderful art galleries, including the very cool, sea inspired Wyland’s Gallery overlooking the Pacific, to the Cliffside Dining where as you wait to be seated you can stroll through neat little kiosk type stores with all sorts of fun ocean knickknacks as well as art or beach jewelry.

But it is all there because of the beach. While there are lots of gorgeous little coves and beaches that make up Orange County’s Laguna Beach it is Main Beach that is the star of the show. Centered in downtown Laguna, Main Beach is a must do when planning a trip to SoCal or even locals seeking a respite from the rest of the world while ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’. Laguna Beach is a perfect place to hangout escaping the 405 Freeway, and our busy workaday lives. The beach is a place to get rebalanced, to kick off the shoes and get a little sandy.

Main Beach stretches from Heisler Park to the North, one of my favorite parks anywhere, and ambles along sun drenched beaches, with gentle lapping waves. It is a splendid stroll about 2 miles before you would need to turn around or do a little scrambling to get to Woods Cove to the South.

Main Beach has a cute little boardwalk with benches, a little playground for the kids, lifeguard station along with the icon Laguna Beach Lifeguard Tower, volleyball, basketball, a little grassy area with picnic tables and of course the sea, the sea the beautiful sea. You can almost always see perched up on the hill looking south toward Main Beach, an artist sporting canvas and paint brush. It really is quite a sight. If you are not artistic yourself there are plenty of galleries in Laguna- that painting will be on display for purchase.

One thing to keep in mind is one reason the Main Beach is not over run with beach goers is there are not that many places to park, so coming early is key. As you gaze at my photos you will see a vast difference between early morning and later in the afternoon, so heed my tip, plus if you park at a meter, keep in mind that Laguna Beach makes a living off parking tickets so don’t let it run out, or your luck will as well.

Main Beach Laguna is one of the exceptional beaches in California and must be experienced, so put it on your list.

Pursuing Balance Through Adventure YouTube Channel
Laguna Beach quiet, peaceful, and tranquil morning. Lifeguards prepare for the busy day ahead.
The quaint, historic, and especially iconic Laguna Beach Lifeguard Tower.
Everyone should believe in something. I believe I should go to the beach.

Thanks for beach’n it with me, who doesn’t love the beach?! From my days in High School at Virginia Beach I alway found that it doesn’t matter how bad a day you had at school, or if you and your HS Sweetheart had a tiff, the beach and the ocean could always heal. What a fantastic place to be ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’. Laguna Beach has plenty more coves and beaches to explore so stay tuned by these following simple but important actions: LIKE, FOLLOW, COMMENT and SHARE. Actually as I was doing some research for this article. I started seeing all the names of beaches in Laguna and I though, ”dang I have a lot of beaches yet to explore. I never even heard of half of these. “ Then I realized that it is almost ridiculous how many beach names they have. It is almost like each street has their own beach name. I guess everyone wants a piece of this fabulous pie, lol. There is also lots of hiking going on at PBTA. If you go to the menu you will discover some of the unreal hikes that are available throughout the West. If you need a hat to protect your sun kissed nose or a long sleeve shirt with UPF50+ go to SHOP APPAREL.

Life’s a Beach!

Roger Jenkins

Pursuing Balance Through Adventure

Shaw’s Cove

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LAGUNA BEACH

Activity: Swimming, snorkeling, scuba, sunbathing, tide pools, beach walk, exploring.

Shaw’s Cove is a striking beautiful spot, with blue-green protected waters. It is a small cove with a sandy beach and rocky tide pools on both ends. Because of the beach’s angle it has rather calm gentle water making it great for snorkeling, or even scuba. This also makes Shaw’s Cove a nice spot for families with little kids, and the access is easy.

The palm strewn cliff at the northern end is the backside of Crescent Bay the neighboring larger cove. The cove to the south is Diver’s Cove, both beautiful and wonderful coves as well.

Spending the day in this gorgeous area is an mild adventure, when your are ‘Pursing Balance Through Adventure’, but the ocean has such a calming affect that it is sure to bring you to the harmony and tranquility that you seek.

  • Beach: A place of relaxation, rest, and tranquility. 

Awww, the salt air, the balmy blue-green sea, the gentle waves lapping at the rocks, and the warm sun drenched beach. I sure love the beach, and if you are a beach lover then you will want to subscribe to this blog by doing these easy to follow directions: FOLLOW, SHARE, LIKE and COMMENT. If you love adventure and nature, and feel the need to rebalance that dial between our crazy existence in this too busy, too stressed, so hectic world we deal with day in and day out- then let’s put a little counter weight on the other side for a change, the side with harmony, peace and tranquility, the side where you souls says awwww… now this is more like it, then go to the menu above. Get off the couch, turn off the news, lay down your tablet, (well, don’t lay it down yet you have to click menu first, lol). The menu is chalk full of ideas and inspiration to get you started in this first month of the new year. Each location is a separate website and thus needs to be FOLLOWED independently. Next you will need a new outfit for this new year and this undertaking, but don’t worry I got you covered, literally. SHOP APPAREL has the latest and greatest adventure wear and it has your new mantra printed right on it, ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’.

Life’s a Beach-

Roger Jenkins

Pursuing Balance Through Adventure

Pirate’s Tower

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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.

Loot be first and de wimmen second, if ye have de first ye’ll have de second, but if ye have de second ye won’t have de first fer long. – Old Pirate Proverb

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

El Portal Beach

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SAN CLEMENTE, CA

Activity: Beach Strolling, just enjoying the beach

El Portal Beach in San Clemente is a neighborhood type of beach. There are no parking lots, you would need to find parking in the neighborhood. It is characterized by a long stair case from the neighborhood above and down the slanted, flowering brushy, hillside then over the train tracks or under a little bridge to a narrow beach.

It is a nice stroll down the beach to the San Clemente Pier, however keep in mind when the tide comes in there will be little or no beach left just boulders to keep the sea at bay and limit erosion. So it is a nice beach to hit the waves, do a little surfing, skim boarding, body surfing, or boogie boarding, but as far as sun bathing, or frisbee you will need to time the tide right.

The San Clemente Coastal Trail is about 2.5 miles long and runs along side the tracks. It makes it’s way from the pier to North Beach. There are pay lots on both ends of the trail. The trail supports hikers, runners, bikers and dog walkers.

I have been on the train a couple times and it is incredible to have the type of ocean views that the riders enjoy on their way to San Diego, but I sure wouldn’t want a train going by my expensive beach home all the time, but on the other hand I sure would like to live on the beach again some day, so I am pretty positive it would be a trade off I could except.

A nice local‘s beach or spot for someone wanting to walk the Coastal Trail, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to go to El Portal Beach, a visitor would be better served at the San Clemente Pier.

Covid-19 put limits on beach activities when I was visiting the beach.

Dana Point off in the distance.
Only worry in the world is the tide gonna reach my chair. —Zac Brown Band

If you love the beach then FOLLOW, LIKE, COMMENT, and SHARE and ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’ will bring the beach to you for your browsing pleasure, or better yet grab some sun tan lotion and a towel and pull up a space in the sand. If you need to work on your beach bod then what about a hike? If you go to the menu you will see that PBTA loves the beach as well as the mountains, canyons, and deserts, and we can help you there as well. Each location in a separate website and thus needs to be FOLLOWED independently. Don’t get burned- get a hat at SHOP APPAREL, we even have long sleeve shirts with UPF 50 protection.

And Psst we are having a Black Friday Promotion this month get 20% OFF any single regularly priced item by using Coupon Code: PBTA20, or even better buy any two regularly priced items and get a PBTA Cotton T-Shirt at NO CHARGE by emailing me at Pursuingbalancethruadventure@gmail.com and letting me know that you already ordered online and I will make sure you are set.

Life’s a Beach,

Roger Jenkins

Pursuing Balance Through Adventure

Pier to Peer

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NEWPORT BEACH

Activity: BEACH HIKE

A great way to stay in shape while enjoying the beach is a beach hike. One of my favorites is from the Newport Pier to the Balboa Pier and back, which is about 4 miles round trip.

It is fun to people watch. Everyone reveling in the joy that the beach provides be it sun bathing, shell collecting, playing some volleyball, frisbee, paddleball, whatever that bounce off the mini trampoline ball game is, or the soccer players perfecting their skills. Then of course the water sports of surfing, skim boarding, boggie boarding, body surfing, swimming, or just plain splashing about. Out on the water we have yachting be it sail or power.

Then there is wildlife to enjoy during your beach stroll. Seagulls and their lonely cry, pelicans making the plunge from up high as they do their fishing, sand pipers scurrying back and forth with each wave provide the aerial entertainment. In the water it is possible to see a seal, or perhaps a pod of dolphins. During the season you might get lucky enough to see the spout of a whale.

When you arrive on the pier, you have ‘pier peers’ enjoying the day with a stroll or a brisk walk, fisherman angling for the big catch, folks checking out the surfers, and those on their way to the end of the pier for a burger and a shake.

‘Peering from the pier’ affords a fantastic view of the ocean, the waves, boats, sea life, the mountains, Fashion Island, the shoreline to Dana Point down the beach, and Huntington Beach and Long Beach up the coast, and of course the big bountiful golden sand beach.

What a great way to spend a couple hours or so, to get some exercise, stretch your legs, breath some good ocean air, get some vitamin D, de-stress, reload, and relax.

  • Peering at Pier, off in the distance is my destination the Balboa Pier.
Newport Pier
  • Sand Pipers
  • Balboa Pier
“I wish that Beach Therapy was covered by my Health Insurance.”

Either the sun was too bright or the beach just gives me a grin from ear to ear… A nice place to be ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’ is Newport Beach with pretty much perfect weather year round, not too hot, not too cold all thanks to that great big beautiful blue Pacific Ocean. Please COMMENT, FOLLOW, SHARE, and LIKE. Up above is the menu where you will find places to inspire, each location is a separate website and thus needs to be followed independently. If you like my hat go to SHOP APPAREL and get one for yourself, besides looking great it helps support the PBTA website, and my idea of sharing bold experiences in nature in order to find inner peace and tranquility, also know as ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure ’.

Checkout the CELEBRATION PROMOTION 1000+ FOLLOWERS!!!! FREE DRAWING for a FREE PBTA SHIRT!! (Promotion runs through 11-15-20)

Life’s a Beach!

Roger Jenkins

Pursuing Balance Through Adventure

!!! 1 , 0 0 0 Followers !!!

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PURSUING BALANCE THRU ADVENTURE CELEBRATION DRAWING

Free Drawing for PBTA Tee-Shirt

Free PBTA T-Shirt Drawing Celebrating 1000+ Followers on my different social media ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’ platforms: Blogs – Instagram – Pinterest – YouTube – Facebook. THANK YOU Supporters!! How to Win a PBTA T-Shirt: Free Drawing to be announced Thanksgiving 2020. Each of the following gains an entry:

  • 1.) Leave a COMMENT on any PBTA Social Media Platform Post. 
  • 2.) LIKE any PBTA Social Media Post. 
  • 3.) SHARE any PBTA Post. 
  • 4.) FOLLOW any PBTA Social Media Platform.
  • 5.) TAG a friend on a PBTA Instagram pic. 
  • Enter as many times as you like. 
  • Contest Closes 11-15-20.

Newport Beach Pier

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NEWPORT BEACH, CALIFORNIA

Activity: Beach Stroll, Beach’n it and all the things that entails…

Newport Beach has been called Beverly Hills on the Beach and for good reason. There is a lot of money in Newport. Just look at the cars driving around. Most cars are Mercedes, Porsche, BMW, Audi, Land Rover, and Tesla and that is the everyday, the mundane, then look at the Exotic Car Dealerships that is where there is a big step up. Newport has Fashion Island with it’s fine restaurants, and plenty of exclusive designer stores.

When I first moved to California, long ago, I walked around Newport, Balboa Island, and Balboa Peninsula and drooled over Million Dollar Homes with Million Dollar Yachts docked out front, to say nothing about the Million Dollar Views, and thought to myself- how can everyone be a CEO?! Now all of that property has at least quadrupled… so even more unattainable.

But, this article is about Orange County Beaches and Newport Beach is famous the world over. That big blue Pacific and 5 miles of luscious golden sand beach is usually quite busy with beaches goers, enjoying acres of sun drenched pleasure, with perfectly mild temperatures. It can be triple digits during the dog days of Summer in the Valley or Riverside, but at the beach it is almost always perfect, and winters are always mild as well. All thanks to Mother Nature and that big blue Pacific keepIng everything temperate.

The wooden Newport Beach Pier is pretty kick back and nostalgic. The iconic Life Guard Station has a very visually pleasing classic look. California piers are always quite popular giving everyone a chance to get out past the breakers. You don’t need a yacht to be able to set eyes back on the beach and up and down the coast, with views of the Huntington Beach Pier, the Balboa Pier, Laguna and Dana Point off in the distance and the mountains as a backdrop behind. Out to sea you have Catalina Island, and maybe even a splash of a dolphin, or a spout of a whale. There are rows of restaurants, a few bars, some beachie shops, and a busy parking lot. At the base of the pier is the Dory Fleet founded in 1891.

Besides sunbathers, swimmers, and beach strollers, you will find surfers, skim boarders, and fisherman. There is a walkway for walkers, runners, rollerbladers, skateboarders, and bike cruisers that goes all the way past the Balboa Pier. Newport Beach, good times!

  • View looking South from the Newport Beach Pier

Beachology. Be shore of yourself. Don’t be crabby. Let the worries drift away. Drown out pier pressure. Soak up positive energy. Seas life’s moments.

Thanks for joining me at the Newport Beach Pier while ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’. I really love the beach and if you are a beach lover too then you will want to stick around for more OC Beaches because we got some good ones. Please LIKE, COMMENT, FOLLOW and SHARE. Besides beach outings we have hiking and backpacking adventures along with other exciting activities, just go to the menu above for inspiration. Each location is itself a separate website and thus needs to be followed separately. It is all about trying to find ourselves, stare into our souls, take a load off, and enjoy life through Nature’s adventures. Such busy lives we lead, take a break- go for a hike, or go to the beach, or do what I did today. Hike in the morning in the Laguna Coast Wilderness then cool off at Newport Beach. Ya’ just gotta’ love it! Don’t get burned at the beach get a High Tech long sleeve PBTA Logo Moisture wicking shirt with UPF 50 protection, like I am wearing in the picture. Go to SHOP APPAREL.

Life’s a Beach!

Roger Jenkins

Pursuing Balance Through Adventure