Tag Archives: Beaches

Dana Point Sea Cave

January 23, 2023 Roger Jenkins Leave a comment

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

Table Rock

November 21, 2022 Roger Jenkins Leave a comment

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!

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

El Portal Beach

November 21, 2020 Roger Jenkins Leave a comment

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.

**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

October 17, 2020 Roger Jenkins Leave a comment

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.

**“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

Monarch Bay-Salt Creek-Dana Strand beaches

May 4, 2020 Roger Jenkins Leave a comment

LAGUNA NIGUEL, CALIFORNIA

Activity: Beach Stroll

Date: October 28, 2019

Laguna Niguel, a little South of Laguna Beach and a little North of Dana Point has some great beaches. The water is so clear there that it just seems different than other parts of SoCal. It is a beautiful spot with cliffs, rocky outcroppings, a nice little park, a sweet little surf break, mansions and a world class resort on the cliffs above, surfers, cute bikinied girls, and sunshine- acres and acres of sunshine. What more could you ask for?

On this day we went for a hike at Salt Creek Trail, and then afterwards for a stroll along this fabulous big broad beautiful beach. If you don’t have the bankroll to dole out for a Five Diamond Resort you can still roll like a rock-star on the same beach below, Salt Creek Beach. Then just to the North is the Monarch Bay Beach, and to the South Dana Strand Beach. They are connected and all three are exquisite.

Monarch Bay Beach has a private gated community above on the cliff and on the sand is the Monarch Bay Beach Club for members and guests.

Salt Creek Beach is directly below the Ritz Carlton and in front of the resort is a pay parking area. It is a steep walk down a road to the beach which runs along a nice green belt which is Salt Creek Park.

To the South is Dana Strand Beach. Between Salt Creek Beach and Dana Strand Beach is a little tide pool area. There are expensive mansions adorning the cliffs all along the area continuing all the way to the Dana Point Headlands.

**Life takes you down many paths but my favorite ones lead to the beach.**

The beach, the beach, boy do I love the beach, and if you love the beach then you will want FOLLOW, LIKE, COMMENT and SHARE so you won’t miss out on a single episode of ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’ OC Beaches. And so you will be beach ready join me for a hike- just check the menu above for hiking throughout the West. Each ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’ site is separate so you will want to follow each one individually. Then you will need a hat and a shirt to protect you from too much fun in the sun so checkout SHOP APPAREL.

Life’s a Beach!

Roger Jenkins, Pursuing Balance Through Adventure

Sunset Beach

April 26, 2020 Roger Jenkins Leave a comment

CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIFORNIA

Activity: Beach Walk, Storm Watching

Date: 4-10-20

Storm Clouds Gather Over Sunset Beach While Corona Virus Closes Surfside Beach

Sunset Beach is a quaint community locals beach. When I first moved to Huntington Beach, living in the condos right on the beach, just adjacent to the famed Huntington Beach Pier, there was a joke that HB was the quintessential, where were the action was, California beach scene and it was for the young and the adventurous and if you settled down and got married, well then you needed to move to Sunset Beach. Indeed Sunset Beach is much more quiet and more of a residential beach where nice beach homes line it’s broad mile and a half long beach.

Sunset Beach is boarder to the North by Surfside Beach, a private gated community that is actually part of the City of Seal Beach, and just beyond that the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station. To the South of Sunset Beach is Bolsa Chica State Beach.

On this mid April day storm clouds gathered over Sunset Beach both literally and figuratively. The LA Beaches had all been closed, due to fears of the Corona Virus, but most Orange County Beaches remained open. The OC Beaches were attempting to control the crowds and thus promote “Social Distancing” by closing all piers and all parking lots as well as street metered parking. The reality was most of the time this strategy worked, but on nice weekends near the HB Pier- not so much. HB would later lead the nation in protest to lift the Corona Virus restrictions and get back to work and life as we knew it. So you can see… Storm Clouds gathering…

But on this day my walk along Sunset Beach was, as it always is, relaxing, a stress reliever, and throughly enjoyable. It was made even more interesting by the storm. When you live in SoCal and every day is perfect it is extraordinarily beautiful to see big black storm clouds roll in. I could see in the distance heavy rain to the south of me in the area the HB Pier, but I received only a light misting as I hiked along the beach. There were a few others enjoying the spectacle, but I practically had the beach to myself due to the Corona Virus as well as it being a stormy day with a good chance of a down pour. Some of the people I ran a crossed had on face masks. I was sporting my new fashionable Pursuing Balance Through Adventure Face Gator in an effort to follow requests to cover your face, but not use the medical masks needed for First Responders.

There were surfers out enjoying some tasty waves with some nice little sets with good form rolling in, but otherwise it was me, the beach, and the storm.

After walking Sunset Beach I continued my stroll to include Surfside Beach, which is connected. It is basically the same beach, however this gated community is actually part of the City of Seal Beach. What I discovered on my way back is that the beach was actually closed, as is Seal Beach. Oops… Well there was just one little sign and I was walking along the water’s edge and didn’t see it- sorry. I was not the only one on the beach, but then again there were very few.

Delightful little hike along the beach, and the storm clouds made it unusually special.

**The Water Tower House is an area landmark. How cool is that place? Talk about your 360 views.**

When anxious, uneasy and bad thoughts come, I go to the sea, and the sea drowns them out with its great wide sounds, cleanses me with its noise, and imposes a rhythm upon everything in me that is bewildered and confused. —Rainer Maria Rilke

Thanks for joining me on another addition of ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’ OC Beaches. As far as the Corona Virus, this to shall pass. I am sure we are all in agreement that day cannot come soon enough, and when it does let’s go to the beach. Please COMMENT, FOLLOW, LIKE, and SHARE. Checkout the Menu above for hikes in a variety of locales. You will need to FOLLOW each individually. If you like the apparel pictured in this post then go to SHOP APPAREL which will help offset some of the costs for PBTA.

Happy Trails-

Roger Jenkins, ’Pursing Balance Through Adventure’

Treasure Island Beach & And More

March 25, 2020 Roger Jenkins 3 Comments

ALISO BEACH – TREASURE ISLAND BEACH – MIDDLE MAN COVE – GOFF COVE- CHRISTMAS COVE

LAGUNA BEACH

Activity: Beach Stroll

Date: 9-25-19

Laguna Beach is the Crown Jewel of Southern California Beaches. The most popular Laguna beach is Main Beach right in downtown Laguna Beach, and it is superb, but there are more diamonds along the way and that is exactly what I set out to experience on this day, more diamonds along the way.

Sometimes referred to as the Montage Beach, because it rests below the 5 Star Montage Resort in Laguna Beach, rests some of those diamonds. To get to these jewels there is limited public covered pay parking just adjacent, to the South, of the Montage Resort or a little further south is Aliso Beach Parking.

Coming from the South there is Aliso Beach Park. This is a broad beach with a rocky outcropping at the most southern end. Connecting to Aliso Beach is Treasure Island Beach, they are only separated by a stream, otherwise they are basically the same beach. Great place for all beach activities: strolling, jogging, sun-bathing, swimming, skim boarding, surfing, tide pool exploring, and so forth.

Once you get close to the Montage Resort there are three coves. The first is Middle Man Cove, then Goff Cove, and the most Northerly cove is Christmas Cove. Even though they are close in proximity they each have their own identity. These coves between Treasure Island Beach to the South and Victoria Beach to the North are maintained by the city and the Montage Resort. The bluffs above are breathtakingly beautiful not only because of their abundance of natural beauty, but the glorious enhancements of the landscaping of a 5 Star Luxury Resort. There is also a resort style public washroom maintained by the Montage on the path in front of the resort.

Middle Man Cove is accessed through a natural arch from Treasure Island Beach. There is some climbing over rocks that would be required to go further and that pretty much depends on the tide.

Goff Cove gets it’s name from a rock that protects the cove at the point called Goff Island. It serves as a natural breakwater. Depending on the tide it may or may not actually be an island. There is a stairway that accesses the beach from the walkway above. This is a good spot for snorkeling and scuba diving.

There is a breakwater wall between Goff Cove and Christmas Cove to the North. This is a better area then the other coves for swimming, but as with any beach watch out for high surf or rip currents.

“I could never stay long enough on the shore; the tang of the untainted, fresh, and free sea air was like a cool, quieting thought.”
– Helen Keller

You just gotta’ luv’ the beach! This has been another beach adventure while ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’. We are in search of balancing our busy lives, breathing the sea air, and freeing our soul. The beach can do just that salt on your lips, wind in your hair, and a smile on your face. For more OC beach adventures stay tuned right here. And so as not to get burned you will need the proper equipment see SHOP APPAREL for all you top quality beach ware needs. If you are in search of additional adventures in other places and settings see the menu above for other ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’ sister sites, (all of which need to be followed individually). Please, please, please for your own sake COMMENT, LIKE, SHARE, and FOLLOW.

Crescent Bay Beach

July 20, 2019 Roger Jenkins 1 Comment

Crescent Bay Beach ’Pursuing Balance Thru Adventure

Laguna Beach, California

Activity: Beach’n it: Sun, Fun, & Surf

Date: 7-20-19

Laguna Beach has a lot of little coves and beaches it’s not all about Main Beach. There is much more to explore and enjoy. Crescent Bay Beach feels like a little neighborhood beach. It has sort of a private beach feel. It is beautiful, rocky outcropping on both sides, nice (expensive) homes overlooking the beach. There are tide pools if you are there at the right time. Besides that you have swimmers, boogie boarders, sun bathers, the occasional surfer, in other words beach goers

To the North on the cliff above is Crescent Bay Point Park, and to the South is Shaw’s Cove. You can’t go wrong in Laguna the beaches and coves are all fantastic.

Crescent Bay Beach Map

Crescent Bay Point Park overlooks the beach

Looking at Crescent Bay Beach from the point

Crescent Bay Point

Crescent Bay Beach Pursuing Balance Thru Adventure

Crescent Bay Point Park

Alec with his goofy seal impression.

Boogie Boarder waits for the outgoing surge after the waves hits the rocks.

Beach goers frolicking in the surf at Crescent Bay Beach

The beach scene at Crescent Bay Beach

The northern portion of Crescent Bay, this is the point that looks back over the beach from the park.

The End

Life’s a Beach

DCD82A05-67F4-434D-9DE1-F91145C34D5A — “For her ocean was more than a dream, it was a place she needed to visit to find herself, and when she returned to the city you could see the sun in her eyes, the wind in her hair, and taste the infinite salt on her lips.” -Jose Chavez

The day I was there the surf was high and the couple lifeguards were busy keeping a eye on the surf, the swimmers, and the rip tide.

You can have a bird’s eye view of Crescent Bay Beach from the Crescent Bay Point Park. But you cannot get to the beach from there due to the rugged drop off.

“Beach Rules: Soak up the sun. Ride the waves. Breath the salty air. Feel the breeze. Build sandcastles. Rest, relax, reflect. Collect seashells. Bare-feet required.” Crescent Bay Beach is a great beach loved it!

Join me again for another adventure, but first please COMMENT, LIKE, SHARE, and FOLLOW. And please check out the newly added SHOP APPAREL.

Life’s a Beach-

Roger Jenkins, ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’

Moss Point

July 13, 2019 Roger Jenkins 1 Comment

Laguna Beach, California

Activity: Exploring, rock scrambling

Date: June 24, 2019

Laguna Beach is a very special place so much to do, see and enjoy. Lots of fun shops, restaurants and things to do. But my favorite thing to do is to go to the beach. Laguna has so many fabulous beaches it is hard to choose which one to explore and that is the fun of it. Another outing, another beach, cove, or tide pool.

Parking in Laguna in the summer is difficult, to say the least, and the city makes a living on parking tickets so you are forewarned. No matter when you go through town there is always traffic. So a special tip is to park where you can and then take the free Trolley.

The Trolley is fun, open air, has lots of pickup spots, and did I mention FREE?

We parked North of famous Hessler Park, which by the way, is one of my favorite places anywhere, walked through part of the park and then took the Trolley through town. The bus drivers, as this is really a bus that looks like a Trolley, are friendly and informative. We got off at Moss Point.

There is an historic mansion there and a plaque about it really being like the first Western White House, but beyond looking through the gate at how the other half lived not a lot to see.

Once you ramble down the street and take the staircase down you spy a lovely cove with a little beach and a lifeguard stand. There are rocks to the left that we took out to the point. It was a heavy June Gloom marine layer, but even that was delightful. There is an arch to go through and a wonderful vista looking south with coastline filled with mansions with views that we can experience as well, but from the rocks.

Moss Point- simply delightful, and a good place for snorkeling and scuba.