Endless (?) Summer

Last week I realized just how few days were left until September 10th and the beginning of the school year. I also realized that we hadn't gone to the beach nearly enough this summer, which is just ridiculous really, given the close proximity of so many great beaches, as well as the great bargain that they represent in the monetary value of entertaining my four kids plus three of their friends - from totally free to $8 all-day parking. Just pack your own lunch and throw the boogies boards in the back of the van, and you're off.

So I decreed the week to be "Beach Week".

Turned out to be a good choice as So Cal was hit with a heat wave and the temperatures were soaring this week, 90's at the beaches which is almost unheard of.

Beach Day #1

Monday - Dana Point Harbor, baby beach

This is where we've come in the past to kayak with our family - thanks to the jetty there is a calm little harbor perfect for setting the kids free. The beach is waveless for the most part due to the jetty, and a lot of moms bring their little ones here during the day. It is also a good setting to learn how to sail in, the Dana Point Yacht Club usually has several of its little yellow sailboats out and about, and today I watched a rowboat full of younger kids learning how to row together while an instructor followed them in a dingy yelling instructions.

My little boys really liked it here, it was just their speed for feeling comfortable on the boogie boards. The older kids had come with the idea that they would head over to the jetty and the deeper water to jump into the ocean (on the harbor side).

However today the waves were big,

you can see them cresting over the jetty in the above photo.

Thus the jetty was closed and all the kids stayed at the beach end of the harbor.

There were even a few small wave laps along the shoreline here.

The boys spent a lot of time on the boards

The girls on the shore

Our friend Claudia tried her hand at paddleboarding,

which is a big board like a surfboard but more stable,

which you ride standing up while propelling along

with a long single paddle. It has become quite the fitness

rage among the ocean going set in recent years.

Dana Point harbor is a good location for this sport as

well, and there are usually several people paddling

around on the water among the sailboaters.

Claudia paddleboards while the girls play on the shore

lunch on the beach - Claudia brought McDonalds for her kids

to eat, and of course all the other kids descended upon her

like seagulls on a forgotten bag of chips. I did bring sandwiches and

granola bars and cheese sticks, but they were not nearly as popular.

Jed knows its important to keep hydrated, even at the beach.

Beach Day #2

Wednesday - Laguna Beach

There are so many great little hidden coves and beaches in Laguna, but today we stick with the tried and true traditional Heisler Park Picnic Beach down the hill from Grandma's house. She offered to drop us off and then drive and park our van at the cheaper meters, but due to soccer practice later today we can only stay for four hours, which is the maximum time allowed on the beachfront meters. Conveniently the meters now take credit cards! So I punched in the $8 maximum (2$ per hour) and we were set for the duration.

The waves were crashing here today,

yellow flag warning on the lifeguard tower

Great fun for the older kids on the boogie boards...

(Jack catching a wave of sorts)

but a bit too rough for Jed and Henry, who instead

spend their time running from the waves

and chasing the boogie boarders around

further photographic proof that Santa Claus summers in Laguna

Harriet and Corianne building drip castles

Henry (little mermaid?) on the rocks,

Scott with some washed up seaweed,

Jack in the water

We have an alert, cautious lifeguard on our little strip of beach.

I can count at least five times that he swims out and

pulls someone back in who is too far beyond the breakers.

One guy he escorts back in is wearing a wet suit and panting and said

"That tide was a lot stronger than I thought!"

so, yeah for our lifeguard!

spotting someone in need

starting to hustle down into the crashing surf

entering the water with his cool

lifesaving harness

bringing two swimmers back from the brink

we saw one guy literally trying to drag a women

back towards the beach in the water and he just couldn't do it -

our lifeguard of course swam out and brought her in.

My boys and their boards

Beach Day #3

Friday - Corona del Mar

We continue our progressive move up the coast this week with a day planned with friends at Corona del Mar, a beautiful beach located in between Laguna and Newport.

lovely shoreline

Corianne and Harriet

Henry becomes Sandman

Jed and Harriet watch friend Scott (standing) surf in

The waves were still a bit rough for the little boys on the boards,

so they spent a lot of time running in the surf and playing

in the sand with the multitude of friends that came today.

Corona del Mar is by far the busiest beach we hit this week.

Quick video of Jack and friend Matt (in dark blue) riding the surf

into shore. May have to watch it more than once to catch him.

waves were crashing here as well,

but the water beyond the breakers seemed

a bit calmer, but nonetheless was patrolled by

a yellow rescue boat and the occasional

helicopter flying overhead up and down the shoreline

Henry and Jed starting to dig in the sand

before the big shovels show up

soon many of the kids are digging a deep fortress with

walls made of boogie boards and the forbidden skim boards

(not allowed on this crowded beach)

Jed starts doing a flying leap over the skim boards and into his

little hiding spot in the fortress which keeps cracking me and some of the other

moms up. This is the best I could do at catching him in action on film.

Also notice Henry shoveling away in the chest deep hole of the fortress.

Yellow rescue boat out at sea,

GoodYear Blimp flying overhead

boys take a break from the waves on their boards

while the girls build some towering drip castles

until they are destroyed by the occasional invading wave,

which long before took out the deep fortress

built by the other children.