Walking The Beach at Crystal Cove, Laguna Beach, California

Laguna Beach is one of my favorite places to visit when I come to southern California, second only to Malibu, of course. I came to the same place last year when I visited during this time of year, and it was basically the same as I remember it, but also very different. I went to a slightly different part of Crystal Cove and walked a stretch of beach I hadn’t done last year. The beach was flat, at a lower tide of the day, and was less populated than some of the other beaches in Orange County.

Still, what draws me to this beach, in particular, are the features. From the cliffs looming over the sandy beach to the rocks sticking out of the water, it makes it interesting to capture on camera. I was laughing to myself as I walked down the beach because growing up, this section of the beach would’ve been a total no-no for my family since there were so many hidden rocks! Not so much anymore – it’s my little slice of photographic paradise.

After taking some time to read on the beach and watch a little kid and his parents build a rather impressive sandcastle, I got up and took my camera up. I strolled down the beach a little and snapped some photos here and there. Last year, I had much less time to capture photos, so I was happy I had given myself enough time this time around.

As I strolled down the beach looking for my next shots, my mind wandered to the possibilities I could have gone with after graduating college. I had been pretty set on moving out to California since I had done an internship here, and I’d thought about how much Salt Lake shaped my life. The thought ended nearly as quick as it began since I realized I was a little bored at the beach! Now, I realize that going to the beach might be a more social activity for me, and since I was here alone, maybe that wasn’t so. But, given that thought, I’m still happy with the decision. I mean, the traffic and gas prices alone are enough for me to not ponder moving here anyways!

The night ended with a cool walk back in the dying light of the evening. I passed a few people on the beach, but most had left. A teenage couple was taking photos near the water, and I kinda chuckled to myself as I passed them. Oh, I felt like I could picture myself doing that a few years back during dusk on the beach. I guess I must be boring now!

I started to ascend the trail up the cliffs back to the car and stopped short at one of the benches along the way to ponder. The sunset was quite brilliant, and I didn’t want to miss a thing. It was calming; I couldn’t hear the roar of the road but could hear the crashing waves onto the shore below. I couldn’t see much below me, but I could see the brilliant gradient of the sky in front of me. It was just peaceful.

And, like the night prior, a star poked out, this time, joined by two friends.

Parting shot:

Next blog: More travel, pt. II.