Tag: oceanside

Posted on

Big Waves in January

San Diego Big Waves January featured image

So did you hear about the massive storm that Southern California endured on January 6th? Did you know that there also was a Full Moon on January 6th? It sounds like a perfect combination to me. There were reports of waves reaching the insane height of over 20 feet in some spots! Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get to the coast to have a look on that incredible weekend, but I was available on the 11th. I looked at the surf report for the second week in January, and Wednesday the 11th looked like the best bet in catching a few shots of big waves with my camera; hurray!

Join me as I journey down the coast, first Oceanside, then Carlsbad, and finally ending my adventure at Swami’s in Encinitas.

Just How Big Were the Waves on January Sixth in San Diego?

The storm came onshore in San Diego early on Thursday,  January 5th. The National Weather Service anticipated widespread coastal flooding, heavy rains, high winds (20 to 30 mph), and massive surf.

Also, the storm has been described as a ‘bomb cyclone’ because it started as a low-pressure system that rapidly intensified into a massive storm that created a west-northwest swell. So needless to say,  W to NW facing beaches experienced the largest waves.

How massive were the waves, you ask?

  • Oceanside Pier- 7 to 10 feet
  • Carlsbad State Beach- 4 to 5 feet
  • South Ponto- 5 to 7 feet
  • Encinitas- 8 to 9 feet
  • Black’s Beach- 15 to 20 feet
  • La Jolla Cove- 18 to 20 feet
  • Mission Beach- 18 feet
  • Imperial Beach- 9 to 10 feet

Continue reading “Big Waves in January”

Posted on

2022 Year in Review

2022 review image san diego beach secrets

Boy, oh boy! What a year 2022 was! Yes? I didn’t get to the coast as much as I had wished, but I did have many stellar moments! Today as an homage to the year, I would like to share the best of the best photography and a few moments revisited in my annual 2022 year in review.

Please bear with me as I am trying to remember everything by just looking back at the photos.

Ready?

Let’s go!

January 2022- Bird Rock La Jolla

camino tidepools bird rock la jolla

I can’t tell you how awesome it was to experience La Jolla on an extremely low tide; the views here are more than otherworldly.

Notable Moments–

One thing that stuck out to me today was the number of dogs walking around on the tide pools. This area is a part of a State Marine Conservation Area, so seeing the dogs walking on the tide pools made me cringe.

I was thrilled that I was able to witness Bird Rock on a King Low Tide because the last time I experienced this was in 1990! I had a marine invertebrate zoology field trip while in college.

My only regret was that we didn’t walk further north, as I would have loved to see what Calumet Beach looked like. I love how the waves sound over there because of the large stones hitting each other.

Continue reading “2022 Year in Review”

Posted on

Flying Over San Diego Beaches

flying over san diego featured image

Today I would like to do something fun! On October 12, my family and I were coming home from a trip to Idaho. I was fortunate enough to sit in a window seat and photograph my favorite beach in the universe-San Onofre State Beach on the airplane! Seeing that it was only 9 am, the lighting was perfect. As a bonus, the plane flew the entire coast of North County San Diego and did not turn inland until flying over Torrey Pines State Beach. Come and check out what I witnessed!

Flying Over San Onofre State Beach

San Onofre state beach flying over plane

When I noticed that we were getting closer to San Diego, I eagerly awaited for us to arrive above my favorite beach, San Onofre/ Trestles. My love of the untouched and wild beaches of San Onofre State Beach can be seen in the number of times I have written about the area.

I have noted the surf break Churches in the photo above, the midpoint between Trestles and San Onofre State Beach.

Continue reading “Flying Over San Diego Beaches”

Posted on

Best San Diego Family Beaches

Moonlight 7 1 family beach san diego featured image

Welcome to San Diego Beach Secrets! Today I would like to concentrate on the best San Diego family beaches. San Diego’s 70 miles of coastline has many different types of beaches. The variety is endless, some of which you can only reach four times a year. But what does constitute a great family beach? My first pick would be calm waters, followed by soft sand, maybe a playground? But most definitely a restroom and showers. So, today I will be highlighting where, when, and how each beach is ideal for a spectacular family day at the beach.

Ready?

Let’s go!

—>Beaches of San Diego County<—

Best North County San Diego Beaches for Families

Oh, how I love North County San Diego Beaches! These beaches (sans Oceanside) have huge and gorgeous sandstone bluffs accentuating the already beautiful Pacific Ocean.

Down below, I have three wonderful family beaches to share with you!

Let’s go!

Oceanside Harbor Beach- Family Fun in Oceanside

oceanside pier sand ocean waves

button map buccaneer beach oceanside

Oceanside Harbor beach is excellent for families because there are many amenities. What I think is the main draw is the extensive sandy beach.

Continue reading “Best San Diego Family Beaches”

Posted on

Saltwater Fishing in San Diego

saltwater fishing san diego featured image

San Diego, known as “America’s Finest City,” boasts over 70 miles of coastline to explore! Are you a piscator? Or, in other words, do you like saltwater fishing? Do you prefer to fish from piers or jetties? From shore or out in the ocean? San Diego’s peak fishing season begins in April and until November. Would you like to learn more about saltwater fishing in San Diego?

–>The Beaches of San Diego County<–

What makes San Diego extraordinary is that the coastline is so varied. There are miles of sandstone bluffs in North County San Diego (San Onofre, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Del Mar). While down in South County San Diego, sandy beaches rule (Pacific Beach, Mission Beach, Ocean Beach, Coronado, Imperial Beach.) San Diego has it all, whether you prefer to fish from the beach, jetty, pier, boat, or by a chartered vessel!

piscator definition mackerel fishing pole

A Piscator Page, You Say?

I thought having a specific page on my website with all of the San Diego saltwater fishing information in one place would be good. A piscator page!

So down below, I have compiled complete lists of all San Diego saltwater fishing piers, saltwater sportfishing (half-day/full-day) party and charter boats, boat launch ramps, lobster fishing spots, the 2022 grunion run schedule, a few fish lists, as well as several prominent shore fishing locations.

As a bonus, I have included all harbor and bay cruises offered out of Oceanside Harbor, Mission Bay, and San Diego Bay for those who have no desire to fish but still yearn to be on the water.

To experience San Diego fully, you must get on the ocean, breathe in all the negative ions, and let the saltwater spray on your face. Believe me; you will thank me later. Also, don’t forget to pack a sweatshirt, as it can get chilly out on the water.

Continue reading “Saltwater Fishing in San Diego”

Posted on

Walking Around Guajome Lake and Regional Park

Guajome Regional Park featured image water birds cattails

In mid-January, I took my daughters and Mother-in-Law to experience Guajome Lake and Regional Park in Oceanside for a couple of hours. We constantly pass the front entrance whenever we take Highway 76 to the coast.

I have always been intrigued by what Guajome Lake looked like, so today was the day to find out!

Guajome Regional Park Map

A Bit of Guajome Regional Park History

Guajome regional park grassy picnic area

First off, here are a few statistics regarding Guajome Regional Park. The park spans 394 acres and is 8 miles inland from the coast.

Continue reading “Walking Around Guajome Lake and Regional Park”

Posted on

2019 Year In Review Photo Gallery

2019 Year in Review Large featured image

Anytime I am on the coast, I am happy! How about you? Down below are a few of my San Diego beach highlights. Will you join me as I go over my 2019 year in review? I sure had fun remembering all the great places I visited, and I have plenty of photos to share!

I have previously written about many of these beaches, so click on any link for additional information.

Ready? Let’s Go!

January San Diego Beach Adventures in 2019

observation deck Buena Vista Lagoon 2019 Year in Review

 Buena Vista Lagoon-Buccaneer Beach-Oceanside Harbor

My oldest daughter Maya and I investigated the Buena Vista Lagoon western section in Oceanside on January 15. It was a gloomy day, but any day on the coast is a good day, in my book!

First, we were able to take a quick walk around the nature trail.

We also popped into the nature center to look around for a bit. Later, we crossed the street to see the lagoon section behind the Saint Malo Beach community I had never seen before.

Continue reading “2019 Year In Review Photo Gallery”

Posted on

San Diego Summer Fun- 2019

Tijuana River Valley Regional Park Panoramic

For as long as I can remember, summer has always been my favorite season! It could be that my Birthday is on July 1st, but to be honest, I think it is more than that. You see, my favorite place on this Earth is the beach. So can you think of a better time to visit the beach but in summer? Me neither! Join my daughters and me and see where we explored during our San Diego Summer of 2019!

The Best  Summer Possible!

Heermans gulls encinitas moonlight beach
Heerman’s gulls on Moonlight Beach

This San Diego Summer, I wanted to make it super special because it was the last summer with my girls before they were both off to college.

My eldest daughter has been in college for two years already and came home for the summer, but my youngest was just about to start. I have been a stay-at-home Mom for over twenty years, so the thought of not having any children home puts the panic of God into me.

However, I was not going to let my anxiety of missing my kids get in the way of having the best San Diego summer possible.

Continue reading “San Diego Summer Fun- 2019”

Posted on

Best San Diego Birding Hotspots

Loma Alta Creek San Diego Birding

Here I  present a comprehensive list of the best San Diego birding hotspots. I will include all of San Diego County, starting first to the north and going south. Each site will have a link to an address and habitat type, amenities,  tour information (if available), and any notable birds of Interest.

Did you know many free San Diego birding tours are offered all over San Diego County? I will also include any insider information in my research, such as prime locations within each site.

Continue reading “Best San Diego Birding Hotspots”

Posted on

List of All San Diego Sportfishing Party Boats

Helgrens Sportfishing Boat going into dock

I want to present a complete list of all public San Diego Sportfishing Party Boats. First, what is the difference between a Party Boat and a Charter Boat? Well, to put it simply, a Party Boat is available to anyone who would like to come. While on the other hand, you can say that a Charter is a private rental where the public is not welcome to join.

I will list all available Party boats in San Diego County, starting first up north in Oceanside Harbor.

A Few Much Needed References

I have included here a link to Sportfishingreport.com.  If you look towards the bottom of the list, you will see all of the San Diego Sportfishing party boats and Charter boats that go out daily. Have a look! Every Sportfishing boat in California is listed here. What I like about this site is that every fish caught is recorded.

Here is a valuable page as well-The Current California Recreational Fishing Regulations.

The Captains and crew are well aware of the rules and regulations, but it never hurts to get an idea before setting out to fish.

Also, I would like to include “Everything Thing You Need To Know About Fishing in Mexico,” as it can get very confusing.

Continue reading “List of All San Diego Sportfishing Party Boats”

Posted on

The Mystery of Saint Malo Beach

saint malo beach house buena vista lagoon

Have you ever walked down the southern Oceanside beaches? Did you know that there is a private beach named Saint Malo Beach at the very end, right near the border of Carlsbad?

The community of Saint Malo owns the part of the Buena Vista Lagoon closest to the Pacific Ocean.

Not much is known about this beach, and because of this, I was highly intrigued to learn more. I want to mention that there is hardly any information about this area on the internet right up front.

I spent countless hours trying to find something, anything!

Well,  I found just enough, so here I am to take you on a mini-tour of this infamous beach.

Come on!

Let’s have a look!

Continue reading “The Mystery of Saint Malo Beach”

Posted on

A Walk Around Buena Vista Lagoon

Buena Vista Lagoon

On the morning of March 9, 2018, my mother-in-law and I decided to trip to the Buena Vista Lagoon in Oceanside, California.

I had been here before but had never taken the quarter-mile hike around the Buena Vista Lagoon Audubon’s Nature Center.

I have been intrigued ever since, so we are back!

Come and join me for a tour!

Buena Vista Means “Good-View” In Spanish

Buena Vista Lagoon Cattails trees
What a view from the Nature Centers observation deck!

2202 South Coast Hwy, Oceanside

760-439-2473

# Please click on each photo to see a larger version size.

Great Blue Heron Metal Statue

Let us now go over a few things before we take our hike.

The Buena Vista Lagoon is 223 acres of freshwater wetland that serves as a natural barrier between two cities- Oceanside and Carlsbad.

It is also important to mention that there are no other freshwater lagoons in Southern California.

So, we have a unique coastal ecosystem here!

You may fish from shore, and hiking is allowed on designated trails only.

Buena Vista Lagoon Map

I have always wondered about this lagoon/ coastal wetland ever since I moved down here 30 years ago.

Not only do you notice it when driving on Interstate 5, but you can also see it on Hwy 78, which runs east.

This waterway (Buena Vista Creek) runs parallel to Hwy 78 for almost 10 miles inland.

Continue reading “A Walk Around Buena Vista Lagoon”

Posted on

Top 5 Spots to View a San Diego Sunset

Mission Bay San Diego Sunset
Mission Bay, San Diego

If I can put one touch of rosy sunset into the life of any man or woman, I shall feel that I have worked with God– G.K Chesterton

Encountering a San Diego sunset on the coast is something you will never forget. With San Diego having over 70 miles of coast,  where are the best places to experience a San Diego sunset?

Few things touch my soul more than a sunset. Something magical happens when the sun’s rays hit the ocean water, and it is as if the entire surroundings are shining from within.

I am pleased to share my top 5 spots where I think you can see that exceptional San Diego sunset in all its glory and more!

Under each listing, I have included one fun fact, or in other words, a secret.

Continue reading “Top 5 Spots to View a San Diego Sunset”

Posted on

Discovering Oceanside Pier CA

Oceanside Pier CA

Oceanside Pier

May 17, 2015- Oceanside Pier

Oceanside Pier is one of the largest piers in the State of California; measuring the length of 1954 feet.

This pier was first built in 1888 but was ultimately wiped out by a storm in 1890.

Eventually, it was again rebuilt in 1893 and additionally restored four more times due to heavy storms. The original location was at what is now Wisconsin Ave Beach.

Continue reading “Discovering Oceanside Pier CA”

Privacy Policy Proudly powered by WordPress