CA Beach Camping

by Mellon
(Philadelphia, PA)

A few years ago, my two best friends and I drove cross-country from Georgia to Vancouver, camping along the way. After weeks of deserts and forests, we finally arrived at the California coast, just as the sun was setting.

Being east coasters, this was our first look at the Pacific Ocean. It was raining and we were all soaked through, but it was still marvelous. We managed to get a fire going and pitched our tents.

Never had I camped on the beach before, and I was surprised at how soft the sand was beneath the tent and how safe I felt exposed under the endless sky.

The next day we awoke to the sounds of the waves, the cries of sea birds and the beautiful, immense ocean before us. We spent the day frolicking up and down the beach, waiting for our things to dry in the sun, before reluctantly repacking the car and continuing up the Pacific Coast Highway towards our next destination.

The memory of that sun-glazed shore and the soft sounds of the golden waves have stayed with me through the years.