Hidden Beaches of the Coast

Coastviews Magazine Article

by Whitney Merrill

August 2012— Feeling a bit harried? Coastside beaches are a great place to get away, relax and enjoy the summer months. Most of the main beaches are well marked and easily accessible from Highway 1, but there are a few hidden gems that are not visited as often and offer a more secluded beach experience. Here are a few lesser-known beaches that you might have overlooked or might want to revisit. All of the beaches listed will remain open this summer, unaffected by the closing of some California parks. Enjoy your summer at the beach!

Davenport Landing Beach

Davenport Landing Beach. Photos: Whitney Merrill.

Directions: Take Highway 1 and go 35 miles south of Half Moon Bay. Turn right on Davenport Landing Road; the beach and parking are about a half mile down on the left. Davenport Landing Road is 1¼ miles north of Ocean Street, the center of downtown Davenport. So if you get to Ocean Street, you’ve come too far; turn around and go back.
Overview: A wide sandy beach in a protected cove makes this a perfect spot for relaxing on a quiet beach to watch surfers, sailboats and sunsets. Originally the site of the whaling town of Davenport, it is now just a hidden white sand beach on the coast with a few homes overlooking the water. In the summer months the kelp beds are full of life and pelicans, cormorants and seals abound. As this beach is not marked from Highway 1 it is often overlooked by visitors and frequented by locals. The downtown of Davenport has a number of restaurants and stores to dine or grab picnic supplies for a day at the beach.

Davenport Landing Beach

Bean Hollow.

Directions: Take Highway 1 and go 18 miles south of Half Moon Bay, and 2½ miles south of Pescadero Road. There are two parking lots, the more southern lot offering access to the sandy crescent-shaped beach.
Overview: Although this beach is readily visible from Highway 1, beach-goers heading south from Half Moon Bay often stop at either the San Gregorio or Pescadero state beaches, leaving this beach with more room to stretch out your beach blanket. Additionally, when there is coastal fog or an ocean breeze, this cove provides shelter from the wind and the white sand provides warmth on marginal beach days. The shape of the beach also makes it easy to keep an eye on children and dogs — dogs are allowed on leash — and there are tide pools to enjoy at low tide. Nearby Pescadero provides several options for beach food and dining in town.

Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay Beach
Directions: Take Highway 1 and go 2½ miles south of Route 92 in Half Moon Bay. Turn right on Miramontes Point road; the parking lot is about a half mile down on the left. The paved path to the beach cuts directly through the golf course with protected fencing.

Half Moon Bay Ritz Beach.

Overview: This is a public access beach, well worth the 55 steps down to beach even if you’re not staying at the Ritz. This beautiful white sand beach is great for long romantic strolls and exploration of tide pools; it’s often overlooked because there are a limited number of parking spaces at the public access. However, the Ritz provides 25 additional parking spaces at the main building and you can also combine your visit to the beach with dining, golfing or a relaxing spa at the Ritz.

Maverick’s Beach & Pillar Point Harbor Beaches
Directions: Take Highway 1 and go 3½ miles north of Route 92 in Half Moon Bay. Turn left on Capistrano Road to Pillar Point Harbor. Continue past the harbor entrance to Prospect Way and turn left. Turn right on Broadway, then immediately left on Harvard. Continue to the end of Harvard. Turn right on West Point Avenue and go ½ mile to the Pillar Point Marsh parking lot. From the parking lot walk along the water to the harbor beach and then ¼ mile further to Maverick’s beach out around the bend.
Overview: Famous for the Maverick’s Big Surf competition and waves of up to 50 feet in the winter

Pillar Point Harbor.

season on the outside reef, the beaches inside of Pillar Point Harbor provide calm and relatively warm waters for children and are dog-friendly. If you round the corner out beyond the harbor wall there is a white sand beach with views of surfers and kayakers at high tide and the exposed reef at low tide. At the northern tip of Half Moon Bay this beach provides spectacular views of the bay and the coastal mountain range. The parking lot is sometimes full, but there is additional parking at the harbor mall and bike rentals are available for the short ride out to the beach.

Seal Cove Beach at Fitzgerald Marine Reserve
Directions: Take Highway 1 and go 5¾ miles north of Route 92 in Half Moon Bay; turn left on Cypress Avenue at the sign for the Moss Beach Distillery. Follow the signs to the Distillery where there is parking and then walk ¼ mile back along Beach Street until it intersects Cypress Avenue. The beach access, via stairs, can be found along the Bluff Trail.

Seal Cove Beach.

Overview: The newly constructed 100 steps down to this isolated white sandy beach have a landing with park signs to tell the story of the cove and its bootlegger history. At low tide the rocks of the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve are exposed and the tide pools are full of sea anemones, crabs, clams and snails. Seals frequent the beach and gray whales are a common sight just off shore. Stop at the nearby historical Moss Beach Distillery for a burger and beer on the patio or a more formal meal inside and you may catch a glimpse of the famous Blue Lady ghost.

On the Web:
www.halfmoonbaychamber.org/
visiting_hmb/beaches.html
www.parks.ca.gov
www.scparks.com
www.co.sanmateo.ca.us/portal/
site/parks/

The Stream of Positive Intentions

I was heading out for a nature hike for some Unavailable Time to recharge and reground when my son (who knew where I was headed) said "Daddy - will you say Hi to my stream that I love and throw in a magical rock?"  We've spent a good deal of time in nature together as father & son and both have a great affinity for water in all of it's forms so I knew exactly what he meant - he was asking me to make a wish for him, or as I would state it: to set a positive intention for the future.

Those of you who have children will know the challenges of making and keeping promises so I always look for 'easy' wins :) - this was one promise that I knew that I could keep so I said back to him "You Bet!" and also set a promise to do the same for myself.  The short drive to the stream and the subsequent hike through the forest allowed me some time to focus on what intention that I would set so when I did arrive at the stream I was good to go.

Over the years I have developed a discipline around setting intentions and holding/maintaining a positive focus to achieve the outcomes that I truly desire.  I've set intentions for everything that you can imagine - finding a new job, meeting my life partner, meeting someone who will advise & guide me on my path, a new car, inner guidance, tickets to a concert, having a healthy baby, a new pet, etc.  Today however I found myself with an intention of something broader so I went for it.

I selected a special rock from the creek side, held it to my chest, set my intention in my mind and spoke it into the rock - "I'm setting my intention to be a powerful force for good and change in the world."  I know, kind of a 'world peace-y' intention but it was what was in me and I've learned to just run with it over the years.  With that I threw the rock at the stream... and it bounced off a log and missed the pool I was aiming for.  Not exactly what I was hoping for here at all.  However, one of the reasons that my son and I love this stream is that it always seems to 'deliver'... so I waited.

And then the quiet voice inside of me said as clear as day: "Throw again."  Again, this is where continued practice can make the difference - the calm and quiet seems to create a space for these 'things' to occur - if you're quiet you can hear it but if you're running around all crazy you often miss it.  What also came with the voice was the picture of multiple rocks, not just one.  So I selected three more rocks, set the intention and threw again.  This time, they all flew straight and into the pool creating that splash and radiating wave of intention that I could feel already moving out into the universe - spot on.

I thought about this little intention experience and the meaning and interpretation came forth for me almost as bubble within - the true power of my intention was actually related to my impact on others, not just myself - hence the multiple stones.  By focusing on helping and assisting others to make a positive impact (vs. just myself) I am more likely to achieve my intention and not 'miss the stream'.  I could feel the power in that intention as well as the 'gift' of the specific insight as I walked away from the stream, ready to openly receive whatever is flowing my way next.

What I wanted to share today was less about my specific intention and more about how a practice of setting intentions and following a discipline can work for you (specifically).  I ask you to consider that a 'bounce off a log' while setting an intention may actually be a 'hello' regarding your intentions themselves.  If things don't exactly 'work out' as you intended or perhaps scripted out in your mind, consider trying again or resetting the intention with a more flexible range of outcomes or interpretations.  You may be surprised what you experience and your feelings will almost always validate for you when you are 'spot on'.

I have made a promise to a good friend of mine to write and share more, as well as keeping the promises to my son that are 'easy' to keep - I can only hope that this new intention that was set to today is part of the positive flow!

All the Best,

Whitney

© 2012 All rights reserved, Whitney Merrill