Ocean Beach - San Francisco

As many of you know, San Francisco is not known for its' crystal clear summer days..... Most of the time in July and August we have fog, lots of fog and lots of "marine layers".  Truly, I am not complaining, (remember, I am from the Pacific Northwest) after the fog burns off we have beautiful clear skies and NO rain.  For me, the fog has its own unique beauty. It rolls in like cotton candy waves from the Pacific Ocean, over our coastal mountain ranges blanketing everything in quiet surreal white strands...

Last week, all of a sudden San Francisco  popped out of the fog and back into summer.   We decided to head down to Ocean Beach and see what we might find - totally expecting to find gray.  Instead, we were greeted by bright sunshine and the incredible blue, green, aqua waves of the Pacific!

Ocean Beach runs the length of the Great Highway in San Francisco, wide open sandy beaches and sand dunes stretching for miles up to the Cliff House and then into the entrance to San Francisco Bay.  

I have gathered sea glass, tiny whole sand dollars, large dark blue mussel shells at Ocean Beach, but this is the first abalone shell that I have ever found.  Was so excited to see the myriad of blues, silvers and greens shining up at me out of the sand, just asking to go home in my pocket.

Have never seen this either - whole live dungeness crabs were washing up in the surf!  No wonder why there were so many shore birds and some VERY large black ravens stalking the edge of the waves.

We love to watch the  kite surfers skim the waves, quickly gathering speed along the water. Some day, when I get brave enough,  I would really really like to learn how to kite surf.  It looks likes such fun and  a total blast!

 Ocean Beach is a beach to simply enjoy the sun glinting off of  the green-aqua color of the water as you walk along, picking up stray sea shells and an occasional sea glass prize while sinking your toes into the soft, gray sand.

 Even better if you are holding hands with  someone you love...

Better yet, if he takes you out for a delish sea food appetizer to share and lemon drops at the Cliff House after you promise to get all the sand off of your shorts, and maybe comb your hair!  (Don't you love this view??)