Perfect beach

It's the perfect beach. There's grass for tents, rocks for a cook stove, and a firepit. The beach is just a short steep scramble down the old breakwater. Beach grass and scattered driftwood, then sand, toe-squishing warm sand, all the way to the water's edge.

Rock mounds dot the shore and the nearby headland, covered with barnacles and piling worms, with small pools of sea anemones and starfish. We climbed up for a better look at grey whales on our first evening.

At the end of the beach are rocks that have turned on their side, knife edges of rock with sandy coves in between. The sand heats up in the sun, keeping your toes warm as you walk, then cooling them when a wave rolls in.

It's an irresistible beach, the perfect place for kids to play, people to walk their dogs, surfers to catch a wave, and the occasional game of beach golf.