Beacher Issue No. 1
Find Hidden Lighthouses in California
Best Shelling Beaches in the World
April 1, 2019
About Us B
eacher is the magazine that gives you the scoop on all things “sandy.” We can give you all the information you may want on your next vacation hot spots. We can inform you on what other magazines do not tell you about these vacation areas that you may be looking into. Within this magazine, you will find articles concerning information on different hidden lighthouses along the California coast, to all the best shelling beaches in the world. This magazine will also talk about the different beaches around the world. So, if your bucket list has a spot on it where you want to visit, all the beaches in the world are written up in this magazine for you. Whatever you want or need to to know about any beach anywhere in the world, we got it in this magazine. We have the latest scoop on all things hot, and all things “sandy.” Subscribe today, and keep reading to find out more.
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NATIONAL SEASHELL DAY GIVEAWAY! June 21st is #NationalSeashellDay & we’re celebrating with the ulimate giveaway!
Check out the details for your chance to WIN!
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Hidden Lighthouses in California You Should Try to Find St. George Reef Lighthouse
Lighthouses are tall white structures with bright lights on top so they should be easy to spot right. Well some of the lighthouses on the California Coast This lighthouse is typically hidden by fog and when aren’t in plain sight, in fact, a few of them are hidden it is not, it’s still hard to see. That’s because this quite well. Here are five lighthouses that are hidden, lighthouse is located on a rock six miles from shore but worth trying to find. in Crescent City. Even though this lighthouse, which was completed in 1892, is the third tallest in California, the distance from Point St. George is enough to make it hard to photograph. Tours by helicopter to The first lighthouse on this list is hidden in a city of see and photograph the lighthouse up close willnearly a million people. And it is hidden under one hopefully resume in 2018. of the most recognizable structures in the world. You’ll find the Fort Point Lighthouse right under the south end of the Golden Gate Bridge in San FranThis small lighthouse is hidden on the back side of cisco. This historic lighthouse was erected atop the Trinidad Head in Trinidad. Few people other than Civil War era fort in 1864 and was operational until 1934 soon after construction on the bridge had com- locals know this operational lighthouse exists, yet it’s been at this spot since 1871. You can get to it by hikmenced. The grounds around Fort Point are open 7 ing 2/3 of a mile around the rock to the ocean side days a week, but the lighthouse on top is not visible from below. To see it you need to ascend to the top from the trailhead between Trinidad Head Beach and Trinidad State Beach. If this sounds like too much deck of the fort which is only open 10am-5pm Friday work, there is a near replica right in town above Old through Sunday. From a distance you can see Fort Home Beach that has fresh paint and a great backPoint Lighthouse from Crissy Field Beach. drop for photographs.
Fort Point Lighthouse
Trinidad Head Lighthouse
Punta Gorda Lighthouse
Anacapa Island Lighthouse
This lighthouse is hidden on The Lost Coast in This lighthouse is hidden in the Channel Islands. It Northern California. To see it you must take a long is high up on the eastern end of Anacapa Island, the twisty drive on narrow roads to Mattole Beach near easternmost isle of the Channel Islands, yet it still the tiny town of Petrolia. From the trailhead it’s a is not visible from the mainland. To see it, take the 3-mile hike on trails and along the beach to this reIsland Packers boat from Oxnard to the East End mote location. Punta Gorda Light has been out since Landing Cove and then hike up to the lighthouse. 1951 but that doesn’t diminish the adventurous trip to Anacapa Island Lighthouse is beautiful and although see this structure. this trip sounds difficult, the cruise can be done round-trip in a day, and the hike is less than a halfmile each way.
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The World’s Best Beaches for Hunting Seashells By: Lynn Coulter
It’s a shell game out there.
Looking for seashells is a treasure hunt. You never know what you’ll find: a delicate angel wing, baby’s ear or even a Scotch bonnet (North Carolina’s hardto-find state shell). Wave-washed shells turn up all over the world, although some of the best beaches for finding them are in the U.S.
Calvert Cliffs State Park, Maryland Shells aren’t the only things you can collect at this state park on the Chesapeake Bay. Formed 10 to 20 million years ago, and once covered by water, these cliffs sometimes cave, iceberg-like, to spill shark teeth and other fossils onto the sandy beach. This is also a good spot to hunt for scallop, clam and oyster shells, and you may even come across arrowheads and bits of smooth beach glass. Calvert Cliffs is a very popular park with limited admission, especially during the summer and around holidays, so plan ahead if you want to visit. Note: Walking beneath the cliffs is prohibited because of the danger of landslides.
Jeffreys Bay, South Africa
Surfers come from across the globe to ride the waves in Jeffreys Bay, a small town on South Africa’s Eastern Cape. Those waves also wash in a richcvariety of shells in all shapes, sizes and colors. Winter is a good time to hunt for them; you’re likely to find cowries and Indo Pacific species. Save time to visit the Jeffreys Bay Shell Museum, which contains more than 600 shell species from around the world, including a rare paper nautilus and baby jam tart shells.
Sanibel Island, Florida Do the “Sanibel stoop” on this small island west of Fort Myers, Florida. That’s what locals call the bentover position visitors take as they search for coquinas, scallops, olives, tulips, conchs and lightning whelks. Sanibel is shaped like a curve, so seashells are funneled onto its sugary-white beaches, making it one of the premier spots for collectors. Go at low tide or after a storm, when the shoreline is sure to be studded with shells, but leave sand dollars, starfish and sea urchins alone; they’re protected by law. Cross the bridge at Turner Beach to continue on to Captiva Island, another great place for finding pastel-colored seashells.
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Shipwrech Beach, Lanai, Hawaii Shipwreck Beach, on Hawaii’s Lanai Island, isn’t for swimmers. The strong currents, shallow reefs and trade winds around the island are treacherous, and, as you’d guess from its name, this beach, also known as Kaiolohia, has been the site of many shipwrecks. At least the currents and winds are great for beachcombers, and drive ashore such shells as violet snails, imperial cones and textile cones. Other fun finds that might wash up include coconuts, bottles, sea glass, driftwood and even a rare Japanese glass float.
Ocracoke Island, N.C. Ocracoke Island, at the tip of North Carolina’s Outer Banks, is home to over 400 bird species and other wildlife. It’s also a beachcomber’s paradise, where queen helmet conchs, Scotch bonnets, clams (the big ones are called quahogs), olives, periwinkles, moon snail shells and sundials are found. Look for three kinds of whelks here: lightning, knobbed and channeled whelks. Some visitors have found giant whelks that measure up to 16”. Don’t skip over the tangles of brown sea grasses and seaweeds that often dot the shore; they may be hiding some good finds. Wade a couple of feet out into the water for more hidden gems.
Galveston Island, Texas Stroll Galveston’s Sea Shell Beach Pocket Park during the winter, or after a storm, when the waves deposit murex, marsh snail shells, shark’s eyes, zebra periwinkles, clams and scallops and more. The western end of this 32 mile-long island is usually the best for shelling.
The Bahamas One of the best beaches in the Bahamas for shelling is Somerset Creek Beach, on Andros Island, although you’ll need to wear sandals or shoes to keep from cutting your feet. The beach is a mile long, studded with coconut trees and paved with millions of tiny shells in all the colors of a Bahamian sunset. Sand dollars can be found here, along with queen conchs, king, queen and emperor helmets. The pink and white sands of Eleuthera Island, one of the “out islands,” stretches for over 100 miles. Snorkel for shells or scoop them up by the handful; they’re abundant after a big storm or hurricane. Shells to watch for include netted olives, tulips, conches, murex, West Indian top shells and moon snails. Be a steward of the seashore. If you find a shell with a live animal in it, gently put it back where you found it. Also, ask about restrictions on shelling at your destination, so you don’t exceed the limit even on empty shells. Finally, if you’re traveling internationally, be sure your country of origin will allow you to bring back any shells you find.
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April 2019