From my deluxe camp chair with folding wings for a cooler and beer holder, I can see Lifeguard station 9. It is a typical SoCal lifeguard structure. Tall enough for a good view of the beach with an overhanging roof to provide shade and sturdy aluminum railing. When occupied by a lifeguard, the hurricane shutters are raised and the tinted glass windows are exposed. The reflectivity of the window makes it similar to an electronic picture frame. The image displayed in the window is of a wave breaking on the beach. The larger the wave, the more volume of the sound of it breaking on the sand and cobblestones. Occasionally a bird will fly by the window, but mostly breaking surf entertains me.
A camper unfamiliar with starting a fire can almost always be detected by the smell and smoke of something plastic being used to help ignite a chunk of wood. Kindling is often a 12 pack cardboard beer box. I have seen damaged flip flops, sunscreen tubes, Starbucks cup covers and Gatorade containers used as fire enhancers. The aroma of such a campfire reminds me of my first visit to Sayulita, Mexico, where trash fires were the norm.
Many campers are inspired to decorate their sites with cutesy signs, banners, lights, plastic animals, flowers or gnomes. Some sites look like a scene from Sanford and Son without Redd Fox in view. Some of the motifs of current camp sites include Easter bunnies, patriotic slogans, biblical aphorisms and family crests or coats of arms. My favorite site is the one where an Oregon Duck windsock flies. Our site. Go Ducks.
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