Memorial Day weekend has come to mark the start of the summer season.
For many residents, that means spending more time along Orange County’s coastline.
The coast is a vast and diverse environment. Possibly the only thing as vast and diverse as the coastal ecosystem, is the people it attracts.
Whether it be playing beach sports and activities on the land or sea, or just enjoying the weather and landscape, Orange County beaches continue to be a place for people to escape to.
James Claxton is all the way from the United Kingdom but says Laguna Beach is like a second home to him.
“I come for a month every year to stay. I’m not from here but it feels like I am,” he said.
Claxton comes to visit friends he has met at comic and science fiction conventions. When he is not working or spending time pursuing his hobbies, he says he tries to find time to escape and enjoy watching the sun set over the horizon.
“There are some things only mother nature can replicate,” Claxton said.
Cheryl Friedman, a local who moved to the area from Minnesota in 1988, also enjoys afternoons and sunsets at the beach.
Now retired after working as a lawyer and professional photographer, Friedman’s love for photography calls her to the beach almost every week even after experiencing an accident that led her to two broken bones last October. Her favorite thing about the beach: “Waiting for the moon,” she said.
She shared that after taking a long break from photography, looking up into the moon one evening was a reminder of her sister who passed away.
Editor’s note: This is an occasional series where Voice of OC works with local community photographers to offer residents a first-hand look at the local sites and scenes of Orange County.
“She wrote a song about the moon…now every night for the last two and a half years if there is a moon I am out there and I just get excited,” said Friedman.
While some people, like Claxton and Friedman, enjoy a more relaxing beach experience, others opt for a more thrill seeking adventure.
Two San Clemente teens were out spearfishing at Crystal Cove State Park. One of the teens caught his first fish ever on his inaugural run.
“I just liked being out there swimming, and obviously catching a fish is super satisfying,” he said.
Another adrenaline filled activity is the popular sport of surfing.
On land there is also no shortage of activities beach-goers like to partake in.
Tom Bui from Brea California comes to Newport Beach to play beach volleyball with friends every Saturday. Bui said has been playing volleyball near the Newport Pier for nearly 24 years.
“After a hard work week I look forward to coming out here with these guys and getting good camaraderie, exercise, and sun,” he said.
But despite all the fun to be had there is no denying the dangers of the ocean and some beach activities.
That’s where people like Dan Rafferty make a difference.
Rafferty has been a lifeguard for Newport Beach for eight years and is one of many individuals who help keep the beaches safe.
Rafferty said his training consisted of CPR and First Aid, learning to read water currents, and being an active observer to prevent accidents before they occur.
“The hardest part is we work hard and often don’t get a thank you. I feel like some people see us as the cops of the beach,” he said.
Rafferty notes that for him, helping others is a rewarding experience.
Here are some images captured walking the coast of Orange County:
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