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You been to Jalama Beach?
I certainly have! Many times. When I surfed more often, I'd camp there in the winters. Lately, I'm only driving there for a burger and a walk down the beach. Again, fuck camping in the sand.
They serve burgers?
How is the sky there at night? As dark and beautiful as they say it is? I heard it's one of the darkest skies on the shore in SoCal. I wanted to go there for the meteor shower a week or so ago but k ew it was closed so....
You ever been freestyle camping? Not at a campsite but just out in the woods?
Yep - the infamous Jalama Burger is located on the north side of the parking lot:
http://jalamabeach.com/restaurant.htmlThe food, in combination with the scenery, makes the windy drive worth it.
Light pollution is super minimal around the area, with the closest "city" being Lompoc. However, being on the coast in such an exposed area, it's hard to catch an evening without overcast conditions. See the map below:
Red flags I have about Jalama:
- From what I remember, it's first come first serve and no reservations. I've driven 2 hours at 1am to get a spot on a Wednesday just to be told I can only park for the day. If this happens, a good backup to sleep at is Gaviota (Look at map, most east point).
-There's 0 cell service. Some like it, some don't. I love it
-Walking south of the camping area, the tide can put you in some sketchy situations. Read tide maps before wandering around
-It's very exposed (Channel Islands do not protect it from wind/weather), so it can get pretty windy. This+camping on the sand= you will have sand in places you didn't imagine possible and will sleep with a shirt over your face. There are cabins available to rent but I'm sure they're both expensive and booked super far in advance
-Being that exposed to the open Pacific, the ocean wildlife is pretty gnarly. Most shark-attacks (great white) happen in that area more often than others in Southern California
-The water is pretty cold throughout the year. Be ready with a 4/3 suit and possibly a hood if you are going to surf there.
All that said, it's a beautiful place. Whether you're going to camp or just for a day trip, check it out.