"Do you know Jalama?"

 

I have returned from a long camping vacation at the sea shore . It is one of my favorite places on the planet. But Why?

There is no internet service, cell phone service, shopping or amenities. It boasts 8 showers that gives you warm water for 2 minutes for  a quarter. The cold water for the 1 minute warm up included.. There is a small camp store that sells overpriced groceries and miscellaneous camping necessities, clothing , beverages of anything conceivable, and has a tiny short order kitchen selling a variety of fried foods and a famously delicious burger worth every penny.

It's 17 curvaceous miles from a main road, which can be difficult to drive for the car sick and faint of heart.

It's 22 miles from the nearest town of Lompoc, a predominately military town that is famous for it's flower fields in spring and the sleepy La Purisma Mission.

There is electricity only. No water or sewer hookups. Water rationing and black/grey tank management are essential if you stay for a number of days.

My trailer is parked 300 to 400 yards from the ocean by choice. It could be ocean front and on the sand, 100 yards from the water, but that is just too sandy and windy.

It's not the prettiest beach I've been to. The water is generally too cold to swim in without a wet suit, and there are strong rip tides and undertows waiting to drag you out to the oil rigs miles out in the distance. The sand is coarse. It is usually windy here and getting a sandblast to the face is your reward for sitting on the barren beach. There is a lifeguard on duty on the weekends, only until labor day, but usually no one to save from the rough ocean because few people venture out into the water past their ankles due to rapidly frozen toes. Any other day during the fall and winter weeks, you're on your own. (Hopefully you read the signage posted at every entry point  on how to save yourself if you are swept away. )

If you're lucky, you can escape the beach without the naturally occurring tar coming ashore sticking to your feet or shoes. (never go here without Googone!), or if you're into canoe making, collect it to seal your craft like the Chumash Indians did.

So what makes this the favorite place to camp beachfront in California for so many people? If you ask any one, "Do you know Jalama?" the people who do know it always say, "It's wonderful there!"

It's the beach where my children  long to go to. It's where they were allowed to roam freely and be independent while being safely gated by the beach camp itself.

They did their first ocean fishing here.

The dolphins, sea lions and sea otters frolic here and swim along the shore line to follow you. The whales can be seen migrating off the coast here.

We saw our first meteor that turned the night sky blue-purple -red - orange .
The nearby air force base flew practice runs of its Stealth fighter along the beach here. So close, that we could see the pilot.

It's the place we choose to spend precious vacation days at. It's one of the few places I know of that my beloved Captain Morgan can run freely, as far as you can see and not run into another person or dog. You feel as though you are the only one on the planet and can almost reach out and touch God.

I can sing out of pitch as loudly and as often as I want. I can scream, run, dance, frolic, all without judging eyes or  within ear shot of a living soul.

Our best camping memories are of Jalama. Relaxing, uninterrupted days, doing whatever I want, sleeping as much as I want, reading all day , painting, you name it. The days go by quickly.

I don't even have to cook if I choose to wander down to the Jalama store and buy a meal. (it just has to be before 6:30 pm).

Every person you talk to has another favorite story and experience.

We've seen strange and unusual people here. Had our longest laughs here and made lifetime memories. It's the home of Jalama Llama's, the Jalama dumpster fire, the BBQ flank steak disaster, the night the high winds encased our friends in a tent collapse and looked like sausage links, the great motor home BANG! and blow out.  The duct taped tent repair in hurricane force winds", The medical evac of a fallen skateboarder. Then, there's the weird camp neighbors named for their various background stories. . . "Bakersfield", "The Butcher", " The Obstetrician", "the Soon to be headless Drunk", "Jalami Salami", "Jalama Long Jugs",   "Sad and Alone", "Trunk full of dauchsunds", "California Bea", " Real Coke",

Many fine memories and many more to make in the coming years.

I encourage you to find your own little slice of heaven and revisit it as often as possible.

Journal your memories.

Here's to many more Jalama days on Jalama time!