Martini Creek carves through the sand on its way to the Pacific Ocean, at Montara State Beach, California

Beaches in California are so different from beaches in Florida, where I grew up. The sand is yellower and coarser, unlike the soft white Florida beaches. The sun is just as bright, if you’re looking for a tan, but it’s often still not enough to make it a truly warm experience. On the day I took this photo at Montara State Beach (near Pacifica, California) none of us even took off our fleece, even though it was April! The cold Pacific Ocean keeps the air chilly all year long. That’s another thing — the water is too cold! In all my excursions to California beaches, I think I only swam once, and it was miserable. Those statistics are unthinkable in Florida. But for all their differences (downsides, to me), watching the sun set over the Pacific Ocean easily makes up for it all.

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