In the water at Venice Beach

We parked about ten blocks from the beach where there was free on street parking and enjoyed the walk down Rose Avenue to the beach. Unfortunately, we don't have bikes here, it would have been an easy bike ride, but we didn't have time to walk all the way from my mom's and back. Having grown up here, I took this beach for granted. But how many big cities have a natural sand beach like this with fair to great surf right in the city? (OK, now someone is going to say that no, the ship the sand in, but the beach is way to wide to do that.) But coming down for a visit from Anchorage, I always see it with different eyes. This is the view from the parking lot at the end of Rose at Venice Beach.
And this is from where we parked our towels.



J took her time getting into the water. It does feel chilly when you first go in, but your body quickly adjusts and it feels great. The easiest - and hardest - way to go in is to just run in a dive when it gets deep enough or white water from a wave is coming at you. It's cold fast, but then you are in.

Here's J all the way in. There were a bunch of sea birds out beyond her having some sort of party.

When J got out it was my turn. The surf wasn't too big, but I was able to catch three quick waves and ride them in. Heaven.




But I had an appointment with the eye doctor so we reluctantly tore ourselves away and walked back to the car. This is the parking lot at Venice Beach along the boardwalk. Not sure why they call it that since there are no boards and I don't remember there being boards.



Table top shops are set up in both directions.