Moonlight beach
Encyclopedia
Moonlight State Beach is a state beach in Encinitas, California
. Located at the terminus of Encinitas Boulevard, it has been called the epicenter of recreation and social life in the town. It is appropriate for both children's and adults' recreation. It is popular with both tourists and residents, and it is one of the most visited beaches in Encinitas. This sand beach is used for surfing
, swimming, surf fishing
, beach volleyball
, and bonfire
s.
. At low tide one could drive a Model T
down the beach to Oceanside
.
wave anymore. It's changed and it's pretty much a shortboard wave now. It really breaks hard and fast now. It wasn't like that. It was a fun beach break.” - Linda Benson, five-time women's world surfing champion. Benson learned to surf at Moonlight Beach in the late 1950s.
has been an issue at Moonlight Beach in the past. For example, in 2002, the beach earned a "D" grade from Heal the Bay
, a Santa Monica based nonprofit organization
which monitors water quality along the California coast
. Water quality in Cottonwood Creek has however improved in recent years because of UV treatment in the urban run-off treatment facility on B Street at 2nd Street; the beach earned five As and one B from Heal the Bay from April 2005 through March 2007.
, picnic facilities, restrooms, telephone, concessions daily Easter through Thanksgiving, fire rings, playground equipment, and tennis and volleyball courts.
Encinitas, California
Encinitas is a coastal beach city in San Diego County, California. Located within Southern California, it is approximately north of San Diego in North County and about south of Los Angeles. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 59,518, up from 58,014 at the 2000 census. Encinitas is...
. Located at the terminus of Encinitas Boulevard, it has been called the epicenter of recreation and social life in the town. It is appropriate for both children's and adults' recreation. It is popular with both tourists and residents, and it is one of the most visited beaches in Encinitas. This sand beach is used for surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
, swimming, surf fishing
Surf fishing
Surf fishing is the sport of catching fish standing on the shoreline or wading in the surf. A general term, surf fishing may or may not include casting a lure or bait, and refers to all types of shore fishing - from sandy and rocky beaches, rock jetties, or even fishing piers...
, beach volleyball
Beach volleyball
Beach volleyball, or sand volleyball, is an Olympic team sport played by two teams of two players on a sand court divided by a net.Like volleyball, the object of the game is to send the ball over the net in order to ground it on the opponent’s court, and to prevent the same effort by the opponent....
, and bonfire
Bonfire
A bonfire is a controlled outdoor fire used for informal disposal of burnable waste material or as part of a celebration. Celebratory bonfires are typically designed to burn quickly and may be very large...
s.
History
Early female settlers washed clothing in nearby Cottonwood Creek, then provided picnics for their families while the laundry dried. Land prospector J. S. Pitcher, who owned much of Encinitas, built a bathhouse, playground, boardwalk, dance hall, and several picnic areas. Between 1915 and 1925 Moonlight Beach began to attract North County residents for social outings. Popular events included horse racesHorse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
. At low tide one could drive a Model T
Ford Model T
The Ford Model T is an automobile that was produced by Henry Ford's Ford Motor Company from September 1908 to May 1927...
down the beach to Oceanside
Oceanside, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Oceanside had a population of 167,086. The population density was 3,961.8 people per square mile...
.
Surfing
“Moonlight Beach is not a great longboardLongboard
A longboard generally designates a longer board variant in various board sports.* Longboard * Longboard...
wave anymore. It's changed and it's pretty much a shortboard wave now. It really breaks hard and fast now. It wasn't like that. It was a fun beach break.” - Linda Benson, five-time women's world surfing champion. Benson learned to surf at Moonlight Beach in the late 1950s.
Volleyball
Since the early 1950s two-man volleyball has been played at Moonlight Beach. Several of the players from the Pro Tour practice their game at Moonlight. Originally there was only one court in the middle of the beach, but currently there are three courts at the north end of the beach. Every year since 1964 in the month of October, a Mixed Doubles Volleyball Tournament is held here; many of the top beach players in the world participate.Water quality
Because of the presence of harmful bacteria in dry-season urban run-off into Cottonwood Creek, a small creek that runs into the ocean at Moonlight Beach, water qualityWater quality
Water quality is the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water. It is a measure of the condition of water relative to the requirements of one or more biotic species and or to any human need or purpose. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which...
has been an issue at Moonlight Beach in the past. For example, in 2002, the beach earned a "D" grade from Heal the Bay
Heal the Bay
Heal the Bay is a U.S. environmental advocacy non-profit organization based in Santa Monica, California.Heal the Bay is dedicated to protecting California's Santa Monica Bay, a region of the Pacific coast encompassed by Malibu's Point Dume on the north and the Palos Verdes Peninsula on the south...
, a Santa Monica based nonprofit organization
Nonprofit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
which monitors water quality along the California coast
Coastal California
Coastal California refers to the coastal regions of the US state of California. The term is not primarily geographical as it also describes an area distinguished by sociological, economical and political attributes...
. Water quality in Cottonwood Creek has however improved in recent years because of UV treatment in the urban run-off treatment facility on B Street at 2nd Street; the beach earned five As and one B from Heal the Bay from April 2005 through March 2007.
Facilities
The beach is open for use all day except between 2 and 4 am. There is a parking lot above the beach which is open from 5 am to 10 pm. No dogs, alcohol, or glass is allowed on the beach. The lifeguard towers are open 10 am to 6 pm during summer months. Provisions at the beach include handicapped accessAccessibility
Accessibility is a general term used to describe the degree to which a product, device, service, or environment is available to as many people as possible. Accessibility can be viewed as the "ability to access" and benefit from some system or entity...
, picnic facilities, restrooms, telephone, concessions daily Easter through Thanksgiving, fire rings, playground equipment, and tennis and volleyball courts.
External links
- official Moonlight State Beach website
- Moonlight Beach - surf-report
- http://www.ci.encinitas.ca.us/CE/Government/CityD/ParksAndRecreation/Parks+and+Beaches/Beach+Information.htm Encinitas Parks: Moonlight Beach
- http://www.moonlightsnack.com Moonlight Beach Concession Stand - Rentals, Food, Concierge Service