Devyn with her charcoal covered hands @ Haskell’s Beach.

It has been hot here in Santa Barbara for the past couple of weeks. I know, I know. I’ve been rubbing it in how nice it is down here for months, but when it’s always 73, you get used to it. Anything hotter, like 85-90 and it suddenly feels like it’s the end of the world.

Well, it wasn’t obviously. But it was hot enough that it was a great excuse to go find a different beach. Typically, we head south about 20 miles to Padaro Beach, my personal favorite in the area. But this weekend, some friends encouraged us to drive north about 5 miles to Haskell’s Beach. It was so nice there, we went two days in a row over the Labor Day weekend.

If you get there early, it’s great. There is very limited parking which totally regulates how crowded the beach will get, so as long as you get there early, you’re in for a relaxing day with nobody crowding you out.

As you can see from the picture above, Miss Devyn (and one of her friends) found a big rock that had been in a camp fire. As such, it was coated in soot and the girls decided it would be fun to get it all over their hands. A quick dip in the ocean and it was all gone.

Nathan wasting no time in getting back out into the surf.

Nathan has really taken to boogie boarding. Once he goes in, you can’t get him out. Here he is above running back out for the next set of waves. Here are two more photos of Nathan on his boogie board.

All those swimming lessons are paying off. Nathan is using a double stroke to get on top of a wave. He’s a very strong swimmer these days.

Nathan is very happy in the water as you can see.

Haskell’s Beach in Goleta, CA

In the photo above, that’s Devyn in the right corner and Nathan standing right in the middle of the small wave. Such a nice beach. We’re totally getting spoiled.