Editor: We’re reposting a series we published a few years ago entitled “Hitchiker’s Guide to Ocean Beach“- a series of stories to give people a view of Ocean Beach that can’t be found in the usual tourist guide books, by a knowledgeable local who goes by the nom de plume of Citizen Cane.
Here they are in order of publication (click on the following headlines for the original article):
By Citizen Cane
The Hitchhikers’ Guide to Ocean Beach: Attraction #1- The Sideways Tree
Our first attraction is the Sideways Tree of Ocean Beach.
The tree is in plain view across the street from the Holy Trinity Church on Sunset Cliffs Boulevard near Brighton Avenue.
It’s rarely noticed by the people passing by. Tour buses don’t slow down at this attraction. Most of the people driving by are too focused on going to or from Ocean Beach. Many people fail to look up. The tree is high up on the side of a large palm tree growing on private property….
Attraction #2: Rogers Island
At the far northern end of Ocean Beach is a rocky patch of land called Rogers Island. It was named back in the early Sixties by a young boy named Roger that was clever enough to call dibs on the place. I tried to convince Roger that it was more like a peninsula, but he insisted it was an island. We later found out that we were both correct at different tidal levels. …
Attraction #3 The Incredible Shrinking Park
The Incredible Shrinking Park can still be observed in Ocean Beach at the intersection of Green and Soto Streets. It’s officially known as Collier Park, and consists of approximately 6.7 dedicated acres if you include the Point Loma Native Plant Reserve. That might sound large, but it’s barely a fraction of the original size of the park before it began shrinking. …
Attraction #4: The Mysterious Quadripool
There is a four sided tidepool at Sunset Cliffs known to some as the Mysterious Quadripool. Visting scientists from the United Kingdom sometimes call it the Tetragon Tidepool, but that term should only be attempted by people capable of the proper accent. …
Attraction #5: Space Dock XIB
Ocean Beach is known as a popular destination, but someday it will also be an important point of departure. That’s because Ocean Beach is home to Space Dock XIB, the longest concrete space dock on the West coast. When the end is near, a large spaceship will dock with the pier and rescue those fortunate folks that received XIB identity numbers from Clint Carey, the Spaceman of Ocean Beach. …
Attraction #6: Bench Tour of South Ocean Beach
With all the recent drama at Del Mar Avenue, I decided to take a tour in search of other viewing benches in the area. Working from North to South our tour begins at the dead end alley known as Cape May Place. This lone bench is in the style of memorial benches, but bears no plaque. The view here is spoiled by a trash can and the exposed rip rap at the Northern edge of Saratoga Park. Sadly the bench also suffers from that most ineffective mating ritual known as graffiti. …
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I know, I know, we misspelled “hitchhiker” – it has 2 “h’s” through the entire series, but that’s the way the author wanted it.
Nice to see lore from the locals. These items are so much more interesting than the usual touristy BS.