Early September – after Labor Day is when Ocean Beach gets back to “normal” and locals breathe a sigh of relief; the tourists and visitors are gone and the community returns to some kind of normalcy.
And it has returned – the Seasonal “ahhhh”.
This morning, the parks and fields were empty. The streets were mellow – no long lines of cars at the stop signs. Less pedestrians with cameras around their necks, less people packing up their vehicles from their short-term vacation rental stay. I saw only 3 plates from out-of-state and one of the cars had an OB sticker on the back windshield.
Parking is the main thing. There’s just more of it.
There’s parking on Voltaire; there’s parking on Santa Monica Avenue – even in front of the Post Office.
There were empty stalls at the Lifeguard parking lot with no waiting before 10 a.m.
Amazingly, there was plenty of parking at the OB Pier parking lot. In fact lower Newport looked almost deserted.
Hardly anyone actually on the sand – although even though the surf was lousy, there were plenty of surfers in the water.
There was no line at Hodad’s. The other restaurants had no one waiting outside either.
Enjoy it while you can, OB.
And here’s another sign of the season:
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Ah, yes. Less hurried pace, less packed sidewalks, less scooters on the sidewalks, less bodies in line for a craft beer.
I walked by Cape May/Bacon 2 days ago and there were two old BBQs. Now there are 4. Trash attracts more trash!
I am kind of surprised that much metal hasn’t been taken for scrap.
“I saw only 3 plates from out-of-state and one of the cars had an OB sticker on the back windshield.”
Probably someone avoiding paying California vehicle license, smog check, and probably with no valid insurance either. (If someone who moved from Oregon a year ago still pays that Oregon insurance, will the insurance actually pay for a California accident when the person isn’t a true “visitor”?)
It’s interesting you bring that up. You do not have to register a car in California unless you take advantage of a service only allowed for residents.
I don’t have any I’ll will toward folks who find a way to avoid California registration. It’s absolutely ridiculous and serves as a regressive tax anyways.
I have one car registered here and one (legally) registered in Texas. I just mail them $60/year and go about my business.
No, Michael. You have 20 days once you establish residence in California to register your vehicle.
The Highway Patrol really, really cares about scofflaws:
https://www.chp.ca.gov/notify-chp/cheaters-out-of-state-(out-of-state-registration-violators)
Well, you have no clue if my car is owned by an LLC or any number of the many scenarios in which it’s legal.
Thanks for the legal education though. Do I owe you a retainer for your services ? ;)
Nope. My teeth are straight.
I had my vehicle registration from my homestate while stationed all over the United States. Nothing funny or strange in a military town about out of state plates with a local sticker. Nothing attracts highway patrol like California plates in the Midwest, except California plates on the East coast ?
Active duty military have always been exempt in California (at least since the ’70s when I was driving around with Connecticut plates).
It’s funny how this conversation turned. From enjoying a visitor-less OB to requirements for Calif plates. Huh?
You started it! ;-)