On Sunday Sam and I returned to Shaw’s Cove with a few friends.

The Sunday before we’d encouraged everyone to come and snorkel in Malibu, but were stuck on the beach because of 10+ foot waves generated by a tropical storm way out in the Pacific Ocean.  For the entire week the local news blabbered endlessly about how these waves were dangerous and hadn’t been seen this high for decades.

Unfortunately the storm was still affecting the coastline a week later in Laguna Beach.  Unlike the pleasant and peaceful beach we’d visited nearly a month before, the surf at Shaw’s Cove was now pushing beachgoers back to the rocks at the periphery of the sand.

Despite this, most of us didn’t come all this way to not try.  The waves were too rough for most of the girls to swim through, but the few of us that did make it through found ourselves in clear water maybe 100 yards from shore.  The water was much warmer than last time and the wetsuits we bought were really not necessary, but the water by the reef rocks was too choppy to do more than just swim around the edges.

However, a little closer to shore, where the underwater grass fields begin, the water was much calmer and plenty of fish could be seen.

Afterwards we visited a friend’s BBQ in Chino Hills.