Las Cuevitas is a mile or so up the beach to the left. We'd go to La Gringa frequently because it had a nicer beach, pebbles or sand as you preferred. We liked the pebbles because sting rays don't collect there.
From a number of miles up an old road to a long abandoned mine we gathered huge flagstone boulders to use as steps to the shore.
We kept the dry goods in an old otherwise empty ice chest to keep the kangaroo rats away. Whenever the winds blew, the pots and pans, suspended from the ceiling, rang like oversized wind chimes.
Before our trip we had bundled a full box of books for each of us with desired reading, art supplies and school books.
We'd often collect in the early morning and watch the sun climb over the flat sea and craggy islands. We had a small weather station that frequently showed 90 degrees (F) and 90 % relative humidity before 8 in the morning.
The boys were constantly throwing a line from my conventional reel to see who could cast the farthest. In the '70's, I could catch 3 to 5 lbs. Cabrilla from the shore; in the '80's they weighed less than half that. This is a Trigger Fish Kevin caught.
Burlap the burro added pleasure to the trip for the four of us. He was stubborn and loving, especially of dog Lassie.
By the end of summer, Burlap, Billy and the chickens we had kept for their eggs were all integrated with each other and aware when one or another of them was not immediately in camp.
Gertrude sat on her nest long after the chick pecked its way out of the shell. Whenever a hen was setting we didn't disturb her, but we still had only one hatchling the entire summer.