"Scary days ahead for the hardcore."
There are three rules the hardest of core surf locals generally follow when prowling around menacing. 1) My beach. 2) My chicks. 3) My waves. Combined, the trio form a toxic stew of entitlement and gate-keeping that force outsiders to simply “go home.” Well, nowhere has hardcore surf localism been practiced with greater verve than the northern southern California town of Oxnard. Tales of waxed windshields, mean looks, gutturally delivered “beat its” have been whispered low under breaths for generations of non-Oxnardians and its whole stretch of coast became known as “Terror Shore.”
You can imagine the deep and profound shame being felt today in the “Strawberry Capital of the World,” then, when Oxnard was named the best beach in California by USA Today readers.
Per the Ventura County Star:
Located across 62 acres between the Oxnard Shores neighborhood and the Zachari Dunes on Mandalay Beach, the spot features a unique terrain of rolling green grass and white sandy beach that offers views of the Channel Island National Park and Marine Sanctuary.
While spring and summer are considered the busy season, the sprawling park offers ample parking and space for holidaymakers.
The beach offers many family-friendly amenities, including volleyball courts, playground (with pirate ship jungle gym), public BBQ pits, picnic tables and skating, jogging paths and friendly surfers just waiting to share their waves.
The beach is wheelchair accessible. Dogs are welcome but must be on a leash.
While mean Oxnard locals hung their heads, embarrassed attention quickly shifted to which other bastions of rude might fall next. Could Lunada Bay become a sanctuary for soft-top SUP enthusiasts? Hazards, up San Luis Obispo way, a surf school spot? Santa Cruz’s Pleasure Point a rules-free disaster?
Scary days ahead for the hardcore.