Awesome San Francisco Site: China Beach

Sitting in one of my favorite little watering holes on Clement Street, Chomp & Swig, sipping on a Coconut Porter and yapping with a locale about my quest to climb staircases in San Francisco, she immediately inquired if I had checked out China Beach?

“No”, I said.

“It’s right in your back yard”, she explained. “It’s absolutely amazing. You will love it. You have to check it out.”

“Great, where’s it at?”

“Right under Robin Williams’ house”, she said, “you can’t miss it”.

Perhaps native San Franciscans know exactly where Robin Williams house is--(or was). I’m not one of them and I did miss it at first go. As it turns out, Robin Williams house did stand out. It’s a huge pink palatial-like structure perched atop a plateau overlooking China Beach, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Marin Headlands and probably Paris and the moon. But once I arrived, to say that I was in awe is an understatement of magnificent proportions. Oh, China Beach, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

1) Location.

As the old real estate axiom says, location, location, location. And what a location it is. China Beach is a stunning publicly owned piece of coastline, located in a cul-de-sac off El Camino Del Mar near 28th Avenue. You can easily ride your bike down Lake Blvd., under the shade of sprawling trees, in the comfort of your own bike lane or take the #1 California bus or #38 or 38L Geary bus to 28th Avenue. Then head towards the ocean on 28th Avenue. There is one small sign that points to the ‘public beach‘. That’s right; one. If you are driving or riding your bike, you will have to take a sharp U turn at that sign to access the beach, otherwise you will meander along the Seacliff Avenue mansions, and never get to the beach. This is a small beach, a little off the beaten path, and definitely an undiscovered treasure. People who love this beach, love it because it is small,non-touristy, rugged sand, secluded in a lovely neighborhood and a great place to get away from it all. People who dislike it, usually do so for the exact same reasons.

2) Amenities.

Huh? Amenities at a beach you say? Ordinarily, amenities wouldn’t be on any list I would make, but these have to be mentioned. There are public restrooms, showers and lockers! They are exceedingly well maintained, clean and inviting–(if a public restroom can be inviting, that is.) There is plenty of parking at the top of the hill and places to lock your bikes. One note: there are no dogs allowed at this beach.

3) The Views.

There are 105 easy to navigate steps from the trail head to the beach. Honestly, anyone could traverse these steps with ease, however, if steps are problematic, there is a new concrete lane that winds among the flowers, under the trees to the beach. The road is not for traffic, but for walkers or bicycles. From the top to the bottom and beyond, the ocean rumbles and crashes into the rocks, the Golden Gate Bridge stands proudly in the distance and the sheer quiet beauty of it all, is arresting. To the left is a small staircase that is a surfer’s break. I am not a surfer (or swimmer), but I have been told that this is the only place that’s really suitable for swimming, if you don’t mind cold water and that the waves can be huge. And once again, to mention amenities; there is a small picnic area complete with grills, where you can bar-b-que without a permit, which is ultimately cool. It’s a postcard scene you can’t purchase and it’s free! The park closes around 8:30′ish p.m.

4) The History:

The history of this small locale is an interesting one, and the controversy which is still alive today surrounds the very name, China Beach. At the beginning of the trail head is a marker for China Beach, with a brief explanation of the area. But if you rummage a little further back in San Francisco history, you will discover that China Beach has only been so, since 1983. Prior to that, it had been called Phelan Beach, and some people still refer to it as such. According to SF Genealogy, it was referred to as “China Cove” in a 1929 article, a 1916 Sea Cliff “brochure” refers to China Beach as part of Baker’s Beach, with a note about Sea Cliff ; “No Oriental or Ethiopian can own property [there].” It also remained under various names on topographical maps, until 1995, when it appeared as China Beach.

During the Gold Rush, the area was used as a campsite by Chinese fishermen. The marker explains that Chinese Americans were integral in mining, farming, building railroads and many other trades including fishing. In 1880, California passed “An Act Relating to Fishing in the Waters of this State“: “All aliens incapable of becoming electors of this state are hereby prohibited from fishing, or taking any fish, lobster, shrimps, or shell fish of any kind, for the purpose of selling, or giving to another person to sell…”Violations resulted in fines and imprisonment; however the only ‘aliens’ who fell under this statute were Chinese. The legislation was ultimately declared unconstitutional, but it was quickly followed by The Chinese Exclusion Act, which put a near stop to all Chinese immigration. In fact, the anti-Chinese sentiment was so strong in San Francisco, that desegregation in schools existed until 1929.

So, what is in a name, or in this case isn’t? Yes, the Chinese are noted on the marker for their success in fishing; but, not for their exclusion from it. And that’s where the rub occurs. Do we let bygones be bygones and run the very real risk of forgetting our own history, or as historian Paul Gagnon says; “We do not need a bodyguard of lies. We can afford to present ourselves in the totality of our acts.”

Whether you want to contemplate the philosophical and historical questions of this fine city or simply bask in the splendor that was Robin Williams house, China Beach is one of the most picturesque places for either.

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