Imperial Beach, the most southwesterly city in the continental U.S.
San Diego is the most southwesterly big city in the continental United States. However, it is not the most southwesterly city. That honor belongs to the city of Imperial Beach:
Since it is the most southwesterly city, and it has “beach” in its name, it only stands to reason that the most southwesterly beach is in the most southwesterly city. Reason would be right: the Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge Shoreline:
That beach is the best I’ve found in San Diego County for collecting seashells, especially sand dollars.
The ocean canyons along San Diego County have kelp forests, and after high tides, kelp litters the beaches everywhere. It makes beautiful pictures:
There are surfers but they tend to stay well north of the mouth of the Tijuana River. Keep reading and you’ll understand why.
Using more reasoning here, we can presume that the most southwesterly city also has the most southwesterly river, and it does. The Tijuana River comes into the United States from Mexico, meanders here and there for a couple of miles, and finally decides to meet the Pacific Ocean in Imperial Beach:
Notice that the water coming from the Tijuana River (left) is somewhat brownish whereas the water of the Pacific Ocean (right) is somewhat blue. Mexico doesn’t have quite the environmental standards that we have in the United States, and since all but the last couple of miles of the Tijuana River is in Mexico, you could probably rightfully say that the most southwesterly river is also the most polluted river. It’s an ongoing fight between the United States, particularly San Diego County, and Mexico to try to clean up the Tijuana River. Now you know why surfers stay well north.
However, the birds love it. It’s their own private resort, with only yo-yos like me daring to venture in.
According to birding experts, San Diego County has the highest number of bird species of any county in the United States. During migratory seasons, you can see hundreds of them at the Tijuana Estuary National Wildlife Refuge, which happens, of course, to be the most southwesterly national wildlife refuge.
There is a Visitor Center for the National Wildlife Refuge, and there are paths throughout the refuge where you can meander, sit, relax. However, budget cuts mean that the Visitor Center is no longer open most of the time, so call before you go, 619-575-2704. If the Visitor Center is not open, you can still park your car and wander around the refuge. Please stay on the paths and do not take anything.
The most southwesterly city also has the most southwesterly military base, that being the Naval Outlying Landing Field:
Many years ago I did an inspection near the Naval Outlying Landing Field. The house was so close to the landing field that the real estate disclosure said, “Helicopters land in back yard.” They really did, too. The back yard fence separated the house from the landing field.
On weekdays you can find dozens of helicopters practicing takeoffs, landings, hovering, instant stops, instant drops……..It’s a lot of fun to watch for thirty minutes or so.
The most southwesterly city also has the most southwesterly equestrian center:
Horses seem to be big business in Imperial Beach because you can find equestrian centers, horse stables and boarding centers, horse riding lessons, and horse rides to the beach. If you love horses and you love beaches, there’s no place like Imperial Beach.
For 37 years Imperial Beach hosted the United States Open Sandcastle Championships. Sadly, the Great Recession put an end to them, with the last one being held in 2011.
You can eat at the most southwesterly restaurants:
You can visit the most southwesterly pier and do some most southwesterly fishing:
You can watch the most southwesterly sunset:
Although the population of Imperial Beach is only 26,438, there are a few famous people from Imperial Beach: Matthew Modine (actor), Robert Clark Young (author), and Charlie Jackson (early software entrepreneur).
There you have it. The most southesterly city in the continental United States….
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Posted on October 5, 2012, in Birds, Fauna, Manmade, Mother & Father Nature, Out & About, Photos and tagged bird pictures, california, helicopter pictures, kelp pictures, pictures of imperial beach, pictures of piers, san diego beach pictures, sand dollar pictures, sandcastle pictures, sunset pictures, tijuana river pictures, u.s. open sandcastle championships in imperial beach. Bookmark the permalink. 34 Comments.
Very nice series with a clear and vivid sense of place.
first a question: The bird in image4325…is that an ahninga?
Imperial Beach looks like the type of place that could take days to experience! I’ll have to remember that should I ever find myself out that way again!
Could be except that the anhinga doesn’t range this far west. Thus I believe it’s one of the cormorants since we have a lot of them around here.
yes!! I believe you are right!
Thanks for a great day at the beach!!
Great set of photos. Thank you.
Thanks for the great tour of Imperial Beach. I had no desire to move to CA until you posted this.
This isn’t even the best beach! Far from it. Maybe actually last on the list of San Diego County beaches.
It seems to have “personality.” Maybe that is why I liked it.
Ah, personality. That could be it. I’ve never been able to explain why I like one beach over another, but I think I now can: Personality.
If I rank the beaches in the order that I like them — Ocean Beach, Mission Peach, Pacific Beach, Imperial Beach — I find that I can also rank them the same way in terms of personality!
That also explains why I love the Texas and Florida beaches so much!
Hot diggity dog, I believe we’re on to something.
Please don’t ever visit “Jones Beach” in Queens NY and expect personality other than “nasty.” When I was a kid I went to Jones Beach and another kid put a handful of baby crabs down the back of my bathing suit. Today that may have been considered the best thrill I have had in 24 months but back then I was beside myself.
Saw your comment on Jones Beach and feel I need to defend Jones Beach, which is a great beach that serves millions. And all the beaches out in Rockaway, Coney Island, the Jersey shore, I remember them as great.
Oh, nooooooooooooo. My readers are fighting with each other……….lol
It’s the New Yorker in me.
My experience with New York beaches begins and ends at Fire Island.
Another beautiful beach
Dear Bumba, Your defense is probably well warrented. I apologize for remembering Jones Beach as it was circa 1948. I have not been there since that time and have no right to comment on a 65 year old memory.
Apology accepted! I must admit I tend to idealize things the further back in time they are (which is nearly everything at this age) – but the east coast beaches were wonderful as I remember. Take care.
nice shots
Oh, Zoey, we see through your clever camouflage.
The most southwesterly blog-post yet and a pleasure to read.
You are a fountain of knowledge Ray
be good to yourself
David
The kelp creates pretty designs but my favourite is the sand dragon.
i didn’t know there were sand dollars there!
It’s the only place in San Diego County where I’ve found unbroken sand dollars.
Thank you for this lovely tour! I learned a lot! Such a lovely post with cool pics too!
Have a great weekend!
Such lovely photos and a great post… loved it…
I learned something new about IB today. Thanks!
Your stories and photos make me want to venture west again and stay awhile in San Diego.
My heartfelt thanks for your wonderful posts!
Call me when you get here!…………..lol
Fantastic place, fantastic photo’s and Zoey TCC found the best place ever, as I can see..
Hi Russel
So glad you camped out at soulsnet and hope you enjoyed your time there. Hopefully you will be back a bit quicker than you planned!
Thanks for saying that I could share one of your lovely photographs. I have chosen your beautiful sunset picture at Imperial Beach, I am a sucker for sunsets.
I will of course credit and link back to you. The post is about Community and I would like to highlight the importance of the WordPress Community so would also like to highlight your “camping out” habits, and also the Digital Photography Section of your blog. It is a great resource for the fledgling photographer and a great example of the WordPress Community at work and at play.
I am posting later today so hope you will come and visit and enjoy.
Have a great day.
Corinne
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