Saturday at Seacliff

Instead of a formal reception after Thursday’s memorial service, we’ve decided to have a celebration of Kevin’s life that better fits his lifestyle. Please join us for a beach potluck on Saturday, October 16th at Seacliff State Beach in Aptos. The celebration will start at 11 a.m. It seems right to remember and honor Kevin while wearing flip flops, playing volleyball and jumping in the ocean. This will be a time to share stories about Kevin while enjoying one of his favorite beaches.

Over the past few days, we have been sorting through pictures of Kevin. Tears have come to our eyes, but more often, we have smiled as we happen upon a forgotten memory or a photo that captures Kevin’s pure joy. He lived a full life, packed to the brim with activities and people he loved. His smile has been shining at us from these photos, and we can only answer it with our own. We’d like to follow Kevin’s example of a life lived with joy, love and passion; so, a beach party is in order.

Please bring a dish and a story to share. We will have at least one grill, so foods that need to be barbecued are welcome. There will be a beach volleyball net and boogie boards so we can participate in a couple of Kevin’s favorite sports. Bring your bathing suit and any other beach toys you enjoy.

There are groups of picnic tables south of the cement ship at Seacliff State Beach. If you are walking or driving from the cement ship, head south (left) on the road along the beach. You will start to pass picnic tables with awnings on your right. Keep going past the building with the bathrooms and showers. Up ahead you’ll see a large tree by a couple groups of picnic tables; we will try to get the picnic tables by that tree. Look for the picnic tables with crimson tablecloths (Kevin’s favorite color). Directions and parking information for Seacliff Beach are at the bottom of this post.

Thank you to everyone who has supported us through the last year. We have especially appreciated your love this week. We hope to see you Thursday (5:30 p.m.) at Twin Lakes and Saturday (11 a.m.) at Seacliff Beach.



Directions to Seacliff State Beach:
From Hwy 1, take the State Park Drive exit and head west on State Park Dr. Keep straight on State Park Dr. until you get to the State Park kiosk. After paying the state park fee (around $8), continue down the hill. At the bottom of the hill, turn left at the split. Drive past the pier to the cement ship, continue past the bathrooms and showers, and look for us at picnic tables near the pine tree on your right. If there is no parking by the picnic tables, you will need to head back up the hill and park in the lot on top of the cliffs. That lot is still considered inside the state park, so you still need to pay for parking here. Stairs to access the beach are at the south corner of this parking lot. Take valuables with you; don’t leave them in your car.

Directions to Rio Del Mar (where you can park for free and walk into Seacliff):
From Hwy 1, take the Rio Del Mar exit. Head west on Rio Del Mar Blvd. Follow Rio Del Mar Blvd for about a mile and a half; it will wind through neighborhoods and head down a steep hill. From this hill, you will see Seacliff’s cement ship straight ahead of you. At the bottom of the hill, navigate through the traffic circle. You can try to look for parking in the lot straight ahead of you, but that lot is often full. The best bet for parking is to make a 90 degree right turn onto Aptos Beach Dr. After a couple blocks, parallel park along this road, or turn down one of the side streets to parallel park in the neighborhood. Again, it’s probably best to keep valuables with you or hide them well in your car.

To walk to Seacliff Beach, walk back to the bizarre traffic circle at the intersection of Aptos Beach Dr. and Rio Del Mar Blvd. Cross the streets over to the beach. When you hit the sidewalk next to the sand, turn right. Follow the sidewalk along the bridge over the creek. Keep following the sidewalk, and we should be at the second cluster of picnic tables.