Down By the Bay (4)

This is a remembrance Letterbox....a remembrance of how "Down By the Bay" used to be. The way things were when I was a kid - when neighborhoods were playgrounds and the streets weren't mean....but a place to create games and figure out who we wanted to be....myself I wanted to be Jamie Summers , The Bionic Woman, and when I went "Down By the Bay" I could have super powers , bionic hearing and could stop a car with a single high heel. As a kid my brothers and I would be sent outside with the "See you at lunch" from our mother. It was then our job to discover the possibilities of the world around us. "Down By the Bay" we found the natural world and it was our friend. It became whatever we wished.....we had NO idea how much wonder we didn't notice , or how much it would change when our kids took their maiden voyage "Down By the Bay". The mud we formed into balls- to throw at each other was the home of incredible creatures ....the razor clam shells collected and then colored were a part of something that all but disappeared "Down By the Bay". The Osprey we watched dive and dip , the predator of the bay catching fish with ease was gone ....now there are 4 in all. The eggs are finally hard again and the babies are doing well. The cattail swords, sceptres, or paddles, back when we were "Down By the Bay" we had them everywhere , the bay was full them. There were also stands of trees ready for adventures to be had and lives to be invented. We could be anyone we wanted....strong, fearless, and HAPPY!!!! My kids have different adventures "Down By the Bay" , although it is a different place there are still a few wonders that stay the same. Come with me and my boys "Down By the Bay" This is going to be a series so enjoy as they come.......

The Upper Newport Bay has the Muth Interpretive Center at the corner or University and Irvine Ave. This is the perspective from which the clues will be given.

#1 "On the Land Under the Sky" Unavailable as of 4/24/08 due to Bay remodel - YIKES!!!
Taking the paved path from the center along IRVINE AVE. scenic walk about 30-40 mins...or parking on SANTIAGO, shorter walk! ( the next light past University) Travel along the paved trail toward Santiago.You need to find the last possible trail off the main paved road. It will take you down to 2 palm trees , one larger than the other....you will end up in a sort of flat area . To find the trail to the LB keep to the Rt of the Palm. It is less used than lots of the trails ....we have marked it with an 'X' of sticks and a brick (no guarantees that the brick is still there but here's hoping!) ....continue thru to the salt flat...look towards the LONE tall tree it has almost no leaves & is sticking out of the earth in a slightly cockeyed way...there to your right should be 2 cattails, next to them, low to the ground, an old Palm stump with a rock against it. That is where it is hiding...the Palm has helped to shelter this box. KEEP POKING AROUND !!! IT'S THERE!!! If you run out of trail you have gone to far , if you are going up a slope of any kind , you have taken a wrong turn.
If you are walking forever you are walking to far !!!! Go back to the paved road and try again !!!!

#2 "In the Trees Near the Water"
As you travel on the paved path past the "muth center" towards the YMCA you will cross over the wooden horse bridge and come upon a large stand of trees , there are a 2 of these along the path , the one you are interested in is the 1st one , the large one with a cement drainage pipe outlet near the center of the thicket. To the right of the enterance a path leads down to the water's edge, an old tree used to lay across the opening , now there is only a gnarled stump. The tree tops you seek are to the left of the enterance ....kids and grown ups alike love to swing on the low growing branch to the left. Be sure to LOOK ahead as you swing....there you will find hidden in the branches the letterbox. The tree tops to the left towards the water's edge. If you are height challenged there is a pull that you can use to help get it down. Please try to get it back in the same spot ....lots of interesting folks use this area so it needs to be GONE each time it is replanted! Thanks!

#3 "In the Mud Under the Sun" - available! to the adeventurous!

After you are done cooling off at the trees go up the paved path continue up the path a little bit to a trail that goes down toward a lone tree (right now budding 3/18) take that path down and to the left , continue till you see an open area that is covered with beach wood and sticks, turn to the right and take the path that is to the left, go till you get to the sandy path take that path to a cross take the left - to the bush - when you are at teh bush look down at eh bottom where there is a bit of a hole in the bush - there is a pile of small sticks covering the box - PLEASE RECOVER WELL!!!! Becasue of the dredging the box had to be moved from the edge of the mud but the view is still great to your right - Enjoy!!!

#4 " In the Air Over The Water" unavailable - 6/14/07 - same as above! ; )

Go back up to the main paved road continue going toward Jamboree Road, you will pass another large tree keep going, the next time you see a sign for "nature trail" it is just before the fork in the paved road , and the ecological sign ....take the nature trail...at the bottom of the hill turn right. Stay on the level...stay up on the main trail watch the birds while you walk , the show is spectacular!!! when you come to a fork in the path stand at it's tip and turn around- face the large bush & go straight to where the earth breaks off and look thru the hole in the scrub to the bits of leaves and sticks under the bush covering the last letterbox in this series!!!! Be careful it could get prickly!!! We have lost this box before SO PLEASE REHIDE WELL !!!! ENJOY THE BIRDS!!!

Hope you enjoyed being "DOWN BY THE BAY!!!"

***Good luck , happy hunting.....enjoy the bay !!!!! Go for it !! There are port a jon's here and there around the edge's of the bay and watch out for the bikes...they are fast!!!***

***Please DO NOT allow "attempts" to prevent you from hunting . These boxes are hidden well, if not invisible! At least a couple are in places that are well traveled by night dwellers and lots of traffic. The boxes are also well maintained so they are alive and well !!! I hope that you take the time for the challenge and enjoy your time "Down By the Bay" It is all about reliving a time gone past! Relax enjoy the sights and sounds and of course the boxes! ; )***