By Matt Capron

For many of us, every trip to Buffalo Beach leads to a new discovery. On my family's most recent trip we found The Secret Swings and we had a great hiking adventure on our way. Buffalo Beach and surroundings are rich with hiking options -- the Cross, the airport and Whitley’s Peak are just a few. But did you know about the Secret Swings? Well, thanks to the Dorseys, the Holaseks and Dan, our Beachmaster, we now have the The Secret Swings. The two families found this spot in late July. Dan encouraged their expedition to create a map so other members can find this enchanted location. Be sure to ask Dan for a copy of the handmade map you if would like to find the swings.

Here is our adventure -- We started our journey by heading west on the beach toward the Balboa Yacht Club Outstation. We walked up the dry creek bed on the far side of the Catalina Experience. When we reached their science building and storage yard, we took a small trail up the hill. After a minute or two we spotted a buffalo resting in the valley below us. This is always a special and welcome sighting! We continued up the hill and found the old trap used to capture wild boar. From there, it was a three minute walk to an old oak tree that held The Secret Swings.

To be honest, we took a wrong trail before we reached the trap and should have turned back earlier. Each point on the map is fairly close, so if you are hiking more than 10 minutes before reaching the next landmark, then you are probably not going in the right direction. The views were spectacular, and exploring a part of Catalina that we had not seen before was memorable. After the morning hike we returned to camp and ate some very tasty hot dogs for lunch.

Our afternoon was spent kayaking, playing on the water trampoline, and using Dan’s AquaBike. We capped off the day by enjoying a nice glass of wine from Pat’s Patio. The ideal way to end a perfect day at our favorite place on earth.

Be sure to head out to Buffalo Beach Outstation's website for more information and details. Please feel free to share your stories and photos with us too. We love hearing about your own special adventures and most memorable moments at our special place!