Rialto Beach. The name echoes a famous bridge in Venice, and like it, it can be a hauntingly beautiful sight. Rialto Beach features the sea-stacks that are common to this part of the world. These ghostly rock piles thrust out of the sea, black against the overcast sky. There is a sense of danger here, with the signs warning of tsunamis and drownings. Yes, the whole beach evidences the signs of past tsunamis (Japanese for giant tidal waves), with giant trees brought low by the ocean laying gutted on the beach. The beach itself consists of several layers. Closest to the water, there is black sand. This gives way to ever-larger pebbles and rocks. Then driftwood and fallen trees butt up against a living forest.
On our first visit, it was stormy. We were the only ones on the beach, and we stayed out for as long as we could stand it before running for cover. Later that day, the sky had cleared, and we saw Rialto's other face, a golden-lit landscape that was far less sinister. The balmy weather led us to walk down the beach to Hole-in-the-Wall, a rock formation that forms a donut near the sea. At times people can get trapped on these rock outcroppings, so we kept our eye on the incoming tide at all times. When it seemed as if the tide was coming in quickly, we bid the beach farewell.
Entrance to Rialto Beach is free, and it is the most easily accessible of this area's beaches.