As a Montecito teenager in the 1970's, I would walk from my home on Loureyro Road to the creek at North Jameson across from Fernald Point. I would go down into the creek, under the freeway, and emerge on the other side walking the railroad tracks until I saw the ocean and then walk down the dirt path to the beach. This is how kids in my neighbor would typically go to the beach.
If a train happened to be coming down the tracks when I popped out of the creek, I would simply cling to the chain link fence abutting the beach houses until the train passed. It didn't matter to this indestructible teenager that the train was rushing by only three feet away. What could possibly go wrong? I was almost at my own private Montecito beach.
As a Santa Barbara High School Madrigal and aspiring jazz singer, this is the place where I could sing my scales and practice my music in private — there was no one around. I could swim in the water and sing as loudly as I wanted, and no one would bother me.