California :: Point Mugu

While serving in the Navy, I was stationed at Point Mugu during the years 1974-1977 and lived nearby at Port Hueneme and Oxnard. The last time I was there was in 1979 upon my return from Japan.

Many things have changed, but unlike a few other places I've revisited, I also found that some things were the same.

My apartment was only a few blocks from the beach and the park at Port Hueneme. The park has been expanded and improved. In fact, there was work going on during my visit. Condominiums and large apartment complexes have been built along the shore. Surprisingly my old apartment building was still there as was the shabby motel and strip shopping mall.

My drive from the apartment to the base took me down Hueneme Road. It really hadn't changed all that much. There are still fields of strawberries – I used to stop at a stand nearly every day when they were in season – and acres upon acres of vegetables being grown. That part of the valley was mostly agricultural and still is.

From what I could see on my drive past the base, not much has changed there either. The housing visible from the road looked the same as it did 30+ years ago.

Driving on down Highway 1 beyond the base was “the rock” and the coast, where I spent many an hour watching the waves crash against the shore. Ah, memories.

The Point Mugu Rock, seen from the south, with Highway 1 passing through the opening.

And from a distance, along the shore.