there is a place on 101 in humboldt county orick you can camp right on the beach and last time i checked it was free but the fog rolls in most days I've been and it is windy as hell but i believe it is free too a lot of rv people there and some tent folk too

It's hard to find good beach camping here in the states. In Mexico though, there is some really great camping where you can have miles of beach almost completely to yourself. Our favorite was Kino Bay near Tiburon Island. you gotta go during the winter or you'll catch on fire (it's that $#@$#% hot!) The waves are not big because of the gulf influence, but fishing is awesome (lotta trigger) and bait is cheap (they shrimp in the gulf.)

Here in the states, you just can;t find a secluded beach to save your life. We flock to, and congregate on nearly every single inch of coastline. People in 3rd world countries don;t have the luxary of lounging about on a beach like we do. My only concern with camping in Mexico is that you can;t take firearms, and shit can happen. On the plus side, tourists are generally left alone since it is a measurable portion of their economy.

My chances are much better on the beach than they are in Oakland.