Alder Creek is at the northern boundary of Manchester State Park. It is where the San Andreas fault heads out to sea. Mel Smith was recently hiking on the bluffs there and got this photo.

It looks like the creek is currently closed to the Pacific Ocean by that big sandbar.

If you'd like directions to this spot, this website has good ones: http://www.californiabeaches.com/beach/alder-creek-beach-Manchester/  It's a good mile in by foot, as the road has crumbled away in parts and is closed to cars. I dearly miss this public access spot which gave access to the northern part of Manchester State Park.

Thanks to Mel for allowing me to share his photo with you here.