This past week I broke my own tried and true rule and left Ocean City for vacation in the summer. But I figured this was OK since I went on a beach vacation in another country.
The desire to be near the ocean is universal. On that note, if I was going to leave Ocean City, it needed to be somewhere on the water. No matter where in the world we may be, it is the calming sound of the surf, the warm ocean breezes and the soothing feel of the salt water against our skin that we all cannot seem to get enough of. This trip took my mind off “Sea”-ing less of houses and more of the beach.
As Labor Day pulls itself closer, I begin to think of all the summer fun I haven’t yet had. There is so much more to do.
I haven’t yet seen the sunrise, or to that point, the sunset from my beach chair. I haven’t kayaked through the inlet.
I haven’t ridden my paddleboard with the current from the Ocean City-Longport Bridge to the Tennessee Avenue boat ramp.
I haven’t walked the trails through Corson’s Inlet, found a starfish or even been bitten by a crab while wading in the surf. I haven’t gotten a good sunburn, eaten enough Boardwalk pizza or ridden on the giant Ferris wheel. But what I do know is that I haven’t had my last beach day just yet.
Each spring, as I unpack my sandy beach bag from the summer before, I try and remember when the last beach day was the year prior. You see, we never plan to have that last day before the weather turns. We always think we should leave the bag packed because there will be one more chance to rest our toes in the sand.
Typically, I open my beach bag and it is as if my beach days never ended. My tote still holds that sandy rolled up beach towel, a half-eaten, now stale, bag of chips, empty sunscreen bottles and several magazines now a year out of date.
It is said that spending time near the surf heals the soul, as well as the body. But it is the other side effects that I enjoy each summer. A friend comments each season that the beach is the only place he can sit in a chair all day doing nothing and not be nagged to complete his honey-do list.
Besides this break from normal weekend chores, the beach brings us all together in many ways. We are fortunate to spend countless hours with family, friends, and friends who have become family on the beach. We each pack our lunches, dinners and drinks. This ensures no one is the true host, which in turn creates a different type of relaxation. Cleanup is a breeze and the party can continue as long as the moon light allows. The bigger the beach chair circle the better.
The perfect beach day is different in everyone’s mind.
Send me a picture of your day to seamorewithmaureen@gmail.com and follow me @seamorewithmaureen or like SeaMorewithMaureen on Facebook to see your photos. Join along next week to Sea More with Maureen-Hooked on Houses will continue.
