When I was a kid, I loved going to the beach. I wasn't much for lying in the sun. I would spend most of the day in the water. Through my teens and early twenties I snorkled and SCUBA dived until I suffered an inner ear problem that convinced me SCUBA was not in my long term plans.

Mid to later 20s I spent more time on the sand. The year I graduated from law school, I spent the summer on the beach studying for the bar exam. I had a great tan and passed the first try.

I still go to the beach, but not as often. Now it is mostly with the grand kids who splash around and look for minnows. I'll dig for clams or fish in the evening, but don't spend anywhere near as much time in the water as I used to.

How about you. Are you a beach person? Has your level of beach activity changed over the years?

 

When I was 16 years-old, often times in the summer, I'd ride with my mom to her job at UCLA, and then catch a bus over to Santa Monica beach. I'd get there before the fog had burned off, never use sunscreen, lay in the sun, go in the water, burn, and then take the bus back to her work, for the ride home with her at 5pm. Now, I go for the view at Laguna Beach. Jerry introduced me to the Montage Resort beach and it's the prettiest coast for many miles. I've taken Ellen there, my family and friends. The last time I went, Jerry and I went at sunset, and just stayed up on the bluff, overlooking the ocean. It's time to go again.

 

Thank you for starting threads...it's been dead here.

Now on to your question. We used to go to the beach often. Years ago, the Caribbean was often a vacation destination. We'd sit and read, walk, go for a swim or just to play in the waves. By the end of the summer, we'd tire of the packing up and dealing with the sand, but we'd start anew the next year.

Rick has had some skin issues which kind of curtailed our desire to be at the beach. Also, on the last few trips we made to our favorite beach, there was a lot of red tide/seaweed which really made it icky for swimming.

So, we haven't made a trip to the beach in quite some time, unless it's for a walk in the evening. We thought about giving the beach another try over the 4th of July weekend, but decided between the crowds and the packing up, it was too much work.

Yep,

 

 

Stop goosing the puffer fish!

 

Patty, post more bikini shots!

 

I was never able to spend much time at the beach...growing up 100 miles away in a lower-middle class family. I can actually recall all of my visits to the ocean before I turned 18: 2 trips to Jacksonville FL when I was 6 and 16; 2 trips to Ocean City NJ with family friends, and later with 2 HS buds. Maybe that deprivation gives me a "need" to visit the ocean....east or west.

Now....40-50 years later....both Kathy and I enjoy the ocean a lot. Not so much for laying on the beach or jumping the waves, but more for WALKING on the beach; exploring tide pools, nearby little islands and lighthouses; snorkeling; ocean kayaking; and just taking in the scenic beauty. As many of you know, the MAINE coastline and rocky beaches are a prime interest of ours.

The bust in Real Estate for second homes has made an oceanside place more affordable than it's been in years. We will probably stay in our little town outside Philly, but expect to spend a month in Maine (summer) and another one somewhere warm (winter)...probably starting in 2011-2012

 

Doing what I can on the threads, Lainey. Come on down the Cape. I'll take you guys to a nice beach.

 

Rainy day on the Cape is it?

 

Yes, it was very nice of you to share that place ^^ with us

...so you haven't been back since February ?????