Do you "Beach" ?

[ocdokie]

When we retired, we moved to a place 10 minutes from Laguna Beach, CA. My entire previous life had been spent in the prairies of the Midwest; even after 4 years here now, the beach still enthralls. We don't swim, b/c the water's too cold and we don't have wetsuits, but we love walking the many different beaches and admiring the creatures in the crystal-clear tide pools at low tide. Best of all, since we're retired we can go to the beaches when they're the least crowded (weekdays, when most everybody else is at work/school).

 

[pb4uski]

...was '54 thru '58...... Was Dean Makechnie still there when your DW attended?....

No, she was there '80-82 .... over 30 years after your DW, and he retired in '72. Dean George Makechnie » Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground | Boston University

As a grad student she did not live on campus so it was quite a different experience than undergrad.

 

[Moemg]

Some of my favorite summer memories were spent at the Jersey Shore . My Dad would swim with us as my Mother yelled for him to come closer to shore . We always packed a lunch & cookies ( always pecan sandies ) . Maybe my Mom thought they would blend in with the sand . I have loved beaches all my life . I currently live fifteen minutes from great beaches & it is so peaceful to just being there .

 

[Kimo]

hhhmmmm...... I live in Oahu....think I better say yes

 

[45th Birthday]

I grew up in the middle of the country and never saw a large body of water until high school. However, I became hooked on being near the ocean.

For almost 20 years we have owned a summer place on an island off Massachusetts. The nearest beach is a 15-minute walk away. We go there every day the weather is good (most). The house is one block in from the water, but the beach is not directly there.

For at least that long, we have gone every year for 10 days to two weeks to an island in the Caribbean, where we spend lots on time on the beach.

We bought a condo in Florida that is directly on the ocean on a barrier island.

Our main house is in a nice town with a great beach on Lake Michigan, but we don't go to the beach there much because we aren't there when it's beach weather.

So, yes, we "beach."

 

[grasshopper]

Staying in Rehoboth Beach DE, in the fall, we will enjoy the shore like we always so fully clothed.

 

[Sea Kayaker]

Yesterday, this was "our beach". About a 2 hour paddle to get there, but well worth it. We had it to ourselves for the whole day. DW relaxed while I clambered through the woods trying to find a spot to get a decent picture.

 

[NW-Bound]

I like water, particularly the ocean, but not being a strong swimmer am not crazy about beaches. Just some water would be enough. The water on the US western seaboard is too cold for swimming anyway.

My dream as often talked about here is to have a property in the Puget Sound with a bit of waterfront so that I can row a kayak out to check my crab pots for dinner.

 

[wrigley]

Growing up in the Chicago area we "beached" at Lake Geneva WI. We rented a moldy old cottage on one of the bays; I still vividly recall the smell of that place. A lot of my memories seem to be about the bully kids on the beach. I remember the Lady of the Lake and the mansions that line the lake.
I really need to take a nostalgic tour back to Lake Geneva some day.

I also was born and raised in Chicago. We had a family cottage in Lake Como Wisconsin all through my adolescent days. I spent many summers and winters in Lake Geneva. Back in the early 70's Lake Geneva hosted one of the largest snow mobile races in the U.S.

For the past 21 years I have lived in Florida and the beach is a large part of my life!

Mike

 

[Ronstar]

Yesterday, this was "our beach". About a 2 hour paddle to get there, but well worth it. We had it to ourselves for the whole day. DW relaxed while I clambered through the woods trying to find a spot to get a decent picture.

I'm not a beach nut, but I'd like to paddle my kayak around there. Great photo as well!

 

[sengsational]

When people say "lets go to the beach", I say " and do what?"

Having lived across A1A from the beach growing up, I find that you need to do things (surf, scuba, sail,etc) or its just a place that sand blows into your beer.

 

[Corporateburnout]

Living in southeastern MA we are less than an hour away from some of the most beautiful beaches of Cape Cod and Narragansett bay in RI.

We beach at least twice a week now that I'm retired. DW loves the sun and I love the water.

We just returned from a one week trip to Myrtle beach where the water was too warm for my taste. I prefer the beaches in New England.

 

[6miths]

Most definitely. Just came home from a day at the childhood beach with the dog. Was breezy and a bit cool but the sun came out in the end and I had a good day reading William Bernstein's 'A Splendid Exchange' and throwing the stick for the dog. Watched the lakers and salties pass through the St Clair River on their way to and from Lake Huron and beyond.

Talk of RI takes me back to my Fellowship days at Brown and living on the waterfront in Wickford. Many great weekends at the Cape and Nantucket.

Definitely have the beach in my blood. Love being near and on the water.

 

[MRG]

When people say "lets go to the beach", I say " and do what?"

Having lived across A1A from the beach growing up, I find that you need to do things (surf, scuba, sail,etc) or its just a place that sand blows into your beer.

Your choice of what you're doing(drinking beer) gives the sand a chance to blow in your beer!

Seriously I agree with your point, I need some other entertainment, I'm hoping surf fishing will fill that need. Interesting comment for me, we just got back from a trip to Vero Beach, spent a lot of time on A1A. DW would move tomorrow, I'm not sure if being on a barrier island is worth the extra $.

 

[mh]

Most definitely. Just came home from a day at the childhood beach with the dog. Was breezy and a bit cool but the sun came out in the end and I had a good day reading William Bernstein's 'A Splendid Exchange' and throwing the stick for the dog. Watched the lakers and salties pass through the St Clair River on their way to and from Lake Huron and beyond.

Talk of RI takes me back to my Fellowship days at Brown and living on the waterfront in Wickford. Many great weekends at the Cape and Nantucket.

Definitely have the beach in my blood. Love being near and on the water.

I really liked "a splendid exchange" ...


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[CUinFl]

We enjoy the beaches near York, ME. At the beach there is nothing like a morning walk, a mid-day game of bocce and an afternoon dip in the ocean

 

[Dreamer]

Love the beach. We have been to Ocean City, MD, Cape May, NJ, Ocracoke Island NC, and several FL beaches. Just came back from Ocracoke Island NC last week and I must say that it has my heart. We have been going there off and on for close to 30 years and it feels like home. Had such a good time and I love having our granddaughter there so that it is part of her memories. I wish we lived closer to Ocracoke.

 

[Blue65]

My first trip to the Outer Banks this week and I love it....I love East Coast Fl beaches and all Long Island NY beaches.....


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[athena53]

If "beaching" is defined as hanging out in the sun for hours, drinking something with an umbrella in it, no. DH's body thermostat doesn't regulate itself well, and I get bored.

But, the more I thought of it, we tend to gravitate to bodies of water. We visit my parents in Myrtle Beach every year and get a hotel room with a balcony on the ocean (dirt cheap in December). Our last vacation was a small-boat cruise in Alaska, with a stop before that in Sitka- more beautiful water views. I kayaked a lot, end even went snorkeling (with lots of neoprene on me). We're thinking of Scotland for next year and that will include the Orkney Islands (we were there years ago but didn't stay long enough). Somehow on our vacations we always find a body of water and maybe a ferry to get us to an interesting island.

We love our home in the landlocked Midwest, but enjoy lakes, oceans, gulfs, etc. when we travel.

 

[MBAustin]

I grew up spending summers at our family cabin on Deep Creek Lake, MD (my mother's parents built it in the '20s when the lake was created). My sister and I still own it, although it's hard to get there from TX. I had hoped to be spending retirement summers there by now, but DH's disability prevents that.

We also went to "the beach" for a week many summers - usually Ocean City, MD, but sometimes the Outer Banks. Best memories were the dozen or so summers that we spent the 2nd week of August at Assateague State Park in our pop-up trailer with several other families - same families went the same week every year and we would mail in our reservations on January 1 so we could get our favorite campsites all together. I even went back with them for a couple of years after I graduated from college.

Since DH is more of a mountain and desert kind of guy, we don't get to the beach much. But I really miss time by the water. Our little goldfish pond helps a bit, but it's just not the same!

 

[prudent_one]

My parents live near the beach in NC but even when we visit I don't go to the beach much. I can't swim, and it's usually much too hot for me to sit there for more than a couple hours. If it's overcast and not too hot, then she doesn't want to go.

 

[In-control]

Yup - but I can't just lay their - that's silly to me when their so many fun things to do. Yes - a 50+ year can build sand castles. I typically go kayaking in the waves and fishing with the incoming tide. Or Surf casting, my favorite. Long walks 2x per day are required and a few beverages that make the sunset even more special.

During the winter - walks with a pack lunch with the dogs is fun.

We live in MA so the Cape Cod waters run in our veins - although RI beaches are great as well. ME waters are frickin too cold but beautiful. We head up to BoothBay in September when all the tourist leave.

 

[Lucantes]

Love the beach!
When I was younger (11-12) my parents used to go down fishing for the month of October to Delaware (Dewey Beach area right on the ocean, before it was all built up) and I think that is where I caught the water bug (don't think I was ever at the ocean before then).
My retirement house is in Cocoa Beach FL right on the water (Banana River lagoon) and the ocean is less than a block away, and have waterfront (Pamlico Sound) property also in Avon in the Outer Banks of NC (the ocean is also less than a block away).
I am not particularly active in the ocean water (prefer to lounge in a pool anytime one is available), but I love having it at hand to look at, listen too and stroll next to. Sand between my toes makes me really happy, relaxed and at peace....add a Rum-n-Coke to it and might just pee a lil' bit with glee!

 

[seraphim]

Water is a big part of our lives. Sand is not. Loved near the beach for a year and a half, and was glad to get away. Sand was everywhere. Give us a lake, a river, or a rocky coastline...


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[Dancer373]

Do not like the ocean/gulf beach with sand, salt, seagulls and sun but love a nice mountain lake with snow fed water............