Cruising the Beaches

The east coast has seen some cold and nasty weather this winter. While the Crystal Coast has been spared the worst of it, we have seen more rain and cold than we normally have. It is only recently that you can tell that we have gained a little day light, but those extra minutes are just enough to make a late afternoon beach trip feasible. That is especially the case when we have enjoyed blue skies for the whole day. That in itself has been a treat, and certainly was a factor in convincing us to go for a drive up the beach. I am always curious as to how the winter waves have changed my favorite spots so this afternoon was a great opportunity to go exploring.

Our first stop was Third Street Beach, which is one of my favorite spots. This time of year it is often completely ignored. When we got to the parking lot at about 4 PM, there were no other cars there. That was fine for me since I was looking for a little beach solitude.

As I started to descend the stairs for the walk to the water, I handed my wife the keys to our car. I knew that she would not last in breezy fifty degree weather. I was fine with just my sweat shirt and blue jeans.

I was a little surprised to see some evidence of people walking on the beach with no shoes. I suppose saying you have gone barefooted on the beach in January might be a sign of toughness.

It is a little early for me to shed my tennis shoes, but I would say that it is a positive sign that some people have already done it. I was pleased to see a boat cruising down the beach even if it was bundled up with side curtains.

The beach was very quiet except for a couple of pelicans patrolling the waters just off shore. Today was one of those teaser days which make you think that winter is about over. I suspect we will have to endure some more cold weather, but I know the sun is getting stronger. The results are right by my door

Our pansies are thriving in a southeast facing spot by our garage door. They have recovered from the cold weather and look like they are hitting their stride.

After soaking up sea breezes, we headed down the beach to Emerald Isle and went to check out the work that has been going on at the Point. They have been pumping sand on the beach and moving it around with a bulldozer. We were surprised that the vehicle access to the Point has once again been repaired.

It is nice to see all that sand out there, but even my few years here has taught me that it can disappear a lot faster than it can be put back.

We will just have to hope that it stays around for the season.

You can check out some pictures of our afternoon at the beaches to get yourself thinking about your next beach visit when we get our first days that sneak into the seventies.