My favorite place in the world

Remember how I said that Cape Cod was a little piece of heaven?  Well, the best spot in the heavenly kingdom is no doubt – for me anyway – on Marconi Beach.  Miles of sand and sea and practically no one there.  I spent three glorious hours there this afternoon, and if it rains (as predicted) for the rest of my stay, I’ll still go home happy.

   A kindred sprit on Marconi Beach.

The day started out with cold rain – it had rained heavily overnight, but the weather service was predicting clearing for the afternoon.  So I curled up in my room for the morning and did some of that thinking and planning I wanted to do, plus I read a little bit of a book called Productive Reflection.  Only geeks like me read books like Productive Reflection on vacation.  Anyway, around lunchtime the rain did in fact lighten up and the skies began to break up a little, so I figured it was safe to venture out.  My friend Maryellen called and we chatted for a bit.  Because it was supposed to be windy and in the low 60s, I dressed in fall-like clothing so I’d be warm on the beach and headed up the coast to my favorite spot.

To get to Marconi Beach, you drive a mile or so from the main road through protected woodlands.  When you finally get to the coast, though, it’s well worth the drive.  You walk from the parking lot across the dunes on a wooden walkway painted a faded gray.  It winds through some brush and across the top of the dune to a steep staircase.  Your first glimpse of the ocean is the blue above the brush – blue ocean rippled with waves and blue sky streaked with leftover clouds.  But suddenly you get a glimpse of the whole beach.  From 30 or 40 feet up, the view is panoramic.  Miles of waves breaking three and four deep, miles of sand littered with small stones, seaweed, and assorted flotsam.  Miles of dunes sort-of sandy red topped with short green shrubbery.  Breath in the slightly salty air – you know it’s a good day.

I walked for an hour on the beach, first from the stairs to the left, then back and down the beach to the right.  The tide was going out so the waves were really far out there.  And the wind was not as bad as I had feared – it helped to be dressed right!  Then, not wanting to leave, I went up to the car and got my chair and a book.  I parked myself on the sand and read for another hour or more.  Other people came and went – probably a total of 30, so there was plenty of room!  I just didn’t want to leave…

Here are some pictures of paradise…

         
Nothing but beach and dunes and the crashing waves… to the north, and to the south.  The tide was out pretty far.

                Stairway to heaven…  

My favorite shots of the crashing waves….
       
                          

The stone I picked up is sandy-colored with some orangy coloration that reminds me of a tiger.  I decided it could be a reminder to “be a Tigger” as Randy Pausch says – keep that fun, positive attitude.

Finally, I decided to leave, knowing I could catch sunset at Paine’s Beach if I left at 5:30 and stopped for dinner at one of my favored restaurants on the way back.  I went to Mahoney’s Bar and Grille and had a real dinner for once.  Delicious roast chicken! 

My brilliant plan worked.  I got to Paine’s Beach about 7:15 when sunset was due at about 8 pm.  I wound up not being able to tear myself away until after 8:30.  The pictures will tell you why.  I picked up this golden yellow egg-shaped stone that was just about the color of the sunset at one point.

          
I was playing with camera settings and took too many shots in “sunset” mode, which are weirdly colored.  These are the best shots – more the color of the actual event. 

Time for the gulls to bed down for the night, too.
Be sure to click on these pictures – I’m quite proud of them!
(Plus, you can’t see the gulls in thumbnail view!)
         

By the way, I’m really enjoying this blogging thing.  I find myself really paying attention to the day so I can describe it to you all.  I’d love to hear from you, too!  So please comment back.

Wow.  It’s really past my bedtime!  Goodnight from Brewster. 
(Blog post for May 17, 2008.)