My love affair with the beach was only rekindled a few short years ago, on a trip to Ogunquit when, after years of waiting, the weather finally smiled upon us and we were granted a hot, glorious stretch of days on Ogunquit Beach at the height of summer. Before that, it had been decades since I enjoyed the sand and the surf, and I’d almost forgotten how they feed the soul and rejuvenate the senses. The waves at Rehoboth Beach were much bigger, the undertow much stronger, and the might of the ocean more in evidence. But before going in, we had to stake our claim to some shade.
On this first day, the temperature soars to 97 degrees – normally unbearable for a delicate constitution – but on the shore things are cooled by the great body of water before us. The northeast coast, especially Maine, is all but impossible to enter thanks to such cold, cutting temperatures. Even as a kid, when nothing was too cold or hot, the water was too frigid to enjoy. Here, the water is a relatively balmy 75 degrees, perfect for a refreshing splash after baking in the mid-to-high 90’s all morning.
We sat beneath a large umbrella, and I sprawled out on a beach towel and began reading. The gentle pounding of the surf and the occasional cry of a seagull were the soundtrack before the crowds arrived, and I turned the pages of the first of three books I brought for the occasion.
At last, a proper vacation.
