nina

I am soooo a beach person! I honestly don't think I could be landlocked, I have to be near a coast. I live a few of miles from Long Island Sound.

I love everything about the beach, the smell (even lowtide), playing in the waves, the feel of the sand, the light (it is different at the beach).

I'm not one for sitting there all day, but in the summer I walk at the beach everyday, we have dinner on the beach a lot, cocktails there a lot, and I love to go bodysurfing. The bigger the waves the better, I hate calm water.

I even have a hard time planning a vacation that doesn't include the beach. My mom finally bought a beachhouse this year about an hour from me, guess where I'll be as much as humanly possible this summer?

irishswampyankee

I was as a child BUT for the past 30 yrs, I have had many skin cancers bcs of it. Actually have 2 more on my face as we speak that have to be dealt with. So, I absolutely never set foot on a beach now and haven't in 30 yrs. I also limit all my sun exposure, beach or not. A tan represents dangerous damage to your skin but the problems don't manifest themselves for years. I do, however, enjoy sitting on a shaded porch and looking at the water but still use a high # sunscreen, even in the shade. Be very careful all you beach people.

isy

jorr

Beach = years of sunburns + being mocked for not having a tan + ending up with melanoma skin cancer.

I HATE beaches and avoid a beach vacation like the plauge. Fishing is a totally different story. You get to wear long pants and and a shirt.

mitch1971

I adore the beach. I grab a chair and sit under a palm tree in the shade. I could stay there forever.

jetset1

Thank goodness for sunscreens and more awareness. We have so many people who still use tanning beds, year round too, not just a little bit.
It's surprising to me that kids go too.
I love the warmth, but I sure take care not to let it sneak up on me. Even in Alaska, you can get burned.(Just not this week, rain and clouds galore).

trippinkpj

Even though I'm a beach person, I don't lie on the beach. I'm talking about morning beach walks (before 10 am) and I still use SPF 30 and a big sun hat. And watching the sunset.

seetheworld

I don't "roast" either. In fact, we have sat on the beach wrapped in blankets because it was crazy cold outside. We just love the beach. I love the coast too -- can't swim in it, but it's beautiful to look at.

Remember to wear sunblock when skiing too! But hey, let's enjoy the summer first!

Lena456

Just got back from a Father's Day weekend on Fire Island, New York. The beach was glorious today (terrible yesterday). I cannot stay away from the sea and sand for too long. My (late) dad insisted we go to Jones Beach as many times as possible every summer: it was hot, crowded, noisey, and we were so far back from the water you could barely find it. Nowadays I know to go really early, get out of the sun during the hottest hours, always use an umbrella, and go to places where there are fewer people.

traveler100

Definitely beach! I was there all day today. There is nothing like that first day at the beach after a longa** New England winter and this one wasn't even that bad. It's like when I have my first iced coffee of the season too!

The sun, sound of the water, kids playing, salt spray, soft sand, walking on a long sandbar. I find it all very relaxing and soothing. Even if it's busy and crowded, I can kind of carve out my own little space literally and in my head at the beach.

I really like going late afternoon after the crowds have thinned and the breeze starts to kick up.

Today was perfect because it was really breezy all day so no roasting. I am very careful and use tons of sunscreen. People usually tell me "I can't even tell you were at the beach", that means I'm doing it right! It's not about the tan (I hate sitting out in my yard at home!), it's all about the beach baby! I don't even know if I would enjoy having a pool, I like the beach so much. I wish I lived closer to it and it wasn't so dang expensive to park and get there with gas prices!

BetsyG

My Dad used to say there's nothing better than watching the sun rise & the sun set in the same day. I add and at the beach or ocean, there are the most beautiful sunsets!

Annabel

Thanks for posting some touching stories...now that I have had the time to read this entire thread.

I have had dreams of loved ones that have passed. I always felt that they were looking over us. Love never dies does it? It's a very comforting feeling. I now have a garden where my father had his garden. He loved it, nurtured it and gave all his beautiful veggies to the neighbors. He has been gone for over 4 years now. For the last 2 seasons I have been doing the garden. I have had so many people stop while I am working with tears in their eyes. They tell me stories about my father and what a great guy he was and how much they miss him but seing the garden again makes them happy.
The other day I was weeding...it was HOT and the garden is pretty big and I was in a pretty bad mood..the sweat was pouring off me. I said out loud.."who ever said this was fun...this sucks" and out of no where a small mud pie hit me in the shoulder. There was no one around and it was not raining and there are no trees. I would like to think it was my Dad laughing his butt off at me, that was definately something he would have done.

Maggi

It is the ocean that draws me. I love seeing the vast horizon, sunrises or sunsets, taking long walks along the water's edge and listening to the crashing of the waves.

We were able to vacation with a large group of friends on Kiawah Island. Each morning we all went down to the beach before sunrise for our morning devotions. One of the group commented that it reminded her of the movie "City of Angels" where the angels would stand in the water waiting for the sun to rise.

When the sun came up we got ready to leave and wanted a photo of the group. There was no one else on the beach, but suddenly a lone walker appeared and I approached him to take a picture of us. He looked Indian and even reminded us of Ben Kingsley in "Ghandi". He was happy to oblige, but looked as if he had never seen a camera before in his life. As I was instructing him, he said he was "looking for a sign", which cracked us up. Afterward, as we bid him fond farewells, we asked his name. His reply? "Gabriel".

To this day, we still talk about our encounter with Gabriel on the beach at Kiawah.

SAnParis

Yep, grew up going at least one week every summer, now that I am much closer, we go 4-6X a year. My wife says, it is the only place that I am ever relaxed...

cd

Maggi
What an inspirational story. Thanks.