I will be completing one of my Life to Do List items of "extended beach time" on Tuesday of this week. It has been so nice to wake up every morning with the amazing view of the gulf and to decide whether to enjoy the day on the balcony, at the beach, pool or all three.
Reading and People Watching...
I have read 16 books and have started on a new series based in Scotland. I will admit people watching is still my favorite pass time while here. It has been interesting each week to see families come and go as their week at the beach begins and finishes. I am still entertained at how much stuff people bring down to the water. I am exhausted just seeing them trying to carry or push all of it much less what it took to get it there and now to unload it all. There is an art to putting up an umbrella at the beach and after observing several people over the last few weeks I have concluded that few possess it as daily umbrella go flying down the beach with people running after them.
Storms and Rain Showers...
We have had some storms over the gulf since I have been here which is music to this okie's ears. These storms and the waves have daily created new beaches and changes in the depth of the water, I have never been at the beach long enough to watch this unfold. When I arrived 4 1/2 weeks ago there was a good size drop off to enter the water, this weekend that became a new beach area with a gentle walk out to the water.
Some Excitement at the Beach...
Kids are always screaming while playing at the beach so it was amazing that a gentlemen and his teenage son that were sitting in chairs near the water not far from my friend and I heard a young boy in distress and drowning in the waves. The flags were red that day which means strong undertow, these two jumped up and went into the water to assist this young boy in getting out. It looked as though the 3 young boys were playing on their boogie boards and had traveled quite a ways down the coast, the parents came running once the boy was almost to shore. Had it not been for the man and his son hearing the boy this may have ended badly.
We had another day where the flags went double red which means you are not allowed in the water. Of course the majority on the beach did not either see flags, understand what they meant or simply did not care. Helicopters came down the coast at a very low level and cleared everyone out of the water. They of course had to continue to do this as people came and went back into the water.
I've seen dolphins and sting rays several times through out the weeks. Actually got to see the rays jump which was a special treat. My sister had a group of fish that really liked her toe nail polish while she was here and I had an encounter with either an eel or sea snake on one occasion, I did not stay in the water long enough to determine.
Swim suit choices go wrong...
There are things that you can not unsee regardless of how hard you try. I appreciate being bold and having confidence but please do that in swimsuits that will actually flatter you, same for the men.
I did note that the stars and stripes long swim shorts for men/boys was very popular on the beaches here. I am all about supporting the USA.
Had a few visitors....
So excited that my sister and her husband were able to join me for a week, one of my besties showed up a few days later for a long weekend and then one of my nieces came to close out my time at the beach. Great to see them, enjoy some beach time and find a few good places to eat along the way.
I will wrap up my extended beach time on Tuesday and drive back to North Carolina, I have a day to repack and then a dear friend and I will head for Switzerland. Excited about this next adventure and spending times in the Alps.