Every year, my siblings and I return to Sea Isle City,
always staying within the same few blocks around 61st Street. You’d think that after a while there wouldn’t
be much left that I hadn’t already photographed. Amazingly, every year there’s something new.
This year it was very high winds – which
whipped up amazing piles of fluffy sea foam and for a while seriously changed
the topography of the beach – and cloudy mornings – which made for some
spectacular sunrises. As well, we had a
full moon and a spectacular sunset.
Just so you know, I took 449 photos. Please appreciate my restraint in not
inflicting them on you!
I’ll start with the sunrises, because, really, is there anything better than a sunrise?
Most mornings, I take a long, usually solitary (because what sane person wants to get up before sunrise on their vacation?) walks along the beach. And every morning, the sun obligingly rises and shows me something different. Soft, blue grey sunrises,
shading to grey and gold.
Gentle pink,
dramatic orange,
leading to the bright morning sky.
Next, the sea foam, which I became
fascinated with, both up close and at a distance.
The long view, with the thigh-high piles…
…and the iridescent, cloud-like close up.
I discovered that sea foam has the capacity
to make almost anything beautiful. Like
random seaweed…
…or an abandoned shovel.
Sea foam almost, but not quite, turned my
crocs into bunny slippers!
As I mentioned, the wind that whipped up
the sea foam, also did astonishing things to the sand. It made dizzying patterns…
…and even cut a river into the beach.
I had great fun playing with the camera
function that lets me take shots of moving objects – like gulls. This year the birds seemed unusually
cooperative.
Flying…
…floating…
…and visiting friends. This is the first time I managed to get a
group of the little ones (which thanks to Steve’s bird book, I now know are
sanderlings) more or less in focus.
And here, as promised, is a spectacular
sunset…
…and a spectacular moonrise.
Despite the wind, there was relatively
little washed up on the beach. But I did
find a few conch shells for Sheila…
…and a horseshoe crab, which always seems
like a prehistoric visitor to me.
For the curious among you, here’s what it looks
like upside down.
And finally, the place to go for all your
beach-related needs!
