Yesterday I had the opportunity to accompany Frank Juliano on his “Breaking the Sound Barrier” walk from Milford Harbor to the Connecticut Coastal Audubon Center. I’d promised to join Frank, rain or shine, but I was pleased that Mother Nature, despite the forecasters’ predictions, provided a dry day, with just enough sunshine and breezes to make the 4.8 mile walk enjoyable.
And it reminded me once again of the incredible jewel we have in our backyard. For free, my cost conscious friends! Most of us know the joy of lying in the hot sun, listening to the surf, and doing absolutely nothing for a few hours on a summer weekend afternoon. But our Connecticut shoreline has so much more to offer.
Go down on a stormy day and listen to the surf crash. Feel the tang of salt on you lips as droplets of ocean spray provide a free moisturizing treatment. (OK, I’m no beauty expert, but that’s how it feels to me!)
Get up early one morning and watch the sun rise over Long Island Sound. Or better still, do it lots of mornings. It’s different every day. Watch from different perspectives along the coast. Not a morning person? The sun sets every evening, too.
Visit the beach on a misty, moisty day. If you’re lucky, you’ll be alone with the sandpipers and egrets. Or maybe a fisherman or two will be visible, casting from one or the rocky reefs.
Take off your shoes when you visit the beach! Feel the sand between your toes. Walk along the water’s edge, with the wavelets tickling your ankles. And make sure you bring your camera—I can guarantee you’ll see award-winning vistas. In our short walk from the Milford Harbor we saw waves lapping at sea walls, sand flats, and marshes; plovers, egrets, and of curse the ubiquitous seagulls; a sailboat regatta, catamarans, and a tethered rowboat, and a plethora of incredible skyscapes, with the sun playing hide-and-go-seek with the clouds.
And it’s all free, my friends.
absolutely true…of any seashore. a tremendous gift we too often take for granted.
Comment by anne — June 22nd, 2009 @ 11:38 am
Since I moved to the midwest, I really do miss the seashore and beach. How right you are! Don’t take for granted the beauty in seeing the Sound everyday and for free!
Comment by Sarah Francois — June 22nd, 2009 @ 12:13 pm
what a great reminder of the great vacation spot we have in our backyards for FREE!!!! , just at the time we need it most!!!
Comment by don — June 22nd, 2009 @ 3:25 pm
I never appreciated the beach when we lived in Milford, and now that I live at least an hour from any beach, I miss it all summer long! Beach days have become planned trips for me, and I miss my backyard vacation spot.
Comment by Cynthia — June 23rd, 2009 @ 6:28 pm
Your wonderful descriptions brought me back to my teen years when we lived in Fort Trumbull. My first home was in New Haven, near St. Raphael’s Hospital, and my only salt water experiences were rare trips to Lighthouse Park. Walking down to the Sound, at any time of the day, at any time of the year, is what I loved the best. A great deal of teenage angst was dispelled just by spending time gazing at the water. Thanks for revisiting it with me – I am going to do so for real on Friday when I am off from work!
Comment by Maureen Moore — June 24th, 2009 @ 5:54 am