Another beach weekend, come and gone!  It’s amazing how you can look forward to something for so long and then have it be over in the blink of an eye.

We had lovely weather for the most part; a bit of rain in the evenings but nothing that interfered with lounging by the ocean.  It’s wonderfully lucky that the ocean is close enough that we can drive there in just a few hours.

Sometimes it’s hard not to sit and stare at the ocean for hours; it’s peaceful and relaxing watching the waves come in and the boats go out.

First Landing State Park

We’re an adventurous group, though, so we did manage to take some time away from relaxing to take part in various fun activities.  Our first morning out we went for a Stand-Up Paddle Boarding tour.  It was our second year doing it and this time our guide was was incredibly enthusiastic and engaged with our surroundings.  He showed us all the oysters and barnacles on the shore line and piers and pulled up a crab pot full of blue crab to let us see what they look like.

He took us into a lovely little cove where the water was calmer and showed us how to do yoga on our paddle boards in the water.

I tried a few poses (mostly child pose, table, cat and downward dog) but he wowed us by doing a headstand.  On his paddle board.  In the water.  Without falling off.

I know.  Amazing.

Of course my friend Diana did us all even prouder later when she rode the Slingshot at the amusement park.  It’s basically a reverse bungee jump that shoots you 200 feet in the air.  She’s pretty brave, that one.

Mostly, though we did what we enjoy doing every year: spending time together at the beach.

I’m not big on getting colored by the sun (I’m pretty fair skinned and skin cancer is more of a threat than I think most people realize), so I love that we always rent huge umbrellas and create ourselves a shade fortress from which to enjoy the ocean breeze.  I had a book with me but honestly I barely looked at it.  I was either involved in conversation or napping.  Or looking forward to steamed clams for dinner.

Laura and Margie

Diana, Theresa, Jessie.

I really needed this recharge; summer is fading fast and before we know it school and related activities will be upon us again.  Let’s squeeze every drop of summer goodness we can get!