Traffic along the boardwalks and pathways leading to and from the seashore is slow enough for caterpillar crossings these days.
It may be October, but the beach is still open to visitors despite the absence of tourists and high temperatures. Sparkling waters beckon beyond the sand dunes.
On such a quiet morning, it’s hard to imagine this beach covered with human flesh baking in the summer sun just a couple of months ago. The scene is peaceful and quiet, except for the roar of the waves.
The sand, sea and sky all work together to create a vista that’s refreshing and uplifting. The sea breezes still feel soothing on the face and the sand is still warm on the feet.
Waves continue to make their deliveries of Irish moss onto the shore. Also known as carrageenan, this sea moss is raked along some beaches in Nova Scotia. It’s used as a thickening agent in many foods, including coffee cream and ice cream.
Hot temperatures aren’t a prerequisite for children to enjoy playing in the sand. Their needs are simpler than ours. Wherever did we get the notion that beaches are only to be enjoyed in the summer time?
Flandrum Hill 
Ahhh…the sands and the ocean! Doesn’t matter what time of year it is, they still speak to me. There’s an old Finnish (? maybe just Yooper) bit of lore that says that the wider the stripe on the catepillar, the harder the winter will be. I don’t know how that stripe compares to other years in your bit of the world, but it looks like you better bundle up! I just love visiting your world…. thanx again for sharing it.
Cindy, this looks to me like the woolly bear caterpillar but supposedly they’re not found in Canada. I’ve never heard that saying before. That’s certainly a wide stripe. I hope it’s not true.
Yup. Local summer. Don’t tell anyone. Heh heh.
Too late to not tell anyone Gerry 🙂
It sure looks like a wooly bear caterpillar to me too. I love going to the beach when tourists aren’t there. It is so much quieter and relaxing. Our beaches on Lake Michigan get overcrowded with sun bathers and teens playing volleyball during the summer.
Me too Jessica. I haven’t been there at high time for years. It’s a whole other world. This beach is especially popular with volleyball players too.
I really value the picture with the feet 🙂 It says so much of freedom!
Exactly Nadezhda 🙂
Human flesh baking in the sun, LOL! Isn’t it fun when the beach is deserted except for caterpillar, driftwood, seaweed, feet, breezes and sparkling waters? Were you and a certain little grandson here together? How wonderful. You’ll carry this memory into the cold winter, methinks.
Yes we visited the beach together Kathy. We heard some fox activity coming from the dunes that day and I would love to have checked it out more closely, but thought it wasn’t the thing to do with a young child around. We’ll probably be back in the winter too if there’s not too much snow.
The beach at any time of the year is a magic and inspiational place. Maybe it’s even better with fewer visitors.
It sure is Jessica. I think there are fewer tourists these days but the locals are out more often than they used to be.
these series of posts makes me want to get to the ocean. i agree, a deserted beach is the best. tough to find around tokyo. but cooler weather ought to take care of that.
Wind, I can only imagine how populated Japan’s beaches must be. Good luck finding one that gives you some breathing space.