Ode to Rocky Beaches

Though Pappy does not seem to have a strong opinion on the matter, I grew up with rocky beaches and am very fond of them. To tell you the truth, I find sand beaches a little blah. Of course they photograph well and were part of my childhood visions of fantasy locales. But, in reality, a heavily trafficked sand beach now looks to me like a construction site. Footprints accumulate above the tideline like a stampede passed by. Every piece of debris or litter sticks out like an angry zit. And though it is pleasant to walk for mile after mile along a sandy shore, it's a bit much of a muchness.

With rocky beaches there is incredible variety. Where we go in Maine, you have dramatic rock faces and stones of every color and type. They generally form a gradient, with the big rocks driven above the tideline by storms giving way to smaller rounder stones as you move down towards the water. In a protected cove, you can get nice patches of sand or fine gravel which are great for lying around. On storm-driven coast you have boulders and big rocks with tidal life and interesting debris secreted around. Some beaches specialize in flat skipping stones. Others have enormous stores of sea glass, increasingly rare in the age of recycling. Passing feet leave little trace, so you can easily imagine yourself on an undiscovered shore. Plus a rocky beach provides an infinite supply of ammo for chucking into the water.

Now, if I can just explain how freezing cold water is vastly superior to a balmy warm ocean, it should be clear to everyone that Maine is the perfect vacation destination.