We just returned from our vacation weekend in Ocean City, MD, and because of a visit from Tropical Storm Hanna, it was an excellent trip! I almost forgot just how fun the beach is, and how if you suspend your adultness for a more spontaneous version of yourself, the greatest fun can occur. Like children, when me and my man vacation there are no rules, plans or judgements. We sleep til we feel like getting up, eat when and what we want, take a nap when the spirit moves us, and drink in greater excess than our usual moderation. On Saturday morning a short trip to the local store turned into a ride to the boardwalk, just as Hanna was racing towards the MD shore. We were able to wander down the boardwalk until the rain came, watching people of all sizes and shapes parade by us, watching struggling surfers from off a pier, as well as watching a corrugated tin roof being slowly pulled from off one of the local pubs by the increasing winds (that was our cue to leave). Once back at the hotel, we donned our weatherman parkas to play on the beach in the 35 mph winds and the steady rain. Though the seas were angry, a small tide pool formed on the beach where we could frolic in the water amongst the seagulls. Our patience was greatly rewarded on Sunday, as the sun came out, the winds died down, and the waves became the very best for playing in. At low tide we were able to walk past the shells to a drop-off to our waist, where, after a few swimming strides a sandbar gradually appeared. Here, the breaking waves came rolling at us as big cascades of cool foamy sea. Most of the rolling foam allowed us to keep our balance, and occasionally we got to jump up with a clear surfing wave, but the best fun was had with the huge breaking waves that seemed to grab at our ankles and pull us into a somersault of foamy sea and sand. Oh the joy of being a kid again! Since we were the only two crazy people actually in the water, there was no worry that either of us would be beached into someone's mom or dad to whom we would have to apologize. No, it was too dangerous for kids to be in the water, and there was a serious lack of adults who longed to be kids, so we had the whole ocean to ourselves. There was a repeat of foamy tumbling fun on Monday morning before we had to leave for home. We had the best time doing the usual vacation things, but the best fun was had as a great tumble in the sea.
