Why Are We So Tan? North Beach

We have thoroughly been enjoying summer around here. And our skins have been touched by the sunlight. Well, except Sophie, our pale child. She's received healthy doses of sunscreen, as have the rest of us, but I have been more diligent in reapplication of her sunscreen.

 

On recommendation from dear friend Anne, we explored one of our closes beaches, North Beach, MD. While not off the ocean, rather part of Chesapeake Bay, it was perfect for Madeleine's first foray into the open waters this year. The water was warmer, the waves smaller and calmer. Although the bay floor (submerged) was, as Anne warned us, a little "squishy underfoot" (only on the right side of the beach, the northern part was quite nice and firm under the water), we highly recommend this darling town and beach. It was near enough to not make a big deal out of traveling, small enough to be friendly, cozy, and not overwhelming, and on Friday night (the day we chose to visit) there was an old car show and farmer's market right by the boardwalk. We enjoyed icecream on the boardwalk (breaking our 10 Day Real Food Challenge - many more posts on that later) and seafood at a very wonderful restaurant just 20 minutes up the bay coast called Skipper's Pier. Madeleine joined us on devouring fish tacos, mussels, and crab. Yum, yum, yum. Although it wasn't really kid-friendly food - mostly because of how long it took to crack open the crab, requiring both hands so babies could not be held during the meal. Luckily, Sophie was absolutely content to suck on lemon slices all throughout.

 

I have to say that we planned the day well, packing our own lunch and snacks, arriving at the beach at 10:30, 11ish. Swimming until 2, driving to get lunch and being filled up at 3 pm, swimming again in the late afternoon/early evening, not requiring dinner due to the late lunch we were able to just snack and indulge in icecream that evening as we walked around (dried off, and dressed) the town/boardwalk in the evening. Drove home at 8pm.

 

Madeleine was AMAZINGLY in love with the water! She's not the most brave and outgoing child and hasn't historically been a water-doggie at the pool. But all hesitancy disappeared the moment she saw the water. She ran right in and splashed and played without reserve. We loved watching her! She made friends who joined in her water play and without the big waves crashing all around we felt fine just letting her run wild. It was awesome. Marc and I both had time to read our novels while Madeleine splashed and Sophie slept/played in the sand. Sophie was not a huge fan of the water in the morning but by the late afternoon she found contentment splashing in the shallows. This beach was shallow for a long ways out so it was just perfect for kids. The only drawback was the charge to be on the beach. I'm sure this is an East Coast/boardwalk thing and although we experienced it on the Jersey Shore, it's still so weird to us. But since we haven't been to the West Coast in AGES, we didn't think it too strange and also enjoyed a military discount.
Summary? Loved the beach, loved the water, love the tans, love summer.