Living as i have for nearly two decades in the heartland of America one might mistakenly assume that i have grown accustomed to the landlocked life. Sure, i do have the river, the mighty Ohio, "Good River", Ohiyo, Pelewathiipi, to feed my watery dreams. I suppose i can rest assured that if push came to shove i could always make my escape by floating along its snaky western course to the great Mississippi, down through the muddy brown delta, to the gulf, and on to the sea.
But i will always be an island boy at heart, yearning for that sharp scent of seaweed and brine in my nostrils and the shifting sand between my toes. Though i didn't exactly grow up in a coastal town i was still a mere 15 minute drive from the beach and as a teenager fighting the doldrums of surburban summer life it didn't take much longer to thumb my way to the shore for a day of fun in the sun.
So yes, salt water does still run deep through my veins and the life-renewing pleasure of wetting one's feet in the surf while strolling leisurely along a sandy shore scanning for treasures of shells, stones and beach glass is still a hard sought after activity for me.
Fortunately i have found a second home in Nova Scotia and find my way to the coast at least a couple of times a year. It's never enough, but it does sustain me, at least until i can find a way to make the Maritimes a more permanent home.
This particular beach is one you have seen numerous times in this blog. A sandy crescent strewn with colorful rocks and backed by a fresh water barachois (coastal lagoon), Hirtle's Beach is one of my all-time favorite seaside places. It presents an ever-changing face that i never grow bored of photographing no matter how often i return.
So c'mon...take a day off...let's go to the beach...
All Photos ©David Sorcher 2016
