{"id":659,"date":"2013-01-08T15:21:04","date_gmt":"2013-01-08T15:21:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dev.brickhousefabrics.com\/blog\/?p=659"},"modified":"2016-01-11T15:21:45","modified_gmt":"2016-01-11T15:21:45","slug":"pemaquid-beach-january-8-2013","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brickhousefabrics.com\/blog\/pemaquid-beach-january-8-2013\/","title":{"rendered":"Pemaquid Beach- January 8, 2013"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The week following New Year’s had been cold. The weather was snowy, and then turned warm, creating crust and ice. On the first nice day, Spot and I headed down to the beach.<\/p>\n

The road to the beach was snow filled. Walking carefully, as it was glazed with ice, we could hear the water booming. Crossing the short dunes, the wind was cold off the water. On the edge of the dunes we paused to view the beach. It was an extreme low tide!<\/p>\n

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PEMAQUID BEACH, MAINE
\nat extreme low tide<\/p>\n

We started down the beach to the right, as is our wont.
\nSnow edged the dunes.<\/p>\n

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In places where the water had seeped into the sand and frozen,
\nthe sand had expanded through the snow,
\nmaking odd swellings.<\/p>\n

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Spot explored the edge of the dunes.<\/p>\n

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The tide had swept the beach clean of anything
\nthat the previous tide had brought in.
\nOnly a pattern of small stones lay near the end of the beach.<\/p>\n

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Out beyond the point were exposed rocks that we had never seen before.<\/p>\n

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The tide had pulled out strongly,
\nleaving deeply sculpted tide pools
\naround the rocks at the end of the beach.<\/p>\n

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Carefully, due to snow and ice,
\nwe went up and over the rocks
\nto the cove on the other side.<\/p>\n

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Water was just lapping the base of the pole furthest out from shore.<\/p>\n

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Spot started up the beach.<\/p>\n

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The cove at low tide was really interesting.
\nThough no shells were seen,
\nthere were sand patterns from the tide draining out.<\/p>\n

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Spot continued his exploring along the snow line.
\nHe is hard to see!<\/p>\n

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Near the end of the beach were rounded rocks,
\ncovered with seaweed, that we had never seen before.
\nThe tide had never been low enough.<\/p>\n

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Climbing up the end of the point
\none could see the waves hitting barely covered reefs of rock.<\/p>\n

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From here one could see the pattern of light and dark sand
\nthat covered the cove,<\/p>\n

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and beyond the cove across Pemaquid Beach.<\/p>\n

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Clambering down from the rocks,
\nSpot sighted a seagull on the sand.<\/p>\n

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The gulls intrigue him. First they are on the ground,
\nthen in the water,<\/p>\n

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and then they take off.<\/p>\n

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When we had first crossed the cove, the tide was still ebbing.
\nBut, going back, I suddenly realized there was no sound of waves on the sand.
\nAnd looking, there was very little movement were water reached the shore.
\nAnd then, there was a first gentle lap.
\nThe tide had turned.<\/p>\n

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Walking along,
\nI suddenly realized that the last post was totally exposed…
\nwe could go around the rocks!
\nThis confused Spot,
\nas we have always gone over the rocks.<\/p>\n

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Spot always worries about the lapping water.
\nBut, he likes to play a game of standing with his back to it,
\nand then moving out of the way.<\/p>\n

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He started down the beach.
\nWhen moving, he is the fastest dog I have ever seen run.
\nBut, he stops to say- “Coming?”…<\/p>\n

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before continuing down the beach.<\/p>\n

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Just in the time it has taken to walk part way along the beach,
\nthe waves have gained strength and momentum,
\nand are booming in to shore.
\nOut beyond the waves, the buffleheads ride the swells.<\/p>\n

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At the far end of the beach is foam
\nleft from the tide.<\/p>\n

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The area near the stream that drains the salt marsh
\nhad banks of washed up seaweed,<\/p>\n

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which Spot enjoyed snuffing through.<\/p>\n

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The stream itself had carved out a circular pool,<\/p>\n

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before heading across the harder sand.<\/p>\n

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At this end of the beach there were
\nbits of seaweed, pebbles, and small pieces of broken shell.
\nA mussel shell lay half buried in the sand.<\/p>\n

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From this end of the beach one could see
\nthe water rolling in,<\/p>\n

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as well as the far point.<\/p>\n

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Heading back on the second leg of the walk
\nI went along the dune edge.
\nThe channel from the salt marsh that had appeared two weeks ago,
\nwhen it had poured rain so hard, and the marsh over-flowed,
\nwas gone.
\nOnly a crater remained.<\/p>\n

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Further along
\nI found one of the small beach vignette I look for.
\nIt is hard to believe that their arrangements are not staged.
\nThis one had a delicate piece of white and pink seaweed,
\na small smooth piece of driftwood,
\nset off by dried seaweed.<\/p>\n

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The wind is always in one’s face when walking down the right hand side of the beach.
\nMy fingers were so cold,
\nit was hard to feel the camera button!
\nI was glad to reach the far end of the beach, which is sheltered from the high wind.<\/p>\n

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Spot, of course,
\nplayed his wave game!<\/p>\n

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Turning for our final part of the walk,
\nI headed up toward the salt marsh.<\/p>\n

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A few rose hips remained on the thorny canes
\nof the rugosa roses that border the edge of the marsh.<\/p>\n

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Just at the end of the walk I found
\na shell with seaweed,
\nsurrounded by gull foot prints.<\/p>\n

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As the wind rose, the sky changed.<\/p>\n

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Taking a last look, we left for home.<\/p>\n

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