"After a visit to the beach, it’s hard to believe that we live in a material world."
— Pam Shaw
PHIPPSBURG, Maine — The sky was overcast, the water temperature was a balmy 64 degrees and a cool sea breeze made me consider wearing a sweatshirt, but any day at the beach with my family is always a pleasure.
Any time I have an opportunity to immerse my myself in the healing waters of the Atlantic, I do my best to persuade my family to make the 50-mile trek to the coast. Hanging out on the warm sand at a beach without my family makes me feel like a marooned sailor on an uncharted island.
I would feel like Gilligan without the Skipper and the rest of the five castaways.
I also understand my days are numbered when my son will gladly join me for some fun and sun with his dad in the surf. He is 18, has his eye on a number of colleges and is serious about his future.
So are we!
Popham Beach, our usual destination for us when we want to escape summer's heat, is what I call an explorer's beach. Besides tumultuous surf and a dangerous riptide and undertow, it offers miles of pure white sand and panoramic views of islands that make a beachgoer reach for a camera.
It's a walker's paradise, too.
Two ancient, stone forts and a Civil-War era, Dahlgren cannon pointed toward the sea reminds history buffs of New England's past. Fort Popham and Baldwin have commanding views of the Maine coast and were used during several wars. At times, the forts served as observation posts where soldiers kept an eye out for German U-boats or spies trying to slip ashore under the cover of darkness.
But on this day we decided to scale Big Rock Island, which offers beachgoers spectacular vistas of the coast. You can access the island at low tide and you must leave when high tide comes rolling back in or you will find yourself stranded for several hours.
Anthony and I made our way slowly up the rocky slope. My balance isn't what it used to be so I stepped carefully. Anthony was light on his feet and had no problem finding the simplest route to the top.
This was our last hurrah for this season. School is next week, which always gets me down after enjoying a wonderful summer with my family.
We took a handful of snapshots of the coast after reaching the top. We spent about 45 minutes on the wind-blown summit before I ambled down the mountain like a dawdling turtle. Anthony showed me the way and demonstrated great patience with his father.
We broke a sweat as we headed back to our stake of land on the sandy shoreline. We covered nearly four miles of coastline and headed toward the water for a dip that made me yelp when I submerged myself in the icy ocean.
But some of the best moments of the trip to Popham was the long ride. We never stopped talking as we listened to the Golden Oldies.
Archie "Moonlight" Graham was right when he said, "I thought there would be other days, but this was the only day."
And it was a great day for a father and son who are forever drawn to the sea.
Balloons over Broadway
LEWISTON, Maine — We rarely miss the Great Falls Balloon Festival, which has shrunk in size thanks to a shrinking economy caused by our narrow-minded leaders and corrupt financial institutions.
But we still get a rise out of the majestic balloons that coast across the sky during the three-day event.
The festival also signals the end of the summer and ominous signs of another school year, which will be Anthony's last. This is hard from me to take, but I also want him to go forth in life and do well for himself.
What I discovered about my son is that he is a talented photographer and sees images through the lens that I often overlook or ignore.
I find his shots stunning, and my praise for his ability behind a lens is not just from a proud father shooting his mouth off about his family.
See for yourself:
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