mystical morning

I woke up yesterday morning with thoughts of walking along the coast. My departure was delayed by rain; as soon as it stopped I headed to the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. The beach there remains closed for the piping plover nesting season so my ultimate destination was Sandy Point State Reservation, a state park at the southern tip of the island where the birds share the beach with people year-round.

I looked into the very quiet beach in the wildlife refuge. The closure was well-signed, with large signs at the top of the beach and stakes stating "no entry" marching to the water's edge.

There are active pairs of piping plovers on the state park beach as well as in the wildlife refuge. The refuge road is 6 1/2 miles long. Given that the road parallels the edge of the island, the protected beach is the same length. It's good to have a protected place for these endangered birds to nest.

I'm happy that the beach is closed to protect the birds but I have to admit that it was good to be able to walk around the end of the island. It was mid-morning on a weekday that started with a downpour so there weren't too many people at Sandy Point. Ah, a quiet space for walking is always wonderful.

As I walked closer to the tip of the island the fog rolled in. Conditions varied as I walked, from heavy fog with little visibility to a band of white hovering above the water. It was beautiful.

More photos from yesterday's coastal wander can be seen in the gallery Parker River, and... 2017 starting with this photo and ending here.