Everyone loves the beach in the summer.  There’s the sun and the sand, the salty water and the cool ocean breezes.  Just the smell of sunscreen brings images of summertime at the beach to mind.  But there is more to the beach than a vacation destination.  For some of us regular beach goers, the beach is a year-round place made up of many different kinds of regulars.

The obvious, of course, are the surfers.  The most dedicated of them never miss a day.  Rain or shine, fog or sun, whether the waves are “crumbly” or “blown out,” they are always there. They come in all shapes and sizes, all ages and all skill levels.  They carry their boards on their heads, under their arms, or in specially designed carriers on their bikes.  It’s a hobby, a passion, a profession, or a combination of all of those.

There are the walkers, the exercisers, the ones who see the beach as a wide open outdoor gym.  Barefoot or in tennis shoes, they range the lengths of the shore, clocking their mileage, checking their pace, using stones as hand weights or racing up and down the steep beach staircases to test their cardio capacities.

And there are the artists, who see the beach as their canvas.  With rake or rocks or bubble wands, they find their inspiration in the gifts the sea has to offer.  They know her moods, her rhythms, her offerings.  And they acknowledge her power and presence.  They breathe in the brine and spill out their visions, making art for others to interact with, not just seeing it but feeling it in its raw beauty and playfulness.

This art, designed to be fleeting, washed away by its inspiration, also inspires my art.  With my camera strapped around my neck, I work to capture those fleeting moments of surfers and exercisers and artists in pixels and prints. I make my mark as I write my world with the light and shadow I see through my lens.

The beach is my place and I am happy to share it with everyone.