Whenever the tide and my schedule cooperate, I head to the beach for my daily walk. I knew the tide would be low enough today if I got out of my classroom as soon as I plugged the kids’ iPad in and cleaned up for the day. The ocean cooperated and there was plenty of beach for walking and the sun was shining, creating perfect conditions for breathing out the work week and breathing in the weekend.

There was a lot going on today. We noticed the bathing suit photoshoot right away, beautiful young models posed as assistants held light reflectors and photographers shot both still photos and video. Every kind of ball play was going on: volleyballs bouncing high, soccer balls rolling and spinning along the ground, and footballs spiraling in the air. Surfers paddled out, swimmers in bathing suits squealed as they played in the cold water, while beach combers like my husband picked up trash washing up on the shoreline. Seagulls chatted among themselves while other shorebirds poked the sand for an afternoon snack.

There’s been lots of sand work going on so I wasn’t surprised to see some pretty substantial tire tracks and big equipment in the distance.

But I was surprised when I noticed the lifeguard truck with lights flashing followed by the big truck carefully balancing the lifeguard tower. Wait–it’s not summer yet! They’re already putting the towers back out on the beach? Then my husband reminded me: spring breaks are beginning. And even though we are not a tropical location, and in my opinion the weather will not be bathing suit warm, we find that we are a spring break location.

There is never a dull moment on a San Diego beach. And that was certainly true this afternoon. I’m a little worried that spring breaks will mean more crowds–and I certainly know it will mean more skin! I might be walking in jeans and a puffer jacket and look across the sand and see someone in a bikini heading down to take a dip in the (too cold) water. But it does make me happy that there are lots of ways for people to enjoy the beach–it is truly a treasure in our community.