Inky Marina!

Hello my friends! Last weekend was amazing because it was finally warm enough for the first beach day of the season! I think I've mentioned before that my family loves to go to the beach at sunset because it is much less crowded. I had a fantastic time, even though the water was too cold to swim.



I love going to the beach at sunset! The light is so golden.  Plus? My moms gave me a new swimsuit! Isn't it cool? I love playing in the sand.



Before I got to work playing, I did some exploring. That sounds a little silly, because I go to the same beach many times every summer- but really, it's different every time because the ocean and sand are always changing.   There were a few other families there, but mostly, my family had the beach to ourselves.



I like this photo of me because my bangs are blowing in the wind and there is a seagull right behind me! The seagulls can be very aggressive if they spy your food! Luckily I didn't have any snacks on me so the seagull left me alone. Phew!



Sandcastles are an important part of a trip to the beach! I recommend getting as close to the water as you can without getting hit by a wave- the sand there has just the right amount of water in it.  Dry sand doesn't stick together; you need the sand to be a little wet for it to work as building material!



After I finished building a sandcastle, I went looking for beautiful shells.  Can you see all the shells on the ground behind me? The waves wash them onto the shore.  Jacob Riis Park Beach is part of the Gateway National Recreation Area. That means it's a national park! So! That means you cannot take the shells home.  One of the main rules of national parks is "Take only photos, leave only footprints."



After I finished finding beautiful shells, I decided to play with my sand molds.  Of course, my moms gave me a tube of sunblock and made me put more and more on! It's very, very important to have protection from the sun so you don't burn.  Even though it was sunset, the sun was still pretty powerful.



Check out my sand molds! I have a seahorse and a sea turtle. They are so cute! I love both types of animals. I've only seen sea horses at the aquarium, but I got to see sea turtles in the wild when I was in Costa Rica a year and a half ago.  Sea horses are awesome too, though I prefer leafy sea dragons. They're so cool!



Too soon, it was time to go home.  I stood in the sun one last time before we got in our car and drove home.  I love going to the beach!



As we got in our car, the sun looked gorgeous behind the bridge. Doesn't it look awesome? You can really see how the sun is a star!

Have you ever been to the beach? What was your favorite thing to do there?