Thoughts & Things

The Beach is Overrated

I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with the beach. I definitely think it's overrated. I have always been more of an indoorsy person, preferring books to going out (although I do have a soft spot for hiking and pretty scenery). The beach is frankly one more reason to prefer staying home.

The beach definitely has its benefits. I live in southwestern Ontario, so I am a comfortable distance from three of the five Great Lakes. I live quite close to Lake Erie, which has always where we've spent the most time. Most of the time, beaches offer up a beautiful scenery, especially at the Great Lakes where the water goes further than the eye can see. The temperature and low waves make for comfortable swimming.

Even with benefits, I can't fully get behind going to the beach, especially local ones. The sand is too hot, and full of sharp bits. The water and sand are both unclean. There are too many people around. Beachwear leaves so much skin exposed to sunburns. Sand gets absolutely everywhere, and in everything. Half of the day might be fun, but the other half of the day is kind of miserable.

In case you can't tell from my whining, I went to the beach yesterday. I'm recovering from a nasty sunburn, and fully expecting to continue to find sand in places. As I have health problems, I also feel like it's a very strenuous activity to recover from.

I think some beaches are definitely better than others. I find the water at Lake Huron to feel a lot cleaner than the water at Lake Erie or Lake Ontario. I love going to Georgian Bay, because it's all very rocky, and I don't have to deal with sand at all. Georgian Bay is also freezing cold, which feels nice and refreshing. I do have a lot of nostalgia for Georgian though, as it was one of my favourite places to go as a child.

I don't understand people who spend half their summers at the beach. Even my sister goes to the beach regularly, and it baffles me. Sure I can read a good book at the beach, but I'd rather read that good book from the comfort of my home. Maybe my yard, if I'm feeling outdoorsy.

(I have committed to blogging daily with Give It 100. This is Day Eighty. Eight days of leave taken total.)