This past weekend, I made a solo excursion to the beach. I drove down Friday afternoon from work, stayed over at our little Paradise by the Sea, and was up, out, and on my way home by mid-morning on Saturday. I did not need to be there very long. I just very much needed to be there.
Friday night, which was a bit raw and windy, I decided to stretch my legs after watching the evening news. Instead of running, I went for a walk. I headed south into Spring Lake on the boards and then, rather than heading back on that same path, I walked down to the waterline. I navigated my way home by the light of the full moon. Other than one man I saw fishing in the surf a bit south of Spring Lake's border with Belmar, there was no one on the beach. To borrow a phrase from the late, great Warren Zevon, it was the embodiment of splendid isolation. Knowing that my trusty iPhone 7 would not do it justice, I took some photographs of the moon, the clouds, and the waves. This one turned out to be the best of the bunch:
17th Avenue Beach (Friday, October 30, 2020)
Photo Credit: AK
After walking what turned out to be close to four miles total, I wandered home and went to bed. Saturday morning, I woke up and went for a run. It was quite "brisk" Saturday morning. So much so in fact that I waited until the sun came up before heading out the door. I also consciously decided to avoid the boards. When Belmar rebuilt its boardwalk following Sandy eight years ago, it built its new boardwalk out of composite decking. It wears well and looks terrific. However, when the temperature overnight is below freezing, it can be slippery as all hell a surface on which to run in the early morning hours of the following day.
My only interaction with it Saturday morning on a three-mile run through Belmar was crossing over it to get up the stairs and onto the deck at the Taylor Pavilion so I could take a few pictures. Sure enough, while doing that, my left foot slipped on the wet surface. I have been hobbling around since Saturday morning because of the pain behind my left knee. It is ok. I am old. I will bounce back.
Besides, the views from the deck at the Taylor Pavilion made the knee pain worthwhile.
View from the deck at Taylor Pavilion
Photo Credit: AK
View from the deck at Taylor Pavilion
Photo Credit: AK
Belmar Fishing Club as seen from Taylor Pavilion
Photo Credit: AK
Belmar Fishing Club as seen from Taylor Pavilion
Photo Credit: AK
After my brief "I wanna be Ansel Adams" interlude, I ran west alongside the northern side of Silver Lake. I ended up weaving my way inland to the Belmar Public Library, which is located at the corner of 10th Avenue and E Street, and which has a rather famous musical instrument marking its entrance.
Belmar Public Library (10th Avenue and E Street)
Photo Credit: AK
From there I threaded my way south through the streets of Belmar until I was home. Knee pain notwithstanding, my little pop-in at the beach was just what the doctor ordered. As it turned out, all I needed was a little vitamin sea...
Photo Credit: May Photography
...but I reckon I knew that already.
-AK
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