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Playing in the water

Two little girls play together in the water
Two little girls play together in the water

The kids spend a lot of time playing in the water whenever we are at the beach.  Shade is also great when we have it.  The sand gets really HOT so the feet don’t like to spend a lot of time in it.  The sand doesn’t look very dark, but apparently it is dark enough to soak up some sun.  This makes the sand feel like a fresh-from-the-oven cookie sheet.  Which is actually kind of nice in small doses to warm up from the cold water.  In late summer, the water is almost a perfect temperature for those not expecting tropical temperatures and we played in it for hours.

At Del Mar Beach, the waves are reliable and can have some serious push — and pull– behind them.  The surfers and boogie boarders love this of course, but it is also great for the body boarders. Just bouncing around in the water is great fun while also a nice workout.  Even standing in the waves is some work, although not too hard.  This makes it feel like you did something active even without completing a “real” workout.

Two boogie boarders seek the perfect wave playing in the water.
Two boogie boarders seek the perfect wave playing in the water.
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Building the sand city

A view across the sand city we were constructing, to include one of our wall-building tools.
A view across the sand city we were constructing, to include one of our wall-building tools.

The sand city takes shape as we add layers of structures across the beachscape, incorporating shells, rocks and kelp to give it texture and interest.  The youngest builder is our main architect and holds the plan.  Once completed, the cat royalty would inhabit the tiny spaces, create their city and culture with a feline viewpoint and write their history in meowish language.  These are either cats who enjoy the beach, unlike most I have met, or perhaps they feel safe from the brilliant sun and wide open spaces, in their enclosing city spaces despite the bright sun.

One section of sand castle wall.
One section of sand castle wall.