Two Weeks In

There’s something about ocean surf that helps a person sleep.  That and the steady breeze coming through all night at just the right temperature.  Slept like a baby.  We decided this was well worth doing again, so after breakfast we drove to the entry station and registered for another night.  There was some chance of rain, particularly overnight, but we would take our chances.

The rain held off the entire day, in fact the sun came out several times, and long enough to get us a full battery charge for tonight.  Just an all-around pleasant day for outdoor activities.

Another first for us: kayaking in salt marshes.  We drove into the National Seashore area, to the Bayside parking area, and launched the kayaks.  We were told the Old Ferry Landing was a better place for kayaking, but the road was blocked because of flooding caused by the recent storms.

We spent a couple hours paddling around the grassy marshes in the inner coastal waterway in Sinepuxent Bay. It was rather fun watching the wildlife from this perspective. Some of the shore birds would allow you to get pretty close before taking off.

We didn’t pack a lunch so we had to turn back when lunchtime rolled around.  I could easily have spent more time paddling these waters.

After having lunch in the Bayside parking lot, we drove to the day use area and unloaded the bikes.  Bikes are only allowed on the paved roads here, but there’s enough for several miles worth of biking.  We were also getting in as much outdoor activity as we could before any rain started.

At the end of the National Seashore area is a trail that leads a little farther south.  We parked the bikes and walked this trail.  The Life of the Dunes trail follows the old Baltimore Boulevard, a 15-mile planned development started in the 1950’s.  After laying an asphalt main road and putting up 130 signs for future side streets, the whole area was damaged by the nor’easter Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962. This stopped the development and this area became a National Seashore in 1965.  The remnants of the road are now used by the gulls as a hard surface to drop and crack clams.

We also biked over the bike bridge to the mainland. Kind of nice, having a bridge all to ourselves, while all the cars crossed on a different bridge. 

We did have to leave the trail a couple times, as the horses of the island were grazing either on or right next to the trail.  Approach within 40 feet and you could get in trouble from the park rangers.

After making dinner at our campsite, we walked the beach for a while, enjoying the temperatures and the sound of the surf.  Much calmer than yesterday.  We stood and watched the sandpipers for a while.  Fascinating watching them running along the edge of the surf, searching for their food. They always seem to avoid getting bowled over by the water but are always right next to it.

Today marks two weeks that we have been on the road.  We’ve clocked 1776 miles, and covered six states and one province.  And the red line continues to snake its way across the map.