White Rock

All summer I have been saying that I want to take Melissa to a real beach. Taking hint from the cooler fall-like weather we have been having lately, we seized the opportunity today to go and play on the beach at White Rock. This was Melissa's first real ocean/beach experience.

When we arrived, I was pleased to find the tide was out, and on its way back in...

Melissa was kept busy announcing every time she saw a shell, on our walk to our 'site'. She wasted no time in starting her collection.

Ken & Melissa dug for clams, and were highly successful, finding about 8 a hole. (Ken really wanted me to take them home and make them for dinner!)

The beach was littered with (un-mobile) crabs. Melissa had no fear, and wanted to hold them...

While searching for shells, I heard some seagulls quarreling. I turned to look and they were eating my banana muffin (which was in saran wrap). They were dive-bombing it, and trying to get it out of the plastic while taking chunks out of it.

Not too pleased with sharing my lunch with these scoundrels, we decided to chase them away! Well... they knew exactly the distance to go from us, and never ever really left our area, hoping to get another peck at my muffin. 

Melissa loving the warm water on her feet!

digging in the sand...

running...

and endless shell collecting!

The big White Rock. We didn't even have to write our name on it, as it was already there! (they must have known we were coming)

We took a walk down the pier. Melissa used utmost caution with her foot placement, for fear of falling through the cracks!

A family picture. This is the exact bench that Ken proposed to me on, just over 9 years ago. We had planned to return sooner, but sadly this was the first time we have been back since! 

A very long walk back to our car. Melissa's legs were too sore to walk any further. Lucky for her, Daddy was willing to give her a piggy-back ride!