crane beach

Ipswich, Massachusetts

"All water has a perfect memory and is forever trying to get back to where it was".

-Toni Morrison

As people flocked up North for the long weekend, to go leaf peeping, and camping, I fled to the seashore. I have always looked forward to October 1st, which is the first day most beaches on the East Coast allow dogs on the beach. My golden retriever, Ruby, is a swimmer, and loves running in the vast expansive sands at Crane. With 2,100 acres of beach, Crane beach is managed for conservation – people and ecology – through careful planning. There is more then a five-mile stretch of trails that wind through coastal dunes, which shield inland areas from storm waves and flooding. And, Castle Neck is the site of the North Shore’s largest pitch pine forest. Crane Beach is also among the world’s most important nesting sites for piping plovers, a threatened bird that was nearly hunted to extinction in the 19th century for its eggs and feathers.

Being on the beach in the off-season to me, feels like a secret that no one really knows about. It feeds my soul. And those who share that secret with me understand the beauty and complexity of the beach in the off-season.Here are some images, of both the beach, and the trails that lead to the top of the dunes...these photos do not capture the vast expanse of sand dunes, and the long stretches of sand. Go visit!