Shovel and Bucket in Nantucket

You know, the thing about beaches is that they tend to reflect the nature of the place. The beaches along Highway 1 in California all tend to favor sports and sun-bathing, in keeping with the character of the residents. The beaches at the Point Reese National Seashore were actually beautiful and rugged and wild. I mean, you can hardly call soft sand rugged, but that's the impression you get - Pristine and something wild about it, untainted by man. Which also happens to be exactly how you would describe the entire area. The long unbroken stretch of sand at Nags Head, NC looks and seems and acts and behaves like a last line of defence between mankind and the invading ocean. And it is. The  Islands of the Outer Banks are actually barriers, and regularly get whipped by incoming storms. The beaches on the NJ shores are all very clean and kinda laidback, much as they towns they front.

Now that you're half asleep, let me come to the point. Which is that the Cape Cod beaches, where I'm at now, are just as frickin' sleepy and half-dead, as the genteels in Boston and the rich fat-cats who live in the mansions off the waters here are. They call Florida one big retirement home, but actually, Florida is much more alive and full of vigor as compared to Cape Cod. Nantucket Island is a place designed and maintained to let life pass you by as you loll on one of the beaches, which is just fine by me.

The most activity that anyone can rouse themselves for is to build sandcastles using teeny-weeny shovels and buckets. I tell you, even the shovels and buckets which the kids were toting around looked like they were made of money. that's the stink of the East Coast liberals. Not to mention the windsurfers and the sailboats and the primped-up upitty folks. Its all enough to make you want to puke. I mean, its not about them being rich or liberal, there's lots of that in New York City, and the thought never even crossed my mind there. The problem here is that these guys think they're the cream, and the rest of the gang is just there to keep them on top. You can see it their eyes. Most of the beachfront area in Nantucket is private property, and if you try to get fresh, you'll likely be kicked out or called in by the cops for a chat.

I don't want this to go off into a rant, so let me just round with what's good at Nantucket. The beach at Madaket has a lovely view, and if you hang around in the evenings, the setting sun is a show all by itself. Children's Beach, as the name suggests, is a great place for families, with all kinds of facilities and parks and playgrounds. If you're in the mood for some ocean-side entertainment and dining, Jetties Beach has some neat restaurants, a boardwalk, tennis courts and stuff to keep you entertained. Surfing fans need to go to either Miacomet or Cisco. And there's romance in the air at Brant Point, which has a neat lighthouse, great views and nice spots to spend the day just lazing around.