The Tides of Life

Top: not quite the highest of high tides but close.
Bottom: not the lowest of low tides but pretty low.
— Warwick, RI.

We are on a roll: two sunny days in a row. Tomorrow should be pretty nice too so perhaps a more typical spring is settling in here in the Ocean State. I decided to walk the beach at Rocky Point again. I was hoping to actually walk along the beach all the way to the pier that is being built. It is a rocky beach that is definitely submerged when the tide rolls in. Today, as the bottom photo in the duo-pic shows, the tide was out.

Unfortunately for me, I was not the only one to have the idea of spending some time outside at this modest state park. I encountered a handful of families goofing off on the narrow strip of beach. One fellow was sitting on searock soaking up the sun. Parents and their kids were playing along the surf-line. I put my mask on. But I still felt it was too crowded. Would I have felt that way before COVID-19? I decided to retreat to the paved path above (maybe 15 feet above sea level) the beach. Here I found more people biking or walking. A few dogs too. My peace was gone.

I think this may have been the greatest number of people I have encountered at Rocky Point. I wonder if more people will spend more time at parks since so many other opportunities to do things outside of the home are currently not available. While I am glad people are spending time in nature (such as it is in a former amusement park nestled amongst neighborhoods on the coast of Warwick Neck) I wish for fewer people so I don’t have to worry about viral loads being carried around.