We had planned to go to Ocean City, Maryland (as opposed to the city of the same name in New Jersey) the weekend that my grandmother passed away. Luckily, the hotel worked with us and we were able to reschedule our trip to the weekend of September 26th. Unluckily September is Atlantic hurricane season and a storm was gathering out in the ocean slated to hit the East coast of Maryland the first evening we arrived. Tropical Storm Kyle - the 11th of such storms to hit thus far this season - was expected to cause winds as bad as 60 mph and severe rain.
Wednesday night as we packed and prepped for our Thursday afternoon departure, we talked about what activities we could enjoy indoors. We went to the library and checked out lots of books and magazines, and packed some pants and long sleeve shirts, and put the umbrella and coats in the car. We were ready! Basically, resigned to a fate of a weekend in the hotel. I made the comment that I would rather be bored in Ocean City (OC) than not bored in Taneytown.
As we made the 3.5 hour drive to Ocean City, the weather was overcast and a little drizzle here and there. When we got about 5 miles away we made a snack run at the local Wal-Mart. Dad also had to pick up some pants and shirts as he left his at home :-) When we got out of the car THE WIND HIT! The kind of wind you had to LEAN into to stay upright! We made our way to Ocean City in the wild wind.
We wanted to see what the ocean looked like under such extreme circumstances. It was unfeakingbelievable. The wind was whipping the sound with such force. The waves crashing against the beach were as loud as thunder. We have never seen or heard the like before. It was amazing and awe inspiring. It is a constant reminder that nature should always be respected as humans can do little to change it. It should keep us humble.
We checked in at the hotel, went out for dinner, and then went back to our room to relax the evening away. When we woke in the morning, there was a little bit of gray skies, but the temperature was significantly warmer than we expected. We all wore pants and long sleeve shirts to breakfast. We enjoyed a fantastic breakfast at Layton's Family Restaurant a staple in OC for many a decade. When we left Layton's and were walking along the boardwalk we were simply sweating in our overprotective garb. We agreed that the weather was conducive to a stint in bathing suits, sitting beside the crashing waves. And crash those waves did.
The undertow was significant. I had never felt such a stronf one as I waded into the water cautiously. Like I said, respect. I love the water and respect its power. I did not go any further in than about my knees. One wave and the undertow would sink my feet competely in sand. Plus, it was also extremely COLD. But we did enjoy the warmer than expected weather, the unexpected sun peeking through the clouds, the sights and sounds of the waves crashing along the shore, and the quiet. We were pleasantly and happily surprised by the way the weekend was turning out.
We spent time later in the weekend visiting Assateague Island National Seashore. It is located close to Ocean City and contains miles of pristine beach. More than 300 wild ponies wander the beaches, inland pine forest, and salt marshes. We were able to see several different ponies on our visit including a youngster with his mom and dad.
It was a lovely and surprisingly fun weekend. Not boring at all. Click here to find the photos from our trip http://picasaweb.google.com/shauna.bere/OceanWeekend2008?feat=directlink
