OPB ~ Other People's Beaches

OPB used to mean Other People's Boats.  Now that we don't have one of our own, that's pretty much the best kind of boat to have!  But now, I've discovered another meaning for OPB... Other People's Beaches!

You might wonder why, with a beach in our own back yard, we would need to seek out other beaches at all... But, I have discovered this.  You can NEVER have too many beaches!

This morning, for no reason, we sprung out of bed and packed up for a return to one of the new spots we found on our rainy Monday expedition.  This little slice of Paradise is about 10 minutes from our house, and after today... it will be on our regular visitation route for sure! We parked the car and put on our sun protective gear... and headed for the sand!  

I noticed a man sitting beneath the shade of a covered patio at the edge of the neighboring property.  He was singing very loudly, and jammin' in his chair... and as I passed him, I asked if it was OK to park here.  He told us that of course we could park there, and that we were welcome to enjoy the beautiful beach, and that everyone should be happy!!  Noted, and plan executed!

When we first discovered this place, we were at the end of our day, and we split up, with Bruce going west, and me walking east a short distance.  Today, we stuck together so that we could cover a larger area in our search for more sea glass!!  We walked slowly west until we were greeted by a very nice woman, Teresa, who joined us in our collecting for a bit.  Not only was she very welcoming and friendly, but she even showed us how to dig for sea glass pieces!!  We met her husband, and chit-chatted for a bit.  

When we said our goodbyes, we turned back to walk the other direction, passing our access point, and continuing on, with our collection bags growing more heavy with every step.  While our forward progress was slow... the workout we got with each bend and reach for another treasure, must surely count for something!

All along this beach, in each of the strips of high-water deposits, and in each of the rock piles distributed by the waves that made it past the protective reef, we found wonderful bunches of sea glass and tiles. Today's treasures included several rare blues, a couple of small reds (even more rare) and a lavender... I've only found one or two lavender before today.  But the most rare of all, is a large piece of Bonfire Glass!

We didn't make it to the end of the beach before we began to wilt.  It was warm, and we were really picking up a lot... my back began to protest and Bruce was happy to comply with my suggestion that we save the rest for next time!  We will let the beach rebuild her trove, and come back for more... soon! No need to be greedy!

Back at the car, we stripped off our sunwear, and were just about to leave, when I went over to the fence to say goodbye to the nice man.  He came over and we began to talk.  That lasted another 20 minutes... and ended with exchange of phone numbers, an invitation to just come on in and enjoy his shaded patio, and even a promise of some plants for my yard!  Puerto Ricans are just the nicest folks on the planet! So now, whenever we get bored with our OWN beach... we have a new place to come and enjoy... Alexander's Beach!

My special treasures!