Category Archives: beach

August 3, 2025

2025 Revere Beach International Sand Sculpture Festival (Revere, MA)

Date Of Event: July 27-29

Location: Revere Beach, Revere Beach Blvd, Revere, MA (20 minutes northeast of Boston, MA)

Cost: Free

Parking: parking is limited during the festival as the city shuts down the main roadway (Revere Beach Blvd). Visitors are encourage to take public or rideshare services. I arrived early so I was able to find a spot just before the road closures began.

Dog Friendly: Yes

Summary: 10 sand sculptors showed off their talent at the 21st International Sand Sculpture Festival

The sculptors are coming to the Revere Beach Sand Sculpture Festival. Well, they actually already arrived, But, what a fitting place to celebrate this year’s sand sculpture festival.

The first public beach in America hosted 10 sand sculptors from all over the world.

Since it is the 250th anniversary of the beginning of the American Revolution, there were sand sculptures representing the revolution. Fittingly, one of the sculptures, which was lighted up for my early morning visit.

There was also a sculpture of the minutemen from that era.

There were some familiar names at the event. Many of the sand sculptors who participated in the event in previous years competed again this year. And, some of the sculptors who participated in the 2025 Hampton Beach International Sand Sculpture Festival participated in this year’s sand sculpture festival in Revere.

One of those familiar names and faces in this year’s competition was Abe Waterman. Abe, a resident of Canada, earned a hat trick in hockey parlance, for his sculpture “Delicate Balance.” Abe won first place as well as the Sculptor’s Choice award which is voted on by the other contestants and the people’s choice award which is voted on by the visitors at the festival.

Slavian Borecki of Poland earned second place for “Deep Sleep.”

Hanneke Supply of Belgium won third place with “Eye See You.”

Although the rest of the sculptures did not place in the competition, they all deserve recognition for the beauty of their works and the hard work they put into them.

One of these contestants who deserves recognition is Jimmy Bejko of Boston, for his sculpture “I Want To Break Free.” Bejko moved to Boston from Albania recently. This was his second year in the competition.

Despite not winning an award, “Intrepid Innocence (Boop!)” by Damon Meri of Florida, USA, was a fan favorite.

It was hard to find resources or information regarding the inspiration for these sculptures. But, a photographer who spoke to the sculptor told me the sculpture was inspired by Damon’s young niece who is not afraid of anything and would most likely pet a dragon rather than run away if she saw one.

Bruce Phillips of San Diego, California, sculpted “Inner Prison” a sculpture with quite a bit of intricate detail.

Although, it’s not clear, this sculpture may be a nod to mental health and the prison it can create in people as this is similar to a work he created at the Hampton sand sculpture festival called “Imprisoned” which was about mental health and the barriers it can cause.

“Catch Your Dreams” by Jobi Bouchard of Canada also had a lot of intricate details. It also shows how the backs of the sculptures can be as detailed and pretty as the front.

This sculpture depicts something that has been in the news lately. “The Rise of AI” by Matt Deibert of New Jersey, USA, says a lot without being too direct. The face of the sculpture reminded me of C-3PO. For those of you born after 2000, C-3PO was a droid in a really old movie. Oh, never mind.

“Beneath The Flesh” by Joon Park of California, USA, showed off a lot of craftmanship and creativity.

“Ink” by Bouke Atemi pays homage to the squid or octopus who produce ink.

The festival, which ran from July 25-27, also included food stands, a Ferris wheel and other forms of entertainment.

Not all of the “favorites” win a prize. Yet, they all show a tremendous amount of skill and creativity. Do you have a favorite?

32 Comments | tags: beach, New England, photographs, Photography, photos, Revere, Revere Beach, Revere International Sand Sculpture Festival, sand sculpting, sand sculptures, sunrise, travel | posted in beach, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Revere Beach, sand sculpting, sand sculptures, sunrise, travel, Uncategorized

December 31, 2024

A Year Of Photography 2024 (New England)

By New England Nomad

Locations: All over New England

As the year winds down, I wanted to share some of my favorite photos from 2024!

Because of my schedule and commitments, I don’t always get to post photos from all of my travels around this beautiful region. I also noticed sometimes I will edit only a few photos from one photo shoot before going onto editing photos from a different photo shoot. So, I haven’t fully edited all of the photos from several of my photo shoots. I will make completing one task before moving onto another task a resolution so this won’t happen going forward!

Another thing I do sometimes is I post my photos from some photo shoots on my Facebook or my Instagram profiles instead of WordPress. So, I thought this would be a good opportunity to share them on here!

Each year, I make goals or plans for my photography. One of my plans for this year was to spend Halloween in Salem, MA. I was able to get a hotel room and stayed the whole day there! It was something I have always wanted to do! There were so many incredible Halloween costumes and decorations!

One of my other plans for the year was to photograph more wildlife. While you can’t always make something like that happen since a lot of it does come down to luck or being in the right place at the right time, l do think you can prepare for the opportunities. I was fortunate to photograph these beautiful critters.

Too bad this lady was looking at her phone when this happened.

I took these photos of a snake in March, when the temperatures were still cold in the morning but warmer in the afternoon.

How did I get so close to a big garter snake like this? Well, essentially, this snake was sluggish due to the cold weather. Garter snakes hibernate (technically they experience a process called brumation which I’ll explain later) through the winter, usually from late October through March or early April. But, if we have some warmer days they may come out sooner. This little guy or lady “froze” in a process called brumation (as opposed to hibernation). In colder temperatures, you may see snakes like this one here seemingly “frozen” as if they were perhaps dead or in a state of dormancy much like a person staring at their phone.

Hibernation of cold-blooded animals like snakes is called brumation. While mammals technically hibernate, snakes, reptiles and some other cold blooded animals experience a process called brumation. The difference between hibernation and brumation is that during brumation snakes can wake up to drink, go to the bathroom, and bask in the sun. But, just like hibernation, they still spend most of their winter in a dormant state.

Have no fear, as the Audubon specialist working there told me they often “unfreeze” when the temperatures increase (much like what bees do when the temperatures dip) when it gets warmer.

I did check on him or her before I left and the snake was still there undisturbed.

I also photographed some sunrises, a sunset and a full moon!

Cliff Walk, Newport, RI

Hampton Beach, Hampton, NH

Independence Park, Beverly, MA

Revere Beach, Revere, MA

Webb Memorial Park, Weymouth, MA

Webb Memorial Park, Weymouth, MA

And, of course, I made several trips to my favorite lighthouse at Winter Island, Salem, MA!

Stanley Park in Westfield, MA, celebrated their 75th anniversary. To commemorate this anniversary, the park officials invited all of the people who were married there to come back for a reunion! This couple looks like they’ve barely aged!

Another exhibit I was able to photograph was the Flora In Flight art display at the New England Botanical Garden. Designed by Poetic Kinetics, Flora In Flight is meant to inspire audiences and connect them with the environment through visually striking experiences.

Recently, I made it out to the Christmas By Candlelight in Sturbridge, MA!

I also photographed some of the sand sculptures on the Yarmouth Sand Sculpture Trail.

So, I had a busy 2024! But, there is much more I want to see and show everyone in the upcoming year! I also plan on editing the remainder of the photos from the photo shoots above!

Thank you all for stopping by my posts!

I hope everyone has a happy, safe and successful 2025!

24 Comments | tags: animals, beach, brumation, Nature, New England, Old Sturbridge Village, Photography, photos, Salem, sand sculptures, sunrise, travel, wildlife | posted in beach, New England, Old Sturbridge Village, photographs, photography, photos, Salem, sand sculptures, travel

September 2, 2019

Revere Beach International Sand Sculpting Festival (Revere Beach, Revere, MA)

By New England Nomad

Dates Of Event: July 26-28, 2019 (the event is usually held annually during the last weekend of July)

Location: Revere Beach, Revere Beach Blvd, Revere, MA (about 20 minutes northeast of Boston, MA, or 1 hour and 15 minutes southeast of Concord, NH)

Cost: Free

Parking: Since they close the streets for the event parking is limited. Parking is available at the Wonderland train stop. You may also find street parking on a side street.

Universally Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes

Highlights: sand sculptures

Website: Revere Beach Sand Sculpture Festival

The early bird gets the unobstructed sand sculpture photos. Or, at least so I thought.

The last Sunday of July, I decided to wake up early and photograph the sand sculptures from the annual Sand Sculpting Festival at Revere Beach. There was one slight problem. Everyone else north of Boston had the same idea. The streets and sidewalks at the beach were already slightly clogged with revelers, sun seekers and photogs by the time I arrived “early” at 6 a.m. But, with some effort, I was still able to get a few shots without people, workers or other objects in the background of most of my shots.

The annual sand sculpting event included 15 sand sculptors from all over the world. Awards were given to the top five sculptures that were judged by a panel of experts. There were also a “People’s Choice” award the visitors were able to vote for and a “Sculptor’s Choice” award the sculptors all voted for.

Then, there were 8 additional sand sculptures which did not win a prize but are no less impressive.

So, instead of a big, dramatic countdown, let’s start from the top of the list!

First place went to Canadian artist Melineige Beauregard for her sculpture, “The Nest.” Melineige also works with snow and ice to make sculptures during the colder seasons.

The first runner up in the contest was “Shell(ter)” by Jonathan (JOBI) Bouchard from Canada.

Third place went to Ilya Filimontsev from Russia for his sculpture “Guardian Angels.”

Fourth place went to Abe Waterman of Canada for his sculpture “I Just Can’t Bring Myself To Care, Doctor: An Ode To Apathy.”

Dan Belcher from Missouri came in fifth place with his sculpture “Trance.” Dan has been creating sand sculptures around the world since 1990.

The Sculptor’s Choice Award which was voted on by all of the sand sculptors was awarded to David Mac from Belgium for his work “La Renaissance De Notre Dame.”

The People’s Choice Award was awarded to Sudarsan Pattnaik from India for his sculpture “Save Our Ocean Stop Plastic Pollution.

Although only five of the sculptures won a prize, they were worthy of our praise. One of my favorites from the festival was “Eye Of The Tiger” by Sue McGrew of Washington state. She has been sculpting sand for over a decade.

“Attempting Union” by Morgan Rudluff from Santa Cruz, California was another popular sculpture at the event.

Fergus Mulvany of Dublin, Ireland, created another fan favorite called “Deep Sleep Diving.”

“Dream About Flight” by Aleksei Rybak from Russia is another sculpture that failed to qualify for one of the top spots in the competition.

“Mama Look !! I Found My Teddy!” by Deb Barrett Cutulle was popular sculpture despite not placing in the top of the competition.

“Horsepower” by Maxim Gazendam was another sculpture that failed to place in the top five.

“The Birth Of A New Universe” by Pavel Mylnikov from Russia was another sculpture that failed to make the cut.

Last, but certainly not least, is “Lady Moon” by Benoit Dutherage From France.

The theme of this year’s sand sculpture festival was a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. And many of the sculptures from the To commemorate this monumental achievement, the main sand sculpture included sculptures of the astronauts involved in the voyage. Each of the sculptors contributed to these sculptures.

You have to be careful photographing the sunset, especially when you’re photographing it with other objects. For instance, I chose to use a lower aperture (5.6 for most of the photos) which left the sculptures often a bit dark. I also noticed that when I did edit the photos, I had to be careful to not use too much brightness or contrast or other buttons to control the darkness of the sculptures, especially the faces of the sculptures, because it can blow out the colors of the sunset. So, I chose to keep the sculptures a little dark and close up on the key features like faces to capture them without worrying about the background.

You can also try photographing from different angles where the shadows won’t be as bad. I was trying to avoid taking photos with people or other objects in the background. So it was hard to get photos of the sculptures from certain angles without getting people in the background and it also limited the angles I could shoot from. There were a lot of people there despite the early time of the shoot!

Since it’s unlikely the sand sculptures are going to move (and if the do leave immediately!), you can use AV (or Aperture Priority) mode so you can concentrate solely on the aperture settings. I have been using manual mode exclusively with my photos. But it took me a long time to get there. So, I do suggest using aperture priority mode if you’re not comfortable using full manual mode unless you’re photographing things that have action or some other element that requires a fast or variable shutter speed.

18 Comments | tags: beach, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, Photography, photos, Revere, Revere Beach, sand sculpting, sand sculptures, sunrise | posted in beach, photographs, photography, photos, sand sculpting, sand sculptures, Uncategorized

August 9, 2018

Independence Park (Beverly, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: July 14, 2018

Location: 33 Lothrop St, Beverly, MA (about 30 minutes northeast of Boston, MA)

Hours: Open daily sunrise to sunset

Parking: On street parking is available but limited. I did not see a parking lot at or near the beach.

Handicapped Accessible: Yes, certain areas are handicapped accessible. The beach is accessible through a paved walkway to the right of the beach.

Dog Friendly: Yes

Highlights: scenic, boating and other water activities, historical memorials, fishing, wildlife

History, beauty and recreation await you at Independence Park.

The picturesque park offers scenic views and benches to sit.

Although the bench and path at the park are pretty and provide beautiful views, they do not lead to the beach.

I don’t usually take artistic license with the photos I take. But as I was editing this photo, I noticed how the red really stood out in the boat at the front of the group of boats.

Although it may be possible to get to the beach from the path by the benches, a fence and rocky area prevent easy access to the beach.

There are entrances to beach are a short jaunt to the right and left of the monuments at the park. And, to the right of the park is a paved walkway to the beach.

The beach offers beautiful views, a clean beach area and a jetty to fish off. Rumor has it striped bass (“stripers”) are abundant in the area.

There are a lot of birds and other wildlife at the beach.

The beach is a popular spot for paddle boarders, surfers and boaters.

If you’re in the area and you want to try paddle boarding, kayaking or even winter paddling or snow shoeing during the winter, try Coast To Coast Paddle. Aaron, seen in the photo below, was getting ready to take a few paddlers out while I was taking photographs.

As the name would suggest, Independence Park is more than just a haven for sun seekers and paddle boarders. It also has a rich history.

One of the plaques at the park states that in 1775 the first authorized armed ship, The Hanna, set sail in those waters to capture British vessels. Just standing in an area that played such a pivotal role in our history is pretty freegin cool when you think about it.

There are also cannons, monuments and flags on the grounds of the park.

The park is dog friendly and there were quite a few dogs at the beach while I was there.

Below are just a few of the cute dogs I saw during my visit.

Koa (on the left) is a 3 month old mixed breed dog. Frank (on the right) is a Golden Retriever.

IMG_4870-2

Polly is a 13 year old mixed breed dog.

IMG_4576-2

Willow is a 4 month old Englisg Cream Golden Retriever.

(Oliver) Twist is a 5 year old Schnauzer Cairn Terrier mix (aka Carnauzer).

Poppy is a Greyhound.

Jade is an 8 year old mixed breed dog.

6 Comments | tags: beach, Beverly, boats, dogs, Historical, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, Photography, photos | posted in beach, Beverly, birds, boats, dogs, historical, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Uncategorized

October 9, 2017

Great Island Common (New Castle, NH)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: September 23, 2017

Location: 301 Wentworth Rd. (Route 1B), New Castle, NH, (1 hour northeast of Boston, MA, 1 hour southeast of Concord, NH)

Hours: Open daily 9 a.m. until 9 p.m.

Cost:

New Castle Residents:
– No admission charge if vehicle has current resident sticker.
– Residents may invite up to 25 guests at no charge – Over 25 guests, admission fees apply.
– Resident must be present for all guests.
Non-Residents:
– Admission charged from May to the end of September.
General Admission Fees
– Individuals:
0-5 yrs old free
6 to 65 years old $4.00
65 and older $2.00
Handicapped $1.00

Parking: There are about 50 or more parking spots available in the parking area

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes, seasonally (pets are not allowed in the park or on the beach from May 15 to September 15)

Website: Great Island Common

Highlights: lighthouses, beach, places to grill, pavilions

Tips:

When you enter the park, you must turn right. The parking area is at the end of the circular paved road
If you want to use a pavilion, you may have to call ahead and reserve the area

No other name than Great Common Island may be more apt for this park. Except it’s not really an island. But, it is great.

The park, with attached beach, sits on the shore of New Castle ( a small town of 968 according to their 2010 census) just outside of Portsmouth, NH). The park and beach area are only 32 acres. But what it lacks in area it makes up for in beauty and charm.

The park offers some great views of the water. It is a good place to watch the waves crash against the rocks, although the waves weren’t too strong during my visit.

Great Island Common is popular with fishing enthusiasts, boaters and the occasional bird.

You can view two lighthouses from Great Island Common.

Whaleback Lighthouse was established in 1830. The granite lighthouse that stands there now was built in 1872 and it was automated in 1963.

Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse, just down the road from the park, is also visible from Great Island Common. During the summer, there are open houses at the lighthouse on Sundays from mid May to late October from 1-5. Since I was visiting on a Saturday I was not able to attend the open house. Next to the lighthouse (to the left of the lighthouse in the photo above) is Coast Guard Station Portsmouth Harbor and Fort Constitution. In the distance, past the lighthouse, you can see the foliage has just started to begin.

Wood Island Life Saving Station in Kittery, Maine, is also visible from the park. In 1827, Wood Island was given to the federal government so the U.S. Navy could build barracks. However, it would eventually be used to quarantine Spanish-American War prisoners who had Yellow Fever. It is presently not in use.

One of the biggest attractions at the park is a sculpture of a painter by an easel working on the scenic skyline.

Pretty good painting of me. It looks so life-like.

21761519_10214661291553875_2668283864827767945_n

Great Island Common is not just a park. A beach is also attached to the park.

The park is spacious for kids to play in with lots of big trees for shade.

Erected in 1984, the memorial honors all of the people of New Castle who have served the country in all wars and conflicts. Two benches sit next to the memorial, one on each side of it.

Great Island Common is dog friendly except from May 15 to September 15. Luckily, I was able to visit the week after ban ended. It was a picture perfect day with a calm breeze. So, it was a great day to bring your dog out!

Miley is a 8 year old Yorkie Poodle.

Tuck is a 6 month Cocka Poo (Cocker Spaniel & Poodle mix)

Remy (on the left) is a 10 year old Puggle and Phoebe (On the right) is a 1 and a half year old Puggle.

Jaelo (pronounced “J Lo”)is a 10 year old Puggle.

Below is a video by the shore of Great Island Common.

Posted below is a drone video of the Great Island Common area on Paul Moore’s YouTube page

6 Comments | tags: beach, birds, boats, dogs, lighthouse, New Castle, New England, new hampshire, Park, photographs, Photography, photos | posted in beach, birds, boats, dogs, lighthouse, New Castle, New England, new hampshire, photographs, photography, photos, Uncategorized

September 13, 2017

Marginal Way (Oguinquit, ME)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: August 26, 2017

Location: Shore Rd, Ogunquit, ME (2 hours and 45 minutes south of Bangor, ME and 1 hour and 15 minutes northeast of Concord, NH)

Hours: daily, sunrise to sunset

Cost: Free

Parking: There are several parking lots in the area and limited street parking is also available. I parked at a lot on School St which is directly across from the entrance to Marginal Way. The lots usually charge by the hour. Below is a link to the municipal parking lots in the area:

Parking Lots Near Marginal Way

Distance/Difficulty: 1.25 miles (2.5 miles round trip)/easy

Handicapped Accessible: Yes, although some areas are narrow, it is handicapped accessible

Dog Friendly: Yes, but only during certain times of the year. Dogs are permitted on the Marginal Way from October 1st to March 31st

Fitbit Stats: 2,5 miles, 4,768 steps, 752 calories

Highlights: scenic views, easy path, steps on the trail that lead to the beach

Website: Marginal Way Preservation Fund

Trail Maps: Marginal Way Trail Maps

Tips:

Located Marginal Walk is anything but. With its scenic views along the rocky coastline, access to Ogunquit Beach and pretty flowers and trees, Marginal Way is a must see for anyone residing in or visiting Maine.

From the beginning of the walk, Marginal Way serves up some pretty views and a wide spectrum of colorful flowers. The flowers from Sparhawk, the hotel located next to the entrance.

There are some stunning views along the way.

The path along the walk is generally wide with some narrow areas. Most of the path is paved and I did see people with strollers. There is also a bridge that is wide enough for two traffic and also seems to be handicapped accessible.

One of the unique things about this cliff walk is that you can walk down to the beach. I noticed a few surfers ( I wish I learned how to surf in my younger days – maybe next year!)and sun seekers enjoying this part of the beach. The rocks on the beach gave the beach a more natural feel. There are also a few sandbars which allow you to walk out pretty far in the water.

Perhaps the best part of the walk, or at least the most rewarding part, is Perkins Cove at the end of the walk. There are a few eateries, several shops and a bridge. The arts and crafts shops, coffee shop and candy store (which I highly recommend) give the area a quaint feel.

Sadly, dogs were not allowed on Marginal Way during my visit since they are only allowed on the walk during the fall and winter seasons. But, I did see lots of dogs on the way to my car and at the end of the walk.

Gus, a 5 year old English Bulldog, was dressed to the nines for his photo shoot.

Landon, a 7 year old mixed hound retriever, showed me his pearly whites.

Below are some videos from my walk. Just listening to the surf is so soothing.

Please connect with me on Facebook!

14 Comments | tags: beach, dogs, Maine, Marginal Way, New England, Ogunquit, photographs, Photography, photos | posted in beach, Maine, Marginal Way, New England, Oguinquit, photographs, photography, photos, Uncategorized

August 9, 2017

Babbs Beach (West Suffield, CT)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: July 4, 2017

Location: 435 Babbs Rd, West Suffield, CT

Cost: Free (but it may soon cost $20 for non residents – see below)

Hours: open daily from sunrise to sunset

Parking: There is designated handicapped parking closer to the beach

Dog Friendly: No

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Highlights: beach, volleyball net, scenic, boating, concerts

Website: Babb’s Beach

The former site of a small amusement park (Babb’s Beach Amusement Park), Babb’s Beach is a small, hidden beach located along the Congamond Lakes in Suffield, CT.

What Babb’s Beach lacks in size it makes up for in charm.

Parking was available on the grass in front of the beach when I went to visit. But, only a week later, a sign was posted indicating it would cost non-Suffield residents $20 for the first vehicle and $5 for each additional vehicle in each party to visit. One of the reasons for this is the mess that was left behind by 4th of July visitors (present company excluded). There are also about half a dozen handicapped parking spaces right along the entrance to the beach with handicapped accessible comfort stations.

There is a short, scenic walk from the main parking area to the beach head.

The beach is just as popular for the boating and other water activities as it is for the sunbathing and beach games (there is a volleyball net at the beach).

The beach is not very big (7 acres) and I could see how it may get overpopulated on busy summer days. But, due to its somewhat hidden location and, surely, because of the additional fee they have just implemented, it will most likely remain the hidden treasure it was during my visit.

Today’s featured link is the Babb’s Rink Restoration Project. Years ago, the Babb’s Roller Rink, located about a mile from the beach, was shut down. They are now trying to raise money and awareness about the project to renovate and re-open the rink.

12 Comments | tags: Babb's Beach, beach, Connectisut, New England, photographs, Photography, photos, Suffield | posted in Babb's Beach, beach, connecticut, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Suffield, Uncategorized

June 23, 2017

17th Annual Hampton Beach Master Sand Sculpting Classic (Hampton Beach, NH)

By New England Nomad

Dates of Event: June 15 – June 17, 2017 (sculptures on display until June 28)

Location: 180 Ocean Blvd, Hampton Beach, NH

Cost: Free

Parking:

Effective May 1st – $2 per hour public parking. Pay at Pay Station and Must display receipt visibly on dashboard.

Handicap Parking – Handicap parking is available in any legal metered parking spot providing you have a Handicap Plate or a Hanging Handicap Tag hanging, or visible, in your front window.

There are also several parking lots (ranging from $5 to $20 a day) throughout the Hampton Beach area.

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes

Highlights: Sand sculptures by master sand sculptures

Rain and chilly temperatures did not prevent master sand sculptors from playing in the sand last weekend at Hampton Beach.

The 17th annual sand sculpting competition attracted master sand sculptors from all over the globe. In case you missed the sculpting event, you can still view the sculptures until June 28 and they light the area at night so you can view them day or night.

Although all of the sculptures were worthy, only one could be crowned the champion.

First place went to Melineige Beauregard from Montreal Canada. Beauregard’s sculpture is called “Dance of the Undefined.” Melineige said her sculpture represents how we are constantly changing and yet some aspects of us stay the same.

Second place went to Abe Waterman from Prince Edward Island for his sculpture, “Get Out Of The Box.” He also won the “Sculptor’s Choice Award” as well as my vote! It had rained heavily the night before the sculptures were scheduled to be completed and, even though the sand is capable of withstanding some degree of inclement weather, his sculpture almost collapsed. You can see a “crack” or line in his sculpture which was caused by the heavy rains.

Karen Fralich, of Toronto, Canada, took third place with “Tiny Warrior.”

David Andrews of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, nabbed fourth place with “Hands Of Fate.”

Fifth place was awarded to Carl D. Jara of for “I Can’t Get This Out Of My Mind.”

The People’s Choice Award was won by Michel LePire of Quebec for “Seduction.” This was Michel’s last sand sculpting competition as he is retiring. he certainly went out with a bang!

Although they did not place, the rest of the sculptures were very creative and stunning. It must have been very hard for the judges to decide on the winners.

Justin Gordon, of Groveland, MA, created his sculpture, “Gazing Life Beyond”, as a tribute to his mother in the afterlife. Even though some of the other sand sculptures may have been more pleasing visually, I think Justin’s sentiment best.

Marc Lepire, of Quebec, dedicated his sculpture, “Grand Slam”, to his children and all fans of baseball. Can you tell by the number and team of the player who the person in the sculpture is?

Joris Kivits of the Netherlands sculpted Horizontalism.

New Hampshire resident Greg Hardy created he sculpture, “What A Lovely Way To Say You Love Me.”

There were also the sand sculptures of the sponsors of the event and a special sculpture dedicated to the New England sports fans!

As usual, there were lots of dogs at Hampton Beach to view this dog friendly event.

Vito (on the left) is a 10 year old Akita. Vivian (on the right) is a 9 month old Akita. Their fur was so soft!

Apollo, a 3 year old German Shepherd, is a gentle giant.

Zuzu, an 11 year old Beagle who was named after “Zuzu” from “it’s A Wonderful Life”, had her own wagon ride!

Bella, a 1 and a half year old Chihuahua, was all dressed up for her visit to the beach.

Roxy, an 8 year old English Pointer, is a sweetie.

Micky, a 7 month Apso Shih Tzu (also known as a Shih Apso), posed so well for me.

Tinkerbell, a 9 year old Yorkie, cooled off by a puddle.

Until next year, Hampton Beach! Okay, maybe sooner than that.

14 Comments | tags: beach, dogs, Hampton Beach, New England, new hampshire, photographs, Photography, photos, sand sculpting | posted in beach, dogs, Hampton Beach, new hampshire, photographs, photography, photos, sand sculpting, Uncategorized

May 27, 2017

Kites Against Cancer (Hampton Beach, Hampton, NH)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Event: May 21, 2017

Location: Hampton Beach, 115 Ocean Blvd.
Hampton Beach, NH

Cost: Free

Parking:

April 1 through April 30 – Pay and Display parking is in effect. $1.00 per hour between 8AM – Midnight. Midnight – 8AM Parking is free. Effective 2013 – Pay and Display. You must now return to your vehicle and display the receipt from the pay station in your dashboard. If you do not have a receipt displayed you will be fined.

Effective May 1st – $2 per hour public parking. Pay at Pay Station and Must display receipt visibly on dashboard.

Effective Nov. 4th, 2012 – Free parking begins. (Subject to change).

Winter Parking Ban – Nov. 15th, 2013 – April 1st, 2013 No On Street Parking between 12AM – 7AM. Be aware.

Handicap Parking – Handicap parking is available in any legal metered parking spot providing you have a Handicap Plate or a Hanging Handicap Tag hanging, or visible, in your front window.

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes

Highlights: kites, fund raiser for cancer awareness, face painting, family friendly and dog friendly

Website: Kites Against Cancer

If you were in the Hampton, New Hampshire area last weekend, those weren’t space ships or dragons you thought you saw in the sky. No, it was the 9th annual Kites Against Cancer charity event at Hampton Beach, NH. People from all over New England stopped by the beach to fly their kites and help a good cause.

Kites were provided or you could bring your own kite. There were also kite decorating stations for you to personalize your own kite. One of the participants, Miss Hampton Beach 2016 (Brooke Riley of Lowell, MA), decorated her kite with the names of relatives who had cancer at one point of their lives.

Carrie Shaw, advancement officer at Exeter Hospital and the organizer of the event, said they expected 1,000 visitors for the event. Based on the crowds I saw there I am sure there were more than that throughout the course of the day.

Carrie was inspired by her sister, Anne-Marie Viviano, who passed away from cancer. In 2002, Anne-Marie had created a charity called Beyond The Rainbow which was designed to help patients pay their bills and meet other financial obligations. After her sister passed, Carried dedicated herself to continuing this charitable endeavor. The Kites Against Cancer event is one of the events that helps raise funds for the Beyond The Rainbow charity.

As I watched the sun seekers flying their kites, it was heart warming to see people of all backgrounds and walks of life enjoying themselves.

But some people seemed more interested in the sand and water.

The types of kites being flown were just as diverse as the people flying them.

There were also vendors at the event such as DeNutte’s Delights. DeNutte’s Delights produces $1,000 of goods to sell with all of the proceeds going to the Kites Against Cancer charity. Whatever goods they do not sell at the event are donated to the charity. Try the “Monkey Farts.” Yes, that is an actual scent name of a product they sell.

Carrie has made Kites Against Cancer an annual event that has grown bigger and bigger each year. This year’s event included face painting, a balloon shaping artist, a card which people could sign in memory of those who have been lost to or survived cancer as well as music and speeches by special guests. There were also an estimated 50 to 60 volunteers helping to make sure the event off smoothly, according to Carrie.

Kites Against Cancer is also a dog friendly event.

Scout is a 3 year old Yellow Lab.

Tryton is a 14 month old mini Schnauzer.

Noah is an 11 year old Pomeranian. He was wearing his special sweater for the event.

Rosie is a 15 week old English Bulldog

If you missed this year’s event, you can attend next year but you want to support this cause or if you want learn more about the Beyond The Rainbow Fund, click on the link below:

Beyond The Rainbow

To see more posts like this and other content not included on this blog, please connect with me on Facebook: New England Nomad

6 Comments | tags: beach, charity, dogs, Hampton, Hampton Beach, kites, kites against cancer, New England, new hampshire, photographs, Photography, photos | posted in beach, Hampton Beach, kites, kites against cancer, New England, new hampshire, photographs, photography, photos, Uncategorized

April 30, 2017

Demarest Lloyd State Park

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: April 23, 2017

Location: Barney’s Joy Road, Dartmouth, MA (about 1.5 hours south of Boston and 45 minutes southeast of Providence, RI)

Hours: The park is generally open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Park hours in season are 10 am to 6 pm weekdays and 8 am to 6 pm weekends and holidays. You can park at the entrance (a gate prevents access in the off season) and walk the roughly half a mile to the beach

Cost: $12 MA Vehicle, $14 non-MA Vehicle, see website for additional fees for boating

Parking: there is ample parking near the beach after you pay at the entrance.

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes, but they are not allowed on the beach from April 1st to September 15th, unless they are service pets

Website: Demarest Lloyd State Memorial Park

Located along the southern coast of Massachusetts, Demarest Lloyd State Park has some of the prettiest views of any state park I have visited. Its abundant bird population, scenic views and sandbars make Demarest one of the truly special places to visit and get away from it all.

Demarest is a bird lovers paradise, especially during the off season when there are less people, cars and other disturbances to scare them away.

The views at Demarest are truly breath taking.

I kept thinking to myself, sometimes the world is indeed a very beautiful place. It’s important to have places like this treasure to observe and appreciate pure beauty. Demarest was easy to photograph. The hardest part was deciding which photos to post. All I had to do was check my settings and point and click. The beauty was already there, all courtesy of Mother Nature.

It was low tide during my visit. So, I was able to walk out onto some of the sandbars and get up close to some of the gulls at the park.

There were also several lobster pots and other cage-like devices that had washed up along the shore or were being stored there for safe keeping

If you do walk past the beach area, as I did, you should remember to pack or wear an extra pair of walking shoes (flip flops and sandals won’t be adequate) because the path turns from sand to pebbles and seashells. It is worth the walk, though.

One of the few creepy things at the park were these spiders. And they were everywhere. I must have seen dozens of them. So, if you do lie out there on a beach blanket, I’m just saying…but they have a purpose and place here as well.