Cape Cod National Seashore, Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA

Coast Guard Beach, the 8th best in the United States in 2011 rankings established by "Dr. Beach," a coastal  expert from Florida who generates annual ratings.

Stretching along  the entire Atlantic Ocean side of the Cape Cod landmass, this national park offers many beaches, salt marshes, kettle ponds, woods, dunes, pine barrens and lighthouses that harken back to an unspoiled land of yesteryear. 43,500 acres big, the protection of this national treasure was signed into law by President John F. Kennedy in 1961, thus securing this beautiful habitat for future generations. Standing on the beach here facing east, all of the 50 states are behind me (but only part of Maine).

An example of government at its best, our National Park Service oversees 490 properties for the enjoyment and posterity of the American people.

The former Coast Guard station.

A strolling couple.

A row of dormers on the inland side of the roof.

Reliable transport through the adjacent salt marsh.

A long dead tree trunk is situated on a tidal flat that floods twice daily with the tides.

Outgoing tide in the adjacent salt marsh.

This fellow, recently deceased, is about to become a meal for some lucky creature(s).

Must be die hard New Englanders - they are here at the beach and they are going to lay out even though it is cool, windy, and cloudy.