Low Tide, White Horse Beach, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

Dogs on the beach are controversial for some folks - me - I like them - they are generally friendly and unabashed in their pleasure at romping around, and dashing in and out of the water and chasing thrown balls with child-like glee.



A huge expanse of firm walking sand is exposed at this low tide on White Horse Beach.

Out and About, White Horse Beach, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

A springtime low tide at White Horse Beach.

A lone gull sits atop one of the often submerged rocks.

Manomet Point at the south end of White Horse Beach at low tide.

More clouds roll in before the next spring storm.

Out and About, White Horse Beach, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

It is a rare day that I don't visit the beach - preferably to walk on but, at least a drive-by if it's too cold and windy.



The wind was howling and cold so not many folks were out and about - I didn't last very long either.



It never occurred to me that this was a problem at White Horse Beach.



Dog Art.



A gull takes flight along the surf line. (With some black and white processing manipulation).



Tidal variation here is usually about 10 feet from high to low. At low tide, this entire rock garden at the south end of the beach is exposed. Tide pools harbor all sorts of small aquatic life - perfect for an inquisitive kid with a bucket and shovel.

Spring in Winter, White Horse Beach, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

You can't tell by looking but, this day felt like springtime in winter. It was about 50 degrees F and almost no wind. That's close to a perfect day for this time of year. I especially enjoyed the light in this image.



Manomet Point at the south end of White Horse Beach.



A panoramic image at low tide with great clouds. Priscilla Beach is in the distance. Another beautiful day to be alive in this world.



Every time, it's a wonderful beach. 

More After the Blizzard, White Horse Beach, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

 

Snow covered dunes at White Horse Beach.



A Manomet road - with some pen and ink, black and white, processing enhancement.

Old Sandwich Road in the Pinehills of Plymouth.

Calm Before the Storm, White Horse Beach, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

The calm before the storm. Hard to imagine a blizzard is due in less than 12 hours.

Another Stunning Winter Day, White Horse Beach, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

We've had some mighty chilly days recently but, still rather stunning visually. The wind whips through the dune grasses and roils the ocean into whitecaps - the only sounds are the wind and crashing waves. I like that.



Manomet Point - and two tiny figures walking on the sand in the distance.



The sunrise was nice, too.



Winter life is especially difficult for some - like this limping coyote I saw out the window wander through the yard. A very unusual sight for me.

Out and About, White Horse Beach, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

A nice mirror image on this still Manomet pond with an added black and white and high contrast effect.



An unusual sight - people sitting on a blanket at White Horse Beach on a cold, winter day.



Low tide, Manomet Point is at left.



Low tide left behind these multiple sand bars, each separated by its own channel.



A lone gull cruising the surf line.



Long shadows are the norm even at midday this time of year. Small ponds like this are usually completely frozen by this time of year.

Out and About, White Horse Beach, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

It's cold on this day, I have on my winter coat, a hat with ear flaps, a neck scarf, gloves, and flannel-lined khaki pants. Air temp is high 20's, wind chill is high teens, water temp is 47. One might say it is a living definition of the word "bracing."



Same view, different time - what a difference a tide makes



No one else is out right now except me.



Inland at Tidmarsh, the puddles are frozen in the pathway. 

Walk on the Beach, White Horse Beach, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

It's not bitter cold yet but, with a strong breeze off the water, it's still cold......



....and beautiful as always.



At low tide - White Horse Beach is near, Priscilla Beach distant. The tiny hazy bump on the far horizon right of center is the Myles Standish Monument State Reservation about 10 miles away in Duxbury.

Out and About, White Horse Beach, Tidmarsh, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

An unusually low tide left a glistening beach and an upcoming shower created a dramatic sky at White Horse Beach. Manomet Point is in the distance.

Later, a different but similar view after the shower had passed.

I am very fond of White Horse Beach. This sign is purposeful because some beaches in Massachusetts are privately owned to the mean low tide rather than mean high tide. Such a law dates from colonial ordinances in 1641-1647 that extended private ownership from the mean high-water line to the mean low-water line, or 100 rods from the mean high-water line, whichever is less. There are exceptions: it is subject to an easement of the public for the purposes of navigation and free fishing and fowling and of passing freely over and through the water.  

Further, the owner of any fishing gear which is swept ashore by storm or tide or other natural causes and deposited upon the shore, beaches or flats, whether public or private, may recover the same within thirty days from the time of such deposit without liability for trespass. 

Pink is always a good choice at the beach for random photos.



An abandoned farm road is now a foot path at Tidmarsh Audubon Sanctuary, a 450+ acre preserve in Manomet.



A dozen or so glacial erratics dot this part of Tidmarsh Audubon Sanctuary.



Surrounding this small pond like the hundreds of similar ponds in Plymouth, the carpet of brown leaves is almost complete, ready for the coming winter. Hopefully, the water surface will freeze smoothly to welcome the scrape of ice skate blades from the neighborhood kids.

Big Surf, White Horse Beach, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

A cold front had passed the day before, the wind was cold and howling, the waves churned up.

Every time I think about moving to a warmer climate, I am again struck by the beauty of this area. I have lived in southeastern Massachusetts for 25+ years - I never would have guessed that outcome earlier in my life.

A lone dog walker and I were the only ones out and about on this windy afternoon.



I am sure that most of the time it must be nice having a house right on the edge of the beach.  But sometimes it has disadvantages, like after a very high storm tide that erodes the sand.



Here's how one homeowner addressed the problem - elevate the house on concrete pillars and board up the oceanside windows.

Out and About, White Horse Beach, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

A cold wind keeps all but a few hardy folks away from the beach on this day.



Inland, there are a few isolated stands of color but mostly..... 



......the annual fall leaf show is over for this year. 

It's time to hunker down and get ready for the winter ahead. And marvel at the completeness of nature's cycles - year after year after year after year.