Robert Moses Beach ~ Field 3

This past weekend, Robert Moses State Park celebrated its 100th Anniversary, with a number of events being held at each field of the beach.  Since Robert Moses is the beach that I have always gone to, I decided to pack up the family and head out to check out the celebration.  Things didn't go exactly as planned, as the little one's nap prevented us from getting to the beach in time to see the exhibits or take the free ferry boat ride.  But it didn't matter.  We still made it out to the beach during the celebration weekend, and it ended up being a great day.

We arrived at the beach at around four o'clock, long after most people had already headed for home.  Although the exhibits were being packed up, we stopped to check out the newly renovated facility building at Field 3.  Everything was clean and new, including the bathrooms.  One nice feature that was added is a family bathroom, perfect for those traveling with little ones.  After snapping a few pictures, we proceeded to the beach.

As we reached the sand, we kicked off our shoes and felt the cool white sand beneath our feet.  The little one was visibly excited, and it occurred to me that the beach may very well be her favorite place to visit.  Before I could even get the blanket and chairs set up, the kids were splashing around with my wife in a pool of water that had formed on the beach from the rising tide.  If there is one thing that can take your mind off of life's pressures, it is watching the endless smile of a toddler and listening to her shrieks of excitement and joy as she frolics on the beach.

Before long, my son and I headed down to the ocean.  He loves to play along the shoreline and let the waves crash into him.  As the waves hit the beach a pool of warm white foam was left behind.  There is something very peaceful about staring out into the vastness of the ocean, while the waves wash over your feet.  The ocean has a way of drawing you in and making you never want to leave, so I understand why it is hard for my son to walk away, and why my daughter faces down wave after wave even though most of them would knock her off of her feet if we let go of her hand.

After a while, we were able to coax the kids back up to the blanket.  Ah...time to relax and enjoy the beach!  Wait, scratch that.  Time to dig a big hole with a tiny shovel, so that we can recreate the pool of water that the kids were playing in when we first arrived.  Of course, the tide will never reach the hole, so it's up to daddy to bring pails of water to fill the pool.  After two trips and four buckets, I convinced my son that we were only making wet sand, and not a pool.  He understood, and agreed to play in the wet sand.

Now, I can sit back, relax and stare out at the ocean....for about 30 seconds.  The little one is off and running unencumbered through the sand, as most of the other beachgoers had already called it a day.  The only thing stopping her from running to the concession stand is me or my wife, although in all fairness, my son did a lot of the chasing and told us not to worry because he was "trained for this."  I'm not exactly sure where he got his training, but his help was greatly appreciated.

Watching the two of them together playing on the beach is one of those moments that puts a smile and your face, and reminds you how good life can be.  Is going to the beach with kids as relaxing as the old days when I used to go with my friends?  Definitely not!  But I wouldn't have it any other way. 

If you're like me, and you prefer to avoid crowds and extreme heat, you'll love going to Robert Moses after 4pm.  My wife even found it to be a little chilly.  Must be a woman thing, as I never seem to get cold at the beach.  Field 3 is a great spot, because the beach isn't too deep, and the new and greatly improved facility building is the best one around. 

We may have missed the official celebration of the 100^th anniversary, but we celebrated it in our own way as a family, at a beach that has been "home" to me ever since I was a kid.