Down the Ocean, Ocean, Md. that is!

Every year we would go on vacation. Even if we went camping or somewhere else for a week, summer vacation just didn't seem like a vacation unless we went down the ocean. Ocean City, Maryland, that is. Even as adults we still feel like we have not had a vacation unless we go down the ocean for a few days, maybe it is a left over childhood expectation of what summer vacation was, to relive the sights, smells, noise of the boardwalk, the hot sand that would burn the bottoms of your feet so you ran as fast as you could to the cool wet sand (of course kicking sand on sunbathers, who looked at us in disgust!).
So as years go by and we are all adults now, some of us use our kids as excuses to return to the ocean, or that with today's gas prices it is close and doesn't cost much to drive there. I think we all know though that it is our inner child taking us back to a time of family, fun and carefree times.
The past year my Mother who is 86 years old wanted to go to the ocean, as she still always says "it just isn't summer unless you get to the beach". I took her for a couple of days, knowing that this may be her last time of getting there, her health and age is causing limitations now. I am glad I took her, for it was the last year she could enjoy the salty ocean air.
Here are a few pictures of Ocean City, Md. and the boardwalk. For things that are always changing, somethings never change!




This is Dakota, the Hotels Parrot.



The sun rising over the ocean



The ocean waves crashing




and the surfers catching a ride



The protected sea grass and the seagulls resting




seagulls feeding at the shore line


Gulls resting on the pier post



and always remember....never ever feed just one or it will turn into a mob!



There are also seagull sculptures with Maryland traits painted on them.
This one depicts the blue crab; we Md.'ers love our steamed crabs.


and this shows our great Blue Heron



This is picture of the beach front of the Kite Loft; a kite store started by a Md local who produces nylon fabric sewn kites, wind socs, spinners and other whimsical wind items.











And then there are the boards...the boardwalk. It was never cool as kids to walk the boards during the day, unless you were going to the arcade. Night was the time and when we were old enough to break away from our parents we felt oh so grown up. We would walk the boards from start to finish and then again until our feet hurt and blisters formed. That is when we took off our shoes and plodded home thru the cold sand of evening.



This is the Art Galleria, as crowded with art in the inside as on the outside.





and this is the O.C. museum that holds one of the largest sharks caught off Ocean City.







And Ripley's Believe it or Not







so, which would you pick..day or night??



And then there are the rides at the end of the boards



the staple of all rides

the Ferris wheel

and the Himalaya



oh, and of course the carousel.........


And one of my favorite sights at the ocean is the sand sculptures. These were made by a local Minister, whose name I cannot remember. But if I remember correctly he started making these around 1975 or so. He comes every Friday and begins his sculpting and is done by night. Lighting and sculptures that relate to the sculpture are placed by the boardwalk and donations are given to the needy. He now has a few others that travel around to the surrounding beaches and carry on his tradition. Over the years his work has become larger and more detailed. It is amazing to watch him work.







These are just a few i picked out and the last one is my favorite. From this one you can see the difference the night makes by enhancing the emotional and visual senses.




I hope everyone has a special tradition, memory or other item that has carried over with them from childhood, whether shared by others or just personally. And even as adults you can let that inner child out long enough to indulge that moment, whatever it may be.