Snow on the Beach

We have been suffering through a mighty cold winter in New Jersey. Over a week ago, we had a snowstorm that ended with a layer of ice. It would have been hard for the snow to melt with the cold temperatures, but the ice has made it stick around even longer. 

Feeling if you can't been them, join them, Don and I drove down to Ocean Grove and Asbury Park to see the beach covered in snow. The boardwalk also had snow on it, with a weaving path cleared in places. It was both beautiful and frustrating. Unlike closer to home, the snow on the beach has mostly been flattened by the tides or even washed away. There were pockets, though, when I innocently took a step and found my foot sinking anywhere from two inches to two feet from the hard crusty layer straight through to the sand protected underneath. Fortunately neither of us got hurt, but it did make for a slower walk than usual.

Adding to time is that the casino which sits on the border between Ocean Grove and Asbury Park has been deemed unsafe. There is a large fence around it forcing people to either walk on the (snow covered) beach or go into town and use the Eastern Footbridge. Both add minutes to a 30-second stroll, especially in the snow. I wonder how much this will impact whether or not we take one of our favorite strolls. 

The temperatures were above freezing for the first time in at least a week, with another arctic blast in the forecast for the following weekend, so we drove the hour to walk the boardwalk and stroll on the beach. Here some pictures from our adventures.