The beach seemed swept clean with the removal of the life guard chairs (stowed until Memorial Day 2011). With visibility high, the ocean seemed to stretch out forever. 
On the bay side, the tide was in. It seemed the tide was in the exact opposite position as our trip last week.
No fiddler crabs were in sight, but fish darted about, just beneath the surface.
My grandmother stated the birdwatcher above had the perfect spot.
The light was so perfect, I could not quite capture it on film. It may have been something with the way the water reflected the sky...
At Mount Mitchell overlook, we gazed back fondly on the beach we had just left. The best shots I've ever taken came from this trip, with visibility so good.
Sandy Hook Lighthouse is visible above, and beyond it is Manhattan, NYC. Around noon we feared some 9/11 commemoration. At one point, everyone on the beach seemed to be pointing out towards the New York skyline. But all it turned out be was (we assumed) a dolphin dorsal fin, bobbing black and sleek among the waves. It swam along the shore, then vanished just as mysteriously.
I must look into getting out on a sailboat. It must be a glorious ride on these crisp, sunny days. I look forward to more pleasant weekends as fall approaches.
