A Grey(t) Day For A Walk On The Beach

I received an email from my friend Ron inviting me to join him in “The County” for lunch on Saturday. I like lunch so, of course, I said yes. Ron had been busy promoting the upcoming Lake Scugog Studio Art Tour and as part of his master plan had also visited many of the major wineries in the area before lunch, dropping off pamphlets. The plan for after lunch was to tour a bit more of Picton then head off to visit a couple of the lesser vineyards. As luck would have it the smaller wineries are more seasonal and were not open to the public. So, what else is there to do on a cold, grey day in March – I know, let’s go to the beach!

Unfortunately the balmy +24 C temps of last week are history and it was cloudy, damp and barely +9. So why, you ask, would anyone want to go to the beach (aside from just being in the neighborhood?) This is Sandbanks Provincial Park, and if you’ve never been and you ever happen to be in the neighborhood you must plan a visit. Besides, I’ve never been to the beach (here at least) in March (it could be a bucket thing!)

We were standing on the edge of the world’s largest fresh water, baymouth sand barrier with mountainous 25 metre dunes; mega piles of sand left behind 25,000 years ago, the after effect of a glacial ice dam burst. The main park was closed but we managed to park and walk into one of the smaller beaches accessible from county road 12 (now if I’d only remembered to turn the GPS on I could have pinpointed the spot exactly – note to self for next time I’m sneaking into a beach!)
I'll have to come back in summer - though there was something peaceful about being on this deserted beach in March.

Around every point - more and more rolling dunes reach down to the lake

Pussy Willows growing everywhere amongst the dunes

...And every spring it worries me,
I cannot ever find
Those willow cats that ran away
And left their toes behind.