On the Boardwalk

The beauty of Long Island is that it is, in fact, an island.  120 miles from Manhattan to Montauk, 20 miles at its widest point.  Lots of shoreline.  You're never too far from sand and surf.

 

And a significant portion of that sand and surf is public parkland owned by the State of New York or various local governments.  I spent two summers as seasonal help at Robert Moses State Park, on the tip of Fire Island.  I loved being outdoors all day, loved being able to take a swim in the ocean on my lunch break.

 

In keeping with my new resolve to be more active, I spent Sunday afternoon at Sunken Meadow State Park.  A North Shore park, it has a small, sandy beach on Long Island Sound, where the waters are calmer than at the ocean beaches on the South Shore.  And most days you can see across the Sound all the way to Connecticut.

 

And there's a boardwalk.  3/4 of a mile from end to end, it's perfect for a jog or a casual stroll. 

 

It was a lovely day for a stroll.  Warm but not too hot.  I walked from the middle to one end, then to the other end, then back to my starting point -- 1.5 miles, all told.  I had plenty of company, but it wasn't nearly as crowded as it will be in about a month or so.

 

I'm already planning a return visit.