The times they are a 'changin.' As a kid, I remember walking along the beach with my friends. We played along the shore for hours, building sandcastles, throwing balls and running back and forth from sand to sea. It was our little world and we loved the freedom of the place. When we got hungry, we raced up to the road with our nickels and dimes in search of ice cream or sno cones. We cut through paths made from thousands of feet between beach cottages and waving to the occupants as we went. And they waved back.
Now as I walked along the same expanse of beach, I saw very few "beach cottages." Instead super-sized houses with angles and gables and large expanses of glass now stand watch over the sea. Their shingles are weathered and they seem a natural part of the landscape--until you notice the signs protecting gated stairs and pathways. The high tide mark now a boundary between them and us.
I understand property rights and I'm not advocating their demise. It was just sad to see.
In this country there's a law against construction within 100 m of the shore. It isn't always respected but on the whole, the properties are further away now which only leaves the older ones. Sad.
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