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We got up not overly early and went for breakfast.

Then, stopped and got picnic supplies before heading to the beach.

The beach we picked is near where I used to spend summers at my Aunt’s cottage when I was young. It is always very nostalgic for me to drive through that area.

Parts of it are nothing like when I was a kid. Parts of it are exactly as it was.

(My aunt’s place used to be surrounded by cow fields on 3 sides. Now million dollar homes are in those spots.)

It was one of those days where it is very sunny, but when the cloud blocks the sun it feels like the whole world went dark.

This beach is one not a lot of folks know about, so it is almost never crowded.

https://www.mass.gov/locations/demarest-lloyd-state-park

We got our beach supplies out and headed to the safety board.

We discussed the shark situation with the lifeguards.
Yes, they had closed the beach the day before due to a spotting not too far away.
https://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2013/08/massachusetts_department_of_co_2.html

And, while we were at the beach someone was bitten at another beach. But, that beach was far away from us.
https://whdh.com/news/harbormaster-man-attacked-by-shark-in-water-off-cape-cod/

My sister’s cousin used to tell us he saw Maco sharks near where he grew up all the time.

My mother used to tell me he didn’t know what he was talking about. Strange that he made his living as a wildlife photographer specializing in ocean life…

I’ve been going to that beach for 50 years. I know what the bigger sharks like. It isn’t a shallow beach with only very tiny fish, no seals, and a tide that goes out fast. The outside of the cape has deep water beaches with seals, whales and lots of fish. That’s where they’re normally seen. That’s where the guy was bitten.
They do get basking sharks along the place the fin was spotted. My money is on that being what they saw.

OK, maybe we thought about it more than normal because we brought the kids to see The Meg the other day: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Meg
Not a good movie…

I was more worried about currents, water quality and a lot of poison ivy in the area.

Safety signs read and procedures reviewed, we headed off to the water.

This beach has a very different character depending on the tide. And, the tide was in when we got there.

You can go a long way out and only be in water a meter deep or less. At low tide the sand bars are exposed. At high tide they are covered.

They did have a lifeguard there, which is rare.

We did have a discussion of the house on the end of the peninsula and just how many millions it probably cost.

Then, we went in the water.

Sadly, my waterproof camera battery did not charge as I had expected. So, far less photos that anticipated, and none from the water. Sad.

We swam. We had fun. Eventually it was lunch time.

They have a nice picnic area.

After lunch, back to the water.

The tide had gone out more while we ate.

The sand bars were not yet exposed, but the water level was much lower.

There was a lot more swimming. Eventually I could feel the top of my head getting a sun burn and headed to shore for a hat and some shade. The only shade was under the shadow of the life guard stand, but they were nice enough to let me sit there.

Everyone else swam more.