I'm not a big fan of beaches. I side with Anakin when it comes to sand: it's coarse, irritating, and it gets everywhere. The only time I like beaches is when swimming is involved, and that was obviously not an option. That said, I certainly agree with Janelle's assertion that we've spent too much time cooped up, and I ended up quite glad that she suggested it.
The beach was loaded with interesting sights. From the rusty cliffs to the ocean itself, there were plenty of things to keep our attention as we spent nearly two hours walking the shoreline--which we had almost completely to ourselves. In the realm of both the fascinating and mildly disgusting, there were hundreds of dead jellyfish along our walk. On our way to the far end of the beach, we walked a path were we only saw a couple (although I somehow still managed to step on one of them). It was on our walk back that I saw just how many were actually there. Many of the larger ones were patterned in a way that reminded me of those circle peppermint candies, while most of the smaller ones looked nothing more than large gobs of snot. Janelle had read about this phenomenon before we left today. Its a regular part of the jellyfish life-cycle (well, the end of it, anyway).
Thankfully, the rain held off the entire time we were out. Although my ears were almost icy and my knee was aching by the time we took the boys to the park (which they enjoyed even though most of the equipment was soaked), I was invigorated by the experience. I needed the fresh air.
Although I am not a big fan of art galleries, Janelle and the boys certainly enjoyed their time there as well. Originally built in the 1960's, the building had been used as an emergency station and jail, and while it had long since been converted, the cell still remained, which fascinated the boys. The people working there were extremely friendly and encouraged Janelle to come back with some of her art so they could display it for sale.
All-in-all, it was a worthwhile trip that filled my sons' pockets with rocks and shells, and my wife's imagination with more ways to express her artistic nature.