From My Sketchbook:
This proved to be the kind of July vacation day I most enjoy – not too hot, not too sunny, not too humid and on a beach that wasn’t too crowded. It was nice to have an afternoon where I could relax on a beach, walk along the shore and feel the sand under my feet.
There were many folks who were enjoying a dip in the ocean, and I thought to do so myself until I put my feet into the water and was immediately reminded that the mean summer coastal water temperatures of Maine are considerably lower than those of Virginia, or even Delaware or New Jersey, for that matter. I did satisfy the desire of my family who were encouraging me to join them and “get wet.” I bravely ventured so far as to go in all the way up to my knees – after many summers of life guarding and teaching swimming, when I was in high school and college, I have found that “warm” water is relative, and it seems that my understanding of “warm” is warmer than that of others.
It was shortly after this partial immersion that I realized the crowd was thinning out and the beach was becoming vacant, especially in some of the areas that were over-shadowed by the adjacent rock cliffs and trees. I took advantage of the situation and finding this view, looking south in the direction of Thunder Hole and Otter Cliff, recognized I lacked a chair or convenient place to sit and support my sketchbook. I created my own “chair” by scooping a depression in the beach sand where I could step down into and then simply sit on the adjoining sandy ground. Having done this, I enjoyed the next forty-five minutes making this drawing while visiting with passers-by and the small groups of curious children and parents. I don’t always make it a point to sit when I draw or paint, but it just so happened that this particular view was seen from being closer to the ground, and discovered while sitting on a beach towel.