On February 3 it was 22 degrees F, sunny and dead low tide. I went down to my favorite beach for collecting trash, only to find the gate locked! The gate is tucked in by a store between a lot of restaurant piers, and is the only access to the whole strip of shoreline. That beach is where the fishermen have always pulled their boats up for maintenance and painting. Looks like someone has decided to buck tradition and close the access. To be fair, the stairs are their private property, and of course they have that right, but it's still sad. There is now no access to the shore between the Bar and the Town Beach. I'm going to try to contact the new owner for permission, but I suspect the building and stairs are slated for 'redevelopment' like the rest of the street.
I was determined to go beachcombing, though, so I headed up the street to the Bar. A stiff wind was blowing from the north and it was very cold.
I got a few ice photos in mud puddles along the way. A lot of bits were frozen to the beach. I kept tucking my chin into my coat collar for warmth, but then my glasses would steam up, and the steam froze!
The gulls were curious. First one started to follow me, although I didn't notice for a while.
Then there were four standing huddled into the wind and watching me. Then eight gulls were moving down the beach with me, rising into the air if I got too close, and hovering on the wind just above my head.
It was cool and a little eerie at the same time. I've never seen them do that before.
Maybe they thought I had food, because eventually a whole flock of them were flapping around, just the way they do behind a fishing boat. There were even a couple of crows. Yes, I did think of That Movie, but they didn't seem aggressive. I just kept beachcombing, and when I found this:
I forgot all about the birds!
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