Winter in Rye Harbor

This photo was taken about four years ago on a winter trip to the ocean at Rye Harbor.

Part of the State Park system in NH, we have visited here at least a couple times a year for as long as I can remember.

This past year we were never able to make the trip and the ocean was surely missed by us both.

No matter what time of the year, there is nothing like smelling the salty fresh air and seeing the everchanging beauty of the water and waves as they rush along the shore.

The sea gulls, ducks, and sand pipers that are numerous in the summer are no where to be found in the winter.

But if one is really lucky, there are a couple of Snowy Owls that have been known to visit the area.

To them, this is their "south" as they nest and breed in northern Canada each spring and summer.

I have never been able to get a decent photo of one of these beautiful owls, but I was lucky enough one winter to see one.

He was easy to find though - the group of tripods and photographers were a dead give away that something interesting was going on down by the shore.

They were respectful and kept their distance as not to scare him away so we could all enjoy his winter visit.

 

 

Through the Dry Grasses

All of the wildflowers and grasses along the ocean's edge have prepared for the winter ahead.

A few sprigs of green grass remain there as well as in our yard.

They even withstood the heavy frost that we had a couple of nights ago.

The ocean is beautiful no matter what time of the year.

Each season has it specialties, and as much as the cold seems to get to us each year, we wouldn't want to be any other place.

ABC Wednesday - E is for Estuary

ABC Wednesday - E is for Estuary

The Great Bay Estuary is one of the largest estuaries along the Atlantic Coast.

It is broken apart into two areas - Little Bay and Great Bay.

This image was taken where Little Bay ends, and Great Bay begins.

Home to over 162 species of birds, fish, and plants, the estuary was once the commerce hub of many seacoast towns.

Pollution ended many of these activities in the mid 1900's.

Great Bay has a very dramatic tidal range - over 50% of the bay is exposed at low tide.

The tide was over 1/2 way in in the above image.

Rocky Shore

Rocky Shore




 

New England has some beautiful sandy beaches.

But this scene of rocky shoreline becomes more the norm as one travels further north up the coast.

Maine is known for it's rocky coast, and this is a typical view of a Maine beach.

Still quite beautiful.

Hopefully we will be able to retire to a spot such as this in the next few years.

Surely looking forward to it!

 

Portland Head Light

  Portland Head Light 



  Sharing a photo from the past today - the Portland Head Light in Portland, Maine. We are still without power from Hurricane Irene, so this post is a quick one. My husband, when he was a young man, stood on the rocks overlooking this light house during a big storm. It sits pretty high up on that rocky cliff, but he saw the waves going over the top of it. Mother Nature is surely powerful and amazing! 

Low Tide

Low Tide

The tide was low when we arrived.

So we took a walk and ate lunch as we watched it come in.

By the time we were in that ocean water, the tide was close to high - covering the rocks and seaweed.

Swimming in the ocean in our wetsuits was all I hoped it was going to be.

We snorkeled around the rocks, but it was so hard to get "under" the water as the wetsuit made us extra buoyant.

That wetsuit is something else - you feel the water creeping in from the bottom up, and it is some chilly.

But once it is in there, it warms up to your body temp and you don't feel the water outside.

And when you leave the water, you feel it creep down as it drains out.

I will say, it was a hot, humid day, and putting that wetsuit on was a trip and a half.

Skin tight is not the word for it, and it doesn't slide on.  It protests with every pull.

Once on, getting in the water quickly is important before you pass out from heat exertion.

I am so anxious for our next ocean swim - I really loved it.

I still can't wait!

ABC Wednesday - Q is for Quartz

  Q is for Quartz............





Milky quartz is the mineral that is in the surface of this large boulder. Most think of quartz as a clear crystal or a mass of smaller ones jutting out of a rock in a display. It is the second most abundant mineral on the earth, feldspar is the first. Several varieties of this mineral are semi-precious stones - the pretty purple amethyst is the most well known. When the Milky Quartz was formed, minute particles of gas and liquid were trapped when the crystal was forming, and they caused it to become cloudy. The quartz above was in a granite boulder. We have tons of them around here - after all, our state is known as "The Granite State" for a reason!




This is the eighth round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details.

ABC Wednesday - Z is for Zizel

Z is for Zizel............







He's hard to find - blending in with the rock, moss, and grasses beside the lake.

Can you spot him?

His little feet never touched the water as he darted out from under the rock that is sitting in the water.

He was so quick!

We call them chipmunks, but they are also known as rock squirrels, striped squirrels, chippers, and zizels, as I learned today.

It's not one of my better images, technically, but I enjoyed his quick visit and am glad I was able to photograph him.





This is the seventh round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details.

ABC Wednesday - L is for Link

L is for Link............







An old loop and link just sticking right out of a rock beside the ocean.

Rugged and rusty, it has been there a long time.

A small length of ratty old rope - perhaps a foot long, was tied to the loose link.

I really don' t understand how they pound those metal loops into those hard rocks - and they stay in there.

Not sure it it is used anymore for anything, but it can sure trip up an unwary walker - glad we all kept our eyes open that day.






This is the seventh round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details.

ABC Wednesday - J is for Jetty

J is for Jetty............







A favorite place for the boys to fish when we visit the ocean is the breaker wall or jetty in the harbor.

Most people who fish here all go out to the end too - there is much evidence to prove it.

It makes it hard to find a "clean" surface to sit on out there.

There are various fish and bait remains of all kinds in several stages of decay on these rocks.

Some have petrified and completely dried in the sun, others have not.

You would think with all the water around these rocks would be fairly clean.

Or the seagulls would have picked them all clean.

What they need is a good ole New England summer storm to get them washed off.

I am sure Mother Nature will take care of it in her own time.






This is the seventh round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details.

All That Remains.................

All That Remains............







Not sure what the story is behind this chimney, but it is all that remains of a house that once stood here.

We were walking along the walkway by the Portland Head Light, and there it was off to the left.

Quite over grown by all the weeds, and we were above it.

There must have been quite the house there at one time, built into the side of the cliff.

You can just barely see the ocean at the top of the photo.

What a view this house had!

ABC Wednesday - J is for Jetty

J is for Jetty............







For those of you who have been with my blog, I am sure you recognize this structure.

It is one of our favorite places to go when we visit the ocean, and there are many different images of it in previous posts.

You have heard my stories about the high waters and my fear of these giant rocks with the pounding water beneath them.

You can see my son doesn't take after me - he is right out on the very end - relaxing with his fishing pole.

My husband and daughter also have no problem with walking this ragged jetty.

I am usually alone with my camera, but if my daughter gets a chance to come with us again, she will have the baby with her.

And he is too little to go out there.

That means I get a companion - I can't wait!




This is the sixth round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details.

Bench Beside the Ocean

Bench Beside the Ocean







After the weather we have had over the last few days, I am just dreaming of summer - and spending some time in this bench beside the ocean.

The worst wind storm we have ever had made a total disaster of our back yard.

Hundreds of sticks and branches everywhere.

The roof took some mighty blows and has the bruises to show for it.

Too nervous to go to bed last night - thoughts of being pierced with tree spikes kept me jumping up every time the fierce gusts threw them on the roof.

No power, so sitting by candlelight until they subsided was the only option.

March is certainly coming in like a lion this year!

Breaker Wall at Low Tide

Breaker Wall at Low Tide







The breaker wall doesn't look quite so intimidating or all that difficult to walk on at this angle.

But trust me, it is just an illusion.

It looks a lot shorter than it actually is, and the outgoing tide makes it seem like such nice, docile water.

Once again - don't believe it.

This angle is also of the protected side of the harbor where there is a small beach area.

The other side of this wall has deep sea water that pounds against the rocks - all the time.

The wall acts as a dam, and as the tide comes in around the end of the wall, it covers this beach.

See the dark big rocks along the side of the wall - that is the water line - just the light colored ones on the top are showing when the tide is fully in.

Even though my family loves it, those rocks are not the place for me at high tide.

Even at low tide, I can only manage about half way along that wall.

A Tunnel to the Sea

A Tunnel to the Sea







The outgoing tide created a channel of sea water in the sand.

It snaked around the rocks and stranded pieces of seaweed that arrived on the incoming tide.

Mother Nature creates such graceful patterns - glad we were able to catch it before too many footprints disturbed it.

Many Gulls for Green Thumb Sunday

Many Gulls for Green Thumb Sunday







Green Thumb Sunday Blogroll

How to join Green Thumb Sunday


Last week the sea gulls were floating around in the cove on the incoming tide.

This week's post is showing where they are all hanging out - at least until the tide is full.

They were coming and going - spending time on the water looking for food and then taking the time to preen or nap.

If you look at the larger image (by clicking on the photo), you will see some with their heads tucked under their wings - secure that the rest will let them know of danger.

Some are sitting on the rocks - enjoying the warmth they have to offer - some of them are standing on one leg in the typical bird sleeping position.

There is a "pecking order" to this group, as there often is in the bird world - and my guess for the leader would be one of those sitting ones - napping on the highest, driest spot.

Gulls in the Cove for Green Thumb Sunday

Gulls in the Cove for Green Thumb Sunday







Green Thumb Sunday Blogroll

How to join Green Thumb Sunday


First, I must apologize for missing last Sunday and not posting a Green Thumb image. I had promised to show what the little ocean creatures in the seaweed were hiding from, and I am sorry for the longer wait.

Well, this week, I will make that entry, and as you can see from the image above, it's these seagulls.

Now, all looks nice and peaceful as they float along on the top, in and out of the seaweed beds, but don't let them fool you.

They were bobbing up and down with their heads ducking under water and coming up with small morsels. And they were doing this at a very frantic pace so there must have been quite a bit hiding in the seaweed.

Oh, and it looks like there are only a few eating at this time - but they have a system and in the photo that I will post next week, I would say they have an hierarchy too.

ABC Wednesday - G is for Geode

G is for Geode.............







This slice of rock is about one quarter of an inch thick.

It has always looked like a piece of glass to me, but it is actually a geode.

It is a solid one that was able to be sliced thin by a diamond cutting wheel.

Most people think of geodes in the form of an open crystal, like an amethyst.

I do not know the name of the minerals in this stone, or even what kind of geode that it is classified as, but I do so love the colors - especially when it is held in the light.

If you click on the photo, it will bring you my site where you can view it enlarged. There is a thin layer of the outside rock along the top, and you will see the layers of the blue and the intricate white center.

The outside rock looks like a regular rock - it makes me wonder sometimes if I have ever passed any of these as I take my daily walks, or hike along trails in the woods.

I probably have - but in their whole form I would never even begin to recognize one!




This is the fourth round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details.

Cove in the Autumn

Cove in the Autumn






The day was chilly, and the wind was blowing in from the ocean.

It was about mid-morning and the sun sparkles on the water were so pretty - but even they had a cold look to them.

I was standing on an old cement dock that was jutting out into the harbor - this was the view to the south.

After snapping this photo, I tucked myself into a space between some giant boulders. The sun soon warmed me back up enough to continue my walk along this beautiful spot.

The coastline of northern New England is rugged but it has such unique beauty in every season.

Wordless Wednesday - Friday Edition - Nature's Curves

Nature's Curves








One of my favorite things to do at the ocean is to walk along the shore - but not the smooth beachy areas that most people prefer.

Don't get me wrong - I love the smooth beaches along the water's edge - but there are usually way too many people around.

Walking along the rockier, more untamed areas, one can find treasure - nature's gifts that are undisturbed as most people don't like the rocks, seaweed, or broken and crushed shells.

The outgoing tide left little tunnels in the sand - each little stream finding it own direction and creating these beautiful curves.

The camera cannot do justice to all the details that were there.

If it wasn't for the rocks and the little patches of seaweed, the water would have ran in a straight line right down to the ocean's edge, and this little treasure would not have been created.

And if there had been people walking around this area - one footstep would have obliterated it.

Glad I was able to catch it before the tide came back in and erased it forever.