My
friend Jim Hodges suggested I share some
memories of the Sound Beach I remember. I left NY decades ago and
live in south Alabama. In the 1950s, Sound Beach was a kid's paradise
come true. The only thing that sustained me during the school year
was the realization Summer would eventually come, and Sound Beach
would be beckoning. It meant being barefooted for ten weeks, and swimming
to my heart's content.
The beach was fantastic. Even at high tide we had 100 feet of beach.
I had a 12 foot Thompson boat powered by a 71/2 hp Evenrude. During
the Summer it was left on the beach at the foot of the dunes. It was
safe and never vandalized! We'd go fishing early in the morning. We
would take the boat over a sand bar, and dive for clams, which we
used for bait. It wasn't unusual to be joined by porpoises. They would
swim so close we could feel the minor shock waves as they swam past.
There were lots of them back then! I guess they're gone now! We would
catch Porgies, Black Fish, Sea Bass, and Blow Fish. Later in the season
we would troll for Blue Fish. Sometimes we would catch Weak Fish.
I don't know if these are in the Sound any longer. I understand Blow
Fish are rare these days. Not so in the 50s. They would swim near
shore in large schools. We would stand in waist deep water and wiggle
our toes to get their attention. As soon as they were between us and
the shore, we'd run them into shallow water and scoop them onto the
beach. Just so you won't think me cruel, we did release them unharmed.
The sand dunes were a favorite place for us. We'd roast marshmallows
and hotdogs. The dunes were pretty massive, and were green with vegetation
all the way down to the beach. Wild plums and crab apples were abundant.
Now, of course, the dunes a shadow of what they were. Houses and a
road occupy our former garden of Eden. The little that is left is
eroding. There's a moral here somewhere!
Sound Beach was also heavily wooded, and wild life was abundant. Several
Box Turtles visited every year, and I even knew where they hibernated
each winter. Black Snakes were relatively common and were often seen
behind our house. Actually the woods went unbroken for quite a few
miles. There were wonderful trails for horseback riding. Those were
the days!
I visit every now and again, and I remember those carefree days of
Summer from years gone bye. It would take another ice age to return
Sound Beach to it's pristine state. Still, what's left has some magic.
Hopefully what remains, which makes this place so special, will be
saved. I think kids will continue to enjoy Sound Beach as my friends
and I did. I'm far away now, but my imagination often takes me home,
and for that brief period I'm young again.
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