Summer is right around the corner! It’s time to enjoy the outdoors away from fast food. Pack your cooler with food and drinks and head away from the crowds.
I like to go to the beach walking as the tide recedes looking for what the tide may have washed up. My partner and dog with me Enjoying the fresh air and the sound of the waves pounding the beach.
The dog is interested in sticks and birds. We amble along keeping a keen eye on the sand looking for anything unusual to investigate. Rocks polished by the waves.  There are several good skipping stones. I find it’s not just the stones but a knack that requires me to find more stones to “get it” No records being set skipping stones! We go back to combing the beach.

Chloe our dog wants more attention. I throw a stick towards the surf, she brings it back and wants to play more. I see seagulls and point them out to Chloe. Easy entertainment for 10 minutes! The gulls seem to enjoy the game as they easily stay out of reach.

My partner is getting tired, so we head back to the vehicle for a snack. I pull the camp chairs out of the back. Gail takes a seat while I grab some drinks and a sandwich from the Yeti. We eat our snack and discuss the morning events. Hmm not too much to talk about. The break has been satisfying. We put our chairs in the Subaru along with the trash bag.  We’re ready to head out again.

We head south on the beach from the car. Walking and looking. We score a live sand dollar and a smallish shell with a hole in it.
I wonder if the hole was made from a moon snail.

Moon snails are predators that hunt for other mollusks. Bivalves seem to be a favorite. I have never seen a moon snail and will have to do a little research on them. The hole in the shell is small rounded and chamfered. This fits the description of a moon snail kill. It enables the shell to be strung, perhaps for a necklace.

The dog finds a dead crab and instantly tries to eat it. I shout “drop”. She reluctantly does. Lucky for me. When she has consumed a crab off the beach, she’ll heave it back up later! Dogs! The dog is a double doodle, Beautiful Platinum with peach saddle that is absolutely a sand magnate. I’ll keep her up on the dry sand for the walk back to the car to dry her out a bit. I use a silicone shampoo brush to get a lot of the sand out. In the car I have a muddy rug that further dries her out and retains the sand.
Yes, I also carry a silicone collapsible water bowl and water bladder to keep her well hydrated. I carry a water bottle or a camel back for personal use. I am becoming a big fan of the camelback for beachcombing and foraging.