Beach Day

After Sterling and I experienced the beach without the children we wanted to get them to the beach before the summer’s end. So, Sterling asked for the final Wednesday of the summer off from work and they gave it to him! We took a beach day!

It took us just over an hour to get to the beach! Which is amazing because it can take up to three hours depending on traffic! I packed enough fun things for the kids and I to do in the car in case it turned into three hours there and three hours back. But, we didn’t need all of that.

We took turns reading books and we watched Sailor Moon episodes.

When we got to the beach we paid 2000yen for all day parking (just over $20).

There was a restroom and a hose for spraying sand off. There was a shower but it would have been 500yen to use it.

We arrived just after 9am which was great. The beach had just a few people on it. The forecast for the day was possible rain. So, that might have helped keep people away.

Lucky for us, it did not rain! And we had a blast!
Aside from the ocean being so salty it made you sick if it got up your nose, the waves and water were fun.

Sterling would take the kids further out to experience larger waves. But the waves that crashed up on the shore were the roughest. Ty loved those! He would sit on the sand waiting to be hit with waves.

Athena mostly played outside of the ocean but she spent a good time in the water too. Ster took her far out where she was able to see schools of fish! She was nervous going out into the water because of the waves. But daddy pushed her to overcome that fear and she loved it.

We borrowed sand toys from a friend beforehand. Athena wished we had inflated tubes but we didn’t. If we stay here in Japan or if we moved somewhere close to a beach we will definitely buy some water tubes.

We made sandwiches for lunch and ate at our vehicle. The kids were eager to get back to the ocean! They didn’t want to go home.

Sterling buried me in the sand as I sat up. Then he admitted he had never in his life experienced that! So I made him lay down and get buried. Then we buried each of our children because...everyone should know what it feels like!

Near the end of our beach time I found a clam like creature. It was so fun to watch. Athena and I put it in a bucket with a little water and a little sand and watched it buried itself in the sand. Then Sterling came and started digging deep in the sand to discover more of the creatures. With the help of a Japanese family we collected atleast 15 of them. They were fun to watch, feel and hold.

Sterling put the creatures in a drink bottle with plenty of ocean water and sand to take on the drive home.

We had been at the beach about 4 hours. And everyone had worn sunscreen...almost. Ster did not apply it to his back, chest and shoulders...big mistake. I chose not to apply it to my legs because I have not experienced burning my legs. I didn’t think it would happen. Big mistake!

The drive home was as amazing as the drive there. No bad traffic!

We got home with our clothes full of sand. We showered well and got dry clothes on. Then we went to Chili’s for an early dinner.

Sterling was in so much pain but...I made him go to activity day boys. We had a lesson to teach! Poor, miserable guy.