Monday, May 02, 2005

Beach or Bust?


brightonbeach
Originally uploaded by sarah4855.

It is bank holiday Monday here in Brighton and from my window I have been watching hordes of people streaming down to the beach. I admit that I love watching the ocean activity from my flat - so far I have spotted kayakers, surfers, wind sailors, and water skiers, as well as the typical boating folk. But this phenomenon of huge crowds of people coming to sit on the beach baffles me.

It's not a particularly nice beach, and it's not a particularly sunny or warm day today. Do these people live in small cave-like flats and are dying for some fresh air? Maybe they are still following the advice of Dr. Richard Russell, who in 1750 instigated the first big groups of visitors to Brighton beach when his book claiming that bathing in seawater cured most illnesses was published. I grew up next to the beach and realize I'm slightly jaded, but this beach doesn't even have sand.

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