Live Long - Eat Seafood

The experts tell us that a regular diet of seafood can extend our lives. Maybe there IS something to it. It's been reported that a 112-year-old Maine native.

Source : Newick's

Mystery Beach

Swimming, swimming
In the Swimmin' Hole
When days are hot
And days are cold,
In the Swimmin' Hole.


- from an old camp song.

This is Mystery Beach, from 1938 through '41, when it served as the Camp Meany Beach for Cubs. True to their Indian lore emphasis, the Cubs checking in here at the buddy board have the option of wearing swim suits or breech cloths (or even underwear!). The shadows tell us that it's late morning -"Eleven o'clock finds the anticipated swim period when all report to the beach..." (Cedar Chips, June, 1938).

Source : Chief Seattle Council Boy Scouts of America

Chesil Beach, Portland

Chesil Beach is a shingle barrier ridge at the eastern end of Lyme Bay, Portland, America extending 18 miles from Burton Bradstock to Fortuneswell on Portland. As far as Abbotsbury it is attached to the land, but beyond that the lagoon of The Fleet separates it from land, until it runs head-on into Portland. One can walk on the beach at Burton Bradstock, where there is a visitor centre, and get fine views from the coast road, the B3157, on the heights of White Hill just west of Abbotsbury, where there is a lay-by. This view is shown above. From the viewing area on the top at Portland, one looks to the north west along the whole length of the beach.

Chesil Beach has long been hazardous for sailing ships and swimmers. Even on a fine day, there is a strong sea breeze that would drive a sailing ship venturing too close onto the shore. In storms, with a southwestern gale, wreck would be certain. It is said that inhabitants of the coast sometimes showed lights in bad weather, tempting ships to their doom in hopes of salvage. The waves breaking on the beach would create a strong undertow that could drag even strong swimmers to destruction. On the other hand, The Fleet now gives protection to numerous pleasure craft.

The movement of shingle in the sea is a subject of some interest. Shingle can be moved by breaking waves, in which the water is moving rapidly forward, but this occurs only at quite shallow depths. Below 18 metres, apparently, shingle is not moved by wave action. A hole dredged in the sea bed below this depth does not fill again, except perhaps over a great length of time. Tidal currents, which can reach 4 to 5 knots, can move shingle and scour channels in the beds of estuaries. Most people mainly think of tides as a vertical motion, but strong, invisible horizontal motions are an essential part of the tides. Tidal currents have, apparently, played no role in forming Chesil Beach.

Puerto Rico Island

What is Puerto Rico? It is island teeming with beauty and teeming with life. Some of it is Spanish, some Indian, some African and some… something else. But somehow it all blends together into a culture that you will find fascinating and unique. Combine that with the fact that there is no place on earth quite like a volcanic island in the tropics, and there is no island in the tropical Caribbean quite like it, and you have Puerto Rico. The geography of the island is unique. Take a rectangular piece of paper, crumple it up, smooth out the edges and you have a rough facsimile of it.

The island is about 100 miles long and 35 miles wide. That means that its most distant point is a three-hour drive away. It also means that just about every tropical landscape in existence is a short trip from wherever you happen to be! You can drive 40 minutes from San Juan to go canoeing in a rainforest or hiking on one of the steeper trails of El Yunque in search of the elusive Puerto Rican parrot. You can head one hour west to explore Cathedral Cavern in the Camuy Underground River System, the third largest on the planet. In less than two hours you can be rock climbing in the Toro Negro Forest or hiking the trails of the highest mountain on the island.

San Juan, Puerto RicoWith hundreds of miles of coastline, Puerto Rico offers a different beach for every day of the year. They come in every size, color and form, from the pure white dunes of Isabela to the black volcanic sands near Punta Santiago in Maunabo. You can even choose your level of excitement, from a stroll in the shimmering shallow waters at Luquillo to a romp in the boisterous surf of Rincón.

If your idea of adventure is less athletic, take a boat on a moonless night out to the Bioluminescent Bay in Vieques, or stroll through the majestic Guajataca Forest, only an hour and a half west of San Juan. Browse through the excursions listed in this section. You will be sure to find something that will make your trip unforgettable.

Source : Spanish Abroad

Colwell Bay

Colwell BAy is situated on the western side of the Isle of Wight just a 35 minute ferry journey from mainland England

Colwell Bay is a small, sand and shingle beach is tucked away on the quieter west coast of the Island. It has panoramic views of the Solent and is ideal for those looking for a relaxing day out. The beach is unspoilt and relatively quiet although it does offer a variety of water sports including windsurfing, jet ski-ing and pedallo hire. A gentle walk along the promenade links Colwell with the equally relaxing Totland Bay.

Source : Blue Flag
Picture : Totland

Fihalhohi Island

Fihalhohi is located in the south-west part of the South Male atoll, about 5 minutes by boat from the outside reef and 35 kilometres from the capitol Male. From Hulhulhe airport it takes about one to one and a half hours by speedboat, depending on the type of speedboat and the weather conditions.

To make you enjoy longer from the pleasures of the Maldivian sun, Fihalhohi time is one hour behind the official Maldives time, and it is 4 hours later than the Central European time.

The island is small even for Maldivian standards with its length of 450 meters and its width of 250 meters. You can stroll around the island within 15 minutes. You can do this without the nuisance of footwear, as fine coral sand lies over the entire island, with the exception of some places, like your room, the lounge, the Fishermen’s bar, the Coral Cove snackbar, the Palm Groove restaurant and the indoor games area.

According to connoisseurs, Fihalhohi has one of the finest house reefs of the Maldives. It has a magnificent snow-white sandy beach, which is stretched out over almost the circumference entire island. Inland the island is covered with dense tropical vegetation. The crystal-clear water in the turquoise lagoon makes it an ideal spot for those devoted to water sports…

The Fihalhohi resort has been open for tourists since 1981. First it’s accommodation consisted of simple rooms with only cold water. Later on a number of renewals and expansions took place.

Mainly people from Germany, Italy, Great Britain, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium and Holland visit this island.

Source : Fihalhohi Island

Bermuda Beach

Bermuda has some magnificent large and small beaches. Some great ones are public, meaning that anyone can enjoy them. But some are private, not for general public, only to their guests - re-assuring to those who stay at properties with private beaches. Beach sand is not volcanic but from finely pulverized remains of calcium carbonate shells and skeletons of invertebrates such as corals, clams, forams and other shells. Beaches begin with tiny single-celled animals, Foraminifera, in particular, homotrema rubrum - or forams - dark red skeletal animals that grow profusely on the underside of Bermuda's coral reefs. When the red forms die, the skeletons plummet to the ocean floor.

Wave action erodes the forams. They become mixed with other debris on the seabed such as the white shells of clams, snails and sea urchins. It is at that time that Bermuda's white sand takes on its characteristic pink hue. While coral reefs are common elsewhere, Bermuda is one of the northernmost areas in the Western Hemisphere. (But by no means the northernmost place in the world for coral reefs, as is commonly but mistakenly claimed). There are cold-water and other coral reefs on the coastlines of Spain and Portugal throughout the northeast Atlantic, stretching north in the Irish sea, then due north, northwest and northeast all the way up to Norway).

Devonshire Bay Cold-water corals form a rich habitat for deep-water species hunted by fishing trawlers mostly from Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, France and Norway. Coral reefs alone cover an area twice the length of Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Only in all the islands of Bermuda, the islands of the Bahamas including Harbour Island and at least five places in Scotland is the sand pink, but not because of the warm water corals. It is untrue to say that Bermuda's beaches have coarser sand. In fact, the sand in Bermuda is exceptionally fine. Bermuda's coral reefs, from where the forams come, are probably in better condition than many Bahamas reefs. Bermuda beaches are not as pink as the deep pink beaches of Scotland but they all have turquoise waters.

Source : Bermuda's Beach

Myrtle Beach, USA

Myrtle Beach was incorporated as a town in 1938 and became a city in 1957. Its name comes from the wax myrtle, a shrub that grows abundantly in the area. Our 25,000 permanent residents welcome millions of visitors to this full-service resort community. Guests come to enjoy the wide beaches, the Atlantic Ocean, and an incredible range of activities, entertainment, golf, shopping and dining.

History records that the first tourists here were a party of Spaniards from Hispaniola, who landed about 50 miles north of present-day Myrtle Beach in 1526 and eventually established the first European settlement in the U.S. about 30 miles to the south. That settlement, San Miguel de Cauldape, was abandoned the following year, though, and the group returned to Hispaniola.

In the next three centuries, the region's population grew, but slowly. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, people began to "vacation" here, although it was quite rustic. Houses and camps were sparse, and there were only few permanent residents at the turn of the century. But, drawn by the ocean, sand and trees, people began to call Myrtle Beach "home" as the 1900s progressed.

Today, Myrtle Beach is a well known destination for vacationers from around the country, Canada and abroad. According to the 2000 Census, the city is at the heart of the 13th fastest growing metropolitan area in the U.S. Our 800 staff members are dedicated to being "First in Service" and are ready to provide assistance and answer your questions at any time.

Source : Myrtle Beach

Kilyos, Sedir and Orak Islands

Wide beaches of Kilyos at European side of Black Sea at 25th km. outside Istanbul, are attracting Istanbul residents during summer months. Belgrade Forest, inside from Black Sea, at European Side is the widest forest around Istanbul. Istanbul residents, at week ends, come here for family picnic with brazier at its shadows.

Sedir Island, in the Gulf of Gokova Marmaris, is the ancient Cedrai. Its old city walls, theater and temples can be visited by driving from Marmaris north to Gelibolu Bay and then crossing by boat. This voyage also offers an unforgettable panoramic view of the mountain scenery across the bay. At the head of the gulf is the village of Gokova whose houses seem to cascade down the mountainside. Restaurants built over bubbling, fresh water streams that fall from the highlands create an unforgettable setting. The towering pines and cooling breezes of Gokova Park are often a welcome respite from the hot sun. Sedir Island, popularly known as Cleopatra's Island, is the site of ancient Cedreae. This island boasts an incredible beach with fine sand composed of fossils and a magnificent view of the Kiran Mountains across the bay. It is one of the most enjoyable sites to visit, the ruins of Cedreae whilst of a modest size are overrun with shrubbery and olive trees set in the gentle protected waters and offering a selection of breathtaking views.

About 9 miles east of Bodrum is Orak Island, an islet of bare rock and thorny shrubs that seem to float in the clear morning light. Cokertme is another wonderful place to stop, a charming fishing hamlet, perfect for a fish lunch and famous for its hand-made carpets. Orak island is 5 nautical miles east of Kara island. There are two coves in the east and north coasts, the former offering a well sheltered anchorage against the northerly and westerly winds. The island is rocky and covered with thorn bushes. Motorboats bring day trippers here. East Cove: Approach from the north through the narrow passage between the island and the reef off the east of the bay, which is surrounded by white rocks. The bottom is stoney sand. The best anchorage is in the west-northwest extremity. Anchor at 4-5 metres and moor to the shore with a line. Beware of the rocks off the southeast headland. North Cove: The north and west of the island are clean and the entrance to the north cove presents no hazards. There is a shingle beach at the southern tip of the cove, behind which is a small hut. Anchor at 10 metres in the weedy bed and moor to the shore in a southwest or southeast direction. Keep well away from the submerged rocks off the west shore of the cove.

Source : Onderer