The Beach Is Open at Bald Eagle State Park!

The temperatures this past week have been just about ideal. We've had some cooler nights and the daytime temperature is lovely. It's almost too hot if you sit in the sun, and a bit too cool if you sit in the shade. I've found the ideal position: half in, half out of the sun!

The beaches typically open at many of our local state parks on Memorial Day weekend. And so, with it officially swimming season, we decided to go and hit the beach at Bald Eagle State Park.

It's a milestone I both do and don't look forward to. First swim is usually a bit on the chilly side, but it's delightful to finally be back in the water. First wearing of a bathing suit . . . well, I don't even want to go there. But you HAVE to. And so I did. For better or for worse, out went my pale body into the sun!

The water quality was reasonable. We've been having drought conditions in parts of Pennsylvania this spring, and so water levels are low in many places. But there wasn't as much goose poo as usual (hey, I calls it as I sees it!), and although getting in was a challenge, once we were in, we were quite happy and swam for something just under an hour.

There are open, public showers outside the bathhouse at the park. One for men. One for women. The water is bone-chillingly cold. You've been warned. Instant brain freeze! My typical approach is to turn the water on, then just sort of . . . lean into it, without getting more water on me than I have to. (Also, if you shower here, you'd better be prepared to share your space with bugs of all kinds.)

There is a snack bar that is open on the weekends (Fri/Sat/Sun 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.), and serves things like burgers, fries, and ice cream. Cheeseburger with all the fixings is $5.99, french fries are $3.99, a funnel cake is $3.99, and it's $4.99 for two scoops of Penn State Creamery ice cream.*

After our showers, we packed our stuff into the car and headed over to the less populated East Launch/Hunter Run, where we parked the car and read our books for a while in the shade, and bird-watched. You may see my best bird shot in the extras. I believe it's an Eastern kingbird.

I have two pictures and so I need two songs. First, for the opening of summertime beaches, we've got Mungo Jerry, with In the Summertime. For the bird in the extras, here's R.E.M., with King of Birds; it's from their 1987 album Document, which is just excellent.

*The food options they offered were quite nice, but we had a pair of Big Macs on the way there, and then split a Bonfatto's bonanza Italian sub on the way home. :-)