It was quite the adventure to say the least. I learned many lessons about this trip.
Number one: leave MUCH earlier in the morning. We slowly packed up for our trip and really didn't leave Walpole until around 11am and stopped at the gas station and Subway before really leaving. That was much too late. By the time we arrived, the beach we were originally planning on going to was jam packed already and all the non resident parking was taken. We were told to park 2 miles away and walk down to the beach. Ummmm okay, with four kids that was not happening. Luckily we drove farther down the coast and managed to find a beach where we only had to wait a measly 40 minutes in the car to park. Thank goodness it was also time to feed Taylor and so I was able to take care of that while waiting in line to park the car.
Number two: be prepared for crazy traffic driving to Cape Cod in the summer. I seriously was not prepared for zero open parking spaces at the first 10 beaches we stopped at. I also was not prepared for the sheer volume of people at the beach. It was just plain nuts.
Number three: make sure you fully charge your phone battery before leaving for a day trip to the beach. Also bring your phone charger in the car. About 30 minutes after leaving I realized my phone was only at 20% charge AND I failed to bring a car charger. We ended up needing to stop at a random gas station just outside the cape when my phone went dead. It was quite the project getting it charged, turned back on, and the map back up so I could continue to navigate the vehicle.
Number four: an ocean is NOT a great place to take your phone swimming. I placed my phone in the small bag on my shoulder and decided to take Taylor on a stroll in the tide. At one point the waves were coming in and she nearly jumped out of my arms. In the struggle to keep from dropping her, my bag was accidentally dropped in the water instead. I scrambled to grab the bag, but unfortunately my phone went partially under. I was able to turn it off right away, but some damage was already done. It was then another project trying to get back home with no phone.
Number five: be prepared for lots of laugh and fun with the children. It always amazes me how well they all play together once we reach the beach. Although the boys typically share a volatile relationship, all competitiveness seems to get forgotten in the open area. They seem to all forego their differences and spend hours as a team collecting crabs, shells, seaweed and anything else unique they can find!
