Waterbaby

Hot.
Going to beaches.
Can't blog.
Too much sand.
Sand + MacBook = expensive poseur vignette where J. Crew meets
The New Yorker

but how stylish...

On that note, a practical users guide to Northeast Ohio Beaches...

Edgewater (Cleveland)
Excellent for the unplanned foray.
Pros:
It's the populace beach.
You'll never feel unattractive.
Good wave action.
Wide in breadth and length (but sort of shallow).
Lots of terra firma real estate for extended sunning and swimming.
Kites.
Sailboats.

Cons:
It's the populace beach.
Sewer run off when it rains - lots of debris.
Shallow.
Jet skis are blind to buoys.
Lifeguards overly fond of the vague "whistle and point."
Bathrooms recall streets of England circa 1640.

Bradstreet Landing (Rocky River)
Less about the swimming (its technically verboten), more about the kayaking
Pros:
Great put-in for kayaks or small sail boats.
No other swimmers.
Anarchy in the water.

Cons:
Beach is 95% mussel shells.
Dogs and dog poo.
Fishing lines.
Getting yelled at by the cops for illegal swimmin'.

Huntington Beach (Bay Village)
The OC right here in Northeast Ohio
Pros:
Long with lots of little rock piers.
Ample swimming room.
Good view of downtown.
Clean water.
Honey Hut.
Hot teens skimboarding (so Americana).

Cons:
You will NEVER feel attractive again.
The every-45-minute-15-minute swim break (what!).
Parking (all the hot teens have convertibles which they park there at 8 am - so it seems)
Kind of a far drive from downtown.
Not much diversity - v. suburban.

Lakeview Beach (Lorain)
Best Beach Ever (I grew up going there, practically unsupervised)
Pros:
Best kept secret in NEOhio.
HUGE sand beach.
Large swimming area.
Lovely park with rose garden and bocce ball court.
Fountain with light that change color (it's super cool).
Great view of the Lorain Lighthouse.
Good boat watching.
Water has been cleaned considerably.

Cons:
40 minute drive from downtown.
Otherwise, perfect.

Other beaches of note:
Huron
Kelleys Island
Mentor Headlands
Fairport Harbor

Vermillion River (not a beach, I know, but hiking up the river is awesome, there are waterfalls for showers and rapids that are excellent as make-shift whirlpools.

I haven't been East at all this summer...
please feel free to fill me in on your fave beaches.

off to get the sand out of my hair.
la!