Since the pandemic canceled our family Christmas with Ben’s family, we decided to head for his family’s favorite place, the beach, for an after-Boxing Day walk in the fresh air. And it was fresh and crisp indeed, below freezing with a stiff sea breeze whipping the surf to impressive heights for Casco Bay (though perhaps not the most impressive we’ve photographed from Cape Elizabeth!)

Today’s adventure started in rocky, sheltered Kettle Cove, which my niece and nephew know as the “baby beach” where the waves are better suited to small people, which was still a good swell today!

I’m still obsessed with bright colors against a backdrop of winter drab, and Kettle Cove didn’t disappoint, with brilliant mustard lichens and strong red berries.

We even came across some wintering ducks, probably Atlantic brant.

And we had fun poking around in the tidepools, where my nephew even found some baby shrimp stranded above the current line of waves.

Unprecedentedly strange though this year has been, we’re making it work, and even managing to enjoy ourselves along the way. This was a good day.