New Age Spark

Being in my last day COVID isolation, I didn’t want to “go big” in an indoor facility and catch the bug all over. I know the chance of that are minimal. I don’t have the best health record so I didn’t want to chance it. So I wanted an outdoor experience.

Long Island has several beaches to offer. Typically, if you’ve grown up on Long Island going to a certain beach, you tend to stick to it. Personally, I’ve grown up with going to Jones Beach and Tobay. In my 20’s, I explored to Ocean Beach, Ocean Bay Park, and Seaview beaches on Fire Island, along with Montauk, Robert Moses, Gilgo, parts of Long Beach, and Rockaway Beach. But there are still so many to explore!

I’ve passed by Overlook Beach, on my way to Robert Moses Beach but always thought it was only for 4-wheel-drive cars. I have a little sedan. It’s a fuel efficient little thing that has stuck with me since 2011 so I’m not complaining. But I would be worried about the durability of it on the dirt/sand road if I tried to bring it over. Using my mom’s SUV was the safer bet in getting over.

There was a lot of construction going on at my house today, so I only started to head over around 5 pm. I didn’t mind because the beach is free after peak hours. The beach was empty! There were a couple cars there but I only saw 4 or 5 people there, 3 of which brought their dogs. I didn’t see any “no dogs allowed” sign I also didn’t look too hard for it so one could assume that pets were allowed. Before you reach the beach, there’s a beach hut and a boardwalk leading to the ocean. I find these type of boardwalks very convenient. When I first arrived, I just stood at the end of the boardwalk and enjoyed the view. I’m the type of person that can sit at the beach and just stare at the water for hours. It’s so calming, washes all my troubles away from my mind. Walking towards the beach, there is also a jungle gym and small playground on the sand for kids. Very convenient for parents that want to sit quietly at the beach and still have the kids entertained.

Since it was a nice day, my parents and I decided to walk down the beach. We walked from Overlook Beach to Sore Thumb Beach, which was actually another beach on my list that I wanted to visit for no other reason than it had a funny name. I was curious if Sore Thumb got it’s name from the scenery. Spoiler – nothing resembled a thumb. Sore Thumb is only accessible by driving on the sand, or walking from Overlook Beach. The walk had a lot of small or maybe they’re babies jelly fish. The first one I saw was so small that I thought it was a piece of sea glass. Thank goodness I examined it before I picked it up. They were so small that I am not sure if they have tentacles that will sting. I wouldn’t suggest taking the risk in physically testing that. They just looked like glass marbles. There weren’t many shells. Since I’m not a regular to this beach, I don’t know if the beach is scarce on shells or if we were there at the wrong time for them to be on the beach. I don’t know about you, but we’re big on shell collecting! There are several jars at my house filled with different types and sizes of shells. I also have my own private collection of shells and sea glass that I enjoy decorating, wire wrapping, and making décor out of. It’s my way of bringing the calming, ocean air feeling back home. After walking for almost 2 hours, we decided to head back before it got cold and dark. It was the perfect time to walk back. We were walking into the sunset and moon rise. It was a gorgeous blue and yellow sky.

Driving home, the sunset only got better. The yellow deepened into shades of orange and warm red.

Long Island beaches during the summer are crowded! I have gone some days that Jones Beach shuts down a field because they are at max capacity. If you are interesting in visiting Overlook Beach or Sore Thumb Beach, I suggest going during off season. Both require Town of Babylon Resident permits during open season.

Day 12 ✅️

Overlook Beach and Sore Thumb Beach are located on the south side of Ocean Parkway between Cedar Beach and Oak Beach. They are about 8 minutes from the Great South Bay Bridge off of Robert Moses Causeway. It is about a 20 minute walk from Overlook Beach to Sore Thumb Beach.

https://goo.gl/maps/3VhXsLRzeoGD8H6MA

The Overlook Beach Hut has a bath house, food service, and free Wi-Fi access during their open season. Visitor can also enjoy swimming, a picnic area with grills, and a playground. It is a resident only beach and requires a Resident Recreation Permit for entrance during the season.

https://www.townofbabylon.com/439/Overlook-Beach

Sore Thumb Beach has an off-road entrance located on the south side of Ocean Parkway. It is accessible by private boat, water scooter, or by vehicle with a town fishing permit or a New York State Beach 4-wheel-drive vehicle permit. It is open to the public during off season.

https://www.newsday.com/lifestyle/family/sore-thumb-beach-isolated-but-worth-the-visit-q68349