Bam! Summer is here!

Big Guy and I quickly learned after moving to Florida that the seasons can change in the blink of an eye, especially when it comes to summer. This year was no different. We moved from a gentle, welcoming spring to hot, humid summer days almost overnight. For our household, that means beach time.

We are not alone. When the temperature rises, we load our Jeep and head for the nearest beach. Once there, we set up camp. We join others as we settle in to enjoy the gentle ocean breeze and the sand between our toes. On the hottest days, the shoreline looks more like a campground. Families gather under umbrellas, tents, and all manner of creative devices designed to provide shade. If there are youngsters, there will be beach toys, boogie boards, and enough gear to fill a small wagon. Fishermen bring their own assortment of equipment and provide entertainment for those of us watching from our camps. Whenever something is caught, a crowd quickly gathers to see what has been pulled from the ocean.

I grew up just north of Chicago; the beach days of my youth included a short walk to the shores of Lake Michigan. Our supplies were simple — a beach towel and, during my teenage years, an ever-ready portable radio. In those days, we did not worry much about the sun. Instead of protecting our skin, we slathered on baby oil in pursuit of that perfect Coppertone tan. Many of us are paying the price — or should I say paying the dermatologist — for those unprotected years spent baking in the sun.

Summers also took my family to the relatively isolated coast of North Carolina. Again, our beach gear was simple: sun-faded beach towels, folding chairs, and perhaps a cooler filled with cold drinks. We would establish our little camp near the water and watch as my father spent endless hours casting a line into the ocean, hoping to catch fish. It was quiet, peaceful, and uncomplicated.

Nowadays, beach gear has become such a phenomenon that ordinances have been passed to regulate it. Signs are posted at beach entrances reminding visitors to “carry on, carry off.” Nothing should be left on the beach after 8 p.m. Any unattended beach gear — tents, shelters, umbrellas, chairs, buckets, towels, boogie boards, and the like — may be collected nightly by patrols and removed. Not only is this the right thing to do, but it is also important for protecting our wildlife, especially sea turtles during nesting season.

Amelia Island is blessed with 13 miles of shoreline and easy public access. We can even bring our dogs along for a beach day. As we join fellow beachgoers this summer, we will be mindful that our beaches are shared treasures and that preserving them is everyone's responsibility.

Bam! Summer is here. See you at the beach.