Why Is It?

That just about everything that government tries to "improve" they fuck it up. Let me explain.

We had a favorite kayak spot that got us to the beautiful and always empty West Beach in Charlestown, RI. We would go once, sometimes twice a summer up until last summer because C-O-O-O-V-I-I-D!!! We go to the boat launch by the breachway on Lake Quononchontaug to put in and park. The access road was 3 cars wide, which allowed for plenty of parking on the breachway side of the road with room for 2-way traffic. The parking lot at the launch area was only for vehicles with boat trailers. We would drop everything at the launch out of the way, I'd leave my wife to start loading up the boats while I would go park. Get there at a decent time in the morning and there would be plenty of parking. The late-comers got to park in the small lot over a half mile away if there was still room.

I had heard that changes were made down there. The one I was sure of was the new boat launch ramp and dock. What I didn't know, was that the State of R.I. (or town of Charlestown) turned the entire access road into a fire lane with NO PARKING on any sides. That meant I had to park in the far lot if I was lucky enough to find a spot. Seeing that it was almost 11 AM, I wasn't very optimistic. But it turned out, since it was a weekday a spot for my truck was available. I hoofed it back to where wifey was waiting and we headed out.

We had an enjoyable paddle over to the sandbar on the south shore where the path crosses the dunes to get to the beach on ocean-side. A short hike of a couple hundred yards and we were on the beach. We took a nice long walk back towards the breachway and then back for lunch.This brave guy got the scrap bread from my wife's lunch.

 

He hung out for quite a while hoping for more. He didn't get everything at first. So I got up and tossed him the rest. He stayed put and got his reward. He finally flew off. We kicked back on the blanket and napped in the sun. Wifey went for a quick dip and it was time to head out for home.

Since it was low tide, I decided to walk through the less than knee deep water and tow my kayak. Lots of wildlife swimming around on the bottom. Horseshoe Crabs, Hermit Crabs, and assorted fish. I walked until just before the deeper water and then climbed back in. My wife paddled the entire way along side where I walked.

We decided that since the truck was parked in the lot along the breachway by an opening, we would head right for it instead of messing with the boat launch and having to move the truck. It worked out good, even though we had to lift the kayaks over the boulders lining the breachway. We got the truck loaded quickly and headed for home just after 4PM.

Future trips there on weekends are out of the question. We used to be able to do it if we got there around 8:30. Now God only knows what time we'd have to be there just to be able to park. Now weekday trips will mean getting there by 8:30. STUPID!