“Snow, grass, and sand blend together in the winter sun. The beach, usually teeming with sun-worshipers, rests for the season. The grasses and weeds stand quiet among the coastal dunes, awaiting another summer. But for now, they rest.” – Ed Lehming

Still at Sandbanks Provincial Park and Outlet Beach, the most popular summer destination in Prince Edward County, is a place transformed in the winter.

There are still plenty of locals who frequent the beach in the off-season, but they were fairly scarce today; the beach ahead of me was wide open as I walked the 2.5 kilometers from the parking lot to Outlet Creek, the namesake of this beach.

The park has taken care, over the past few years, to block off sections of the coastal dunes to allow them to regenerate. There are posts and ropes, as well as signs to educate the public on the ecological value and sensitivity of this dune system. The dunes contain many rare and endangered plant species, which don’t do well with a lot of foot traffic. So, the park has carved out access points to the beach every 20-30 meters and roped off the rest. I do like this system because I can still enjoy the natural beauty without having to look over a fence. It seems to be working well, and many species are making a comeback.

Needless to say, it was a great day to be out for a walk with my camera, enjoying and documenting my surroundings.

This image, unlike my past few, was captured using my Nikon 🙂

Nikon D800
Tamron SP 24-70 mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 52 mm
1/250 sec, f/8, ISO 400