• BEACH: Musky and fresh all at once, with a consistent blend of wild flowers and fish bones carried on the wind.
• POOL: The sweet smell of chlorine and the occasional waft of stink from the murky public change rooms.

• BEACH: Bands of blue splashing and sparkling under the sun. A strong water woven with waves and pieces of sky.
• POOL: Thin translucent and pencil crayon blue, as sharp and snappy as water comes

• BEACH: Once you are out past the sandbars, it’s a roomy, deep and fulfilling swim. The shallow spaces between the sandbars make excellent wide and warm pools for kids to play in and for one to leisurely frolic and float.
• POOL: During leisure swims, you are elbow to elbow with splashing and smiling families, teenagers and general pool lovers. The joy is contagious, but for a serious swim, seek out the dedicated length swim times.

• BEACH: As far as the eye can see, no end in sight.
• POOL: Bricks and buildings, but look up while floating, the sky is calling.

• BEACH: The finest of sand, soft and unstable.
• POOL: Concrete grip, nubby and unforgiving.

• BEACH: Waterside full of sandcastles, saucy seagulls, games of frisbee, beach umbrellas and pop up tents.
• POOL: Waterside full of conversations, laughter, gossip, harmless rough housing and covert snacks and cellular devices

• BEACH: Endless possibilities waiting in the rich sand.
• POOL: Only sandcastle you are building is around the corner in the Earlscourt park sandbox.

• BEACH: No weeds, but there is the Wasaga beach muck, which collects in the first few feet of the water. It’s harmless, mostly organic plant matter. Just leap over it with a stag jump… or wade through, whatever floats your boat.
• POOL: No weeds in this pool… but there is the occasional clump of stray hair floating along the deep end. Try not too look to closely at the bottom.

• BEACH: A lone beach patrol, 20 something, zooming past every 15 minutes on a 4 wheeler, wearing a uniform and bullet proof vest.
• POOL: A pack of teenage lifeguards, buzzing and patched with zinc.

• BEACH: Sand everywhere. Empty your sandals before departing or entering your house.
• POOL: There will be burning eyes and dry skin. Bring moisturizer.

Wasaga Beach, on Georgian Bay, is my default.
Where I go to reset.

Fresh and blue.

Star dust sand, so fine, and so, so perfect for castles.

The never ending horizon… there is that too.
One long seam of sky and sea that ripples when you reach it.

There is a sweet comfort in the endless match box cottages littering the shore line and up the many roads leading away from the water's edge.

Beach 23 is where all my memories are layered out over loud floral and fluorescent towels, covered in Banana Boat oil and burning under the sun.

I find it’s best to move away from the main drag… but occasionally, a trip to the carnival strip is good for the soul.

The painted colors.
The flash and lights.
The drama splashed unapologetically across the simple white beach.

Sometimes everyone needs the noise to roar.

But you can always trek back to your quiet spot of sun and surf,
and then slip out past the countless sandbars… till you reach the deep.