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Bring Back The Beaches

A few years ago THE NEXT CITY had an article on city beaches and it got me thinking about how much we have given up and how what is right in front of us is so often ignored. Charlottetown is almost surrounded by water and when we were kids we swam in Victoria Park, the Butts, Rocky Point and very much in the North River. We tried to swim from Victoria Day until the middle of September. We fought blood suckers and rocks and glass on the beach, We built rafts and had them built for us. We rowed and we kayaked and we dug clams. We dove and we swam and we dove and we swam.. The tides ruled our days. If the tide was out we dug clams, if it was in we swam. At Victoria Park you started of swimming at the end of Brighton Road and when you got good you could move around to the bath houses that were near Fort Edward and if the tide was really high, and you were very brave, you could jump off the top of the bathing houses. It was wonderful. A few weeks ago I was at a meeting where the Rocky Point Ferry was brought up. What a resource that was for Charlottetown kids. In less than 20 minutes from the Prince Street Wharf you could be at a dear beach and all within sight of Charlottetown. Why can't we try to bring that back. Inkerman Shore was our space though and we knew every inch of it. On a few occasions, we'd boat over to Lewis' Point and then for a big thrill we'd go to the old North River Bridge and jump off - most of us with ropes tied around us because the current there was pretty strong. I wonder how we got there? I haven't dived for a couple of years, but you know there is nothing more thrilling. I'd better look around for a raft.

Written Sunday, July 14, 2002 at 09:31 PM

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