To go to the beach as a family, we go in the late afternoon or early evening, after Chris's nap, Kenny's day at camp and Jeff's workday.

Typically, we swing by Jeff's office in West Long Branch, pick him up and head to Seven Presidents in Long Branch. But yesterday the usual routine was thrown off by the fact that Jeff's morning meetings in Newark spilled into the afternoon.

Jeff was advised by colleagues not to attempt to return to his West Long Branch office via the Parkway because the seven miles between the Raritan Toll Plaza and Sandy Hook (exits 124 - 117) would take an hour.

So, he came straight home via the Turnpike and considered jumping ship at exit 9 (route 18) but took a gamble which paid off and he was able to reach exit 8A before any real slowdown. He heard on the radio that south of 8A, traffic was backed up for the next 13 miles until exit 7A. Just a typical Friday in the summertime.

The water was cold but you got used to it. The baby didn't like it at all but was happy to play in the sand. Tim loved it. We were there for a couple of hours (gotta get there earlier next time), left around 9PM and made it home by 10. There's an upside in not living too close: the kids fall asleep on the way home. And, this morning, it's all "clean up": baths and laundry. I really don't mind the sand in everything. It goes with the terrain.

There are more pictures at flickr.

And Jeff put up some pictures, too. See the following post for the link to his pictures. His are better.