A Labor Day Weekend on the Beach in Santa Barbara

We got to Santa Barbara in early September, just as the sun was going down. The light was soft and golden, and the long line of palm trees was silhouetted against the sky. The beach was quiet, and a lifeguard boat with shark teeth painted on the bow was parked on the sand for the night.

Even as dusk settled in, the kids went straight for the water. They ran along the edge of the surf, splashing in the small waves as the mountains became hazy in the background. They just kept running back and forth on the wet sand as the last of the daylight faded into twilight.

The next day was bright and clear. We spent our time right at the shoreline, trying to figure out a skimboard. It was a process of trial and error, getting the timing right to catch the thin layer of receding water. After a few tries, they started to get the hang of balancing, gliding a few feet before the board stopped in the sand.