Cape Tomyozaki Lighthouse

Summer is officially kicking off.  Not because the kids have been let out of school or the sun is shining/warm and it has stopped raining.  No, I know summer is here because the mosquitoes are out to seek and destroy (mainly just myself, Dougie and Ian...).  The humidity rivals the temperature, both starting with and 8 or 9.  You need gills to breath.  You are as wet just being outside as you are when you step out of the shower.

How do you survive?!?

You go to the beach, of course!

There is a little beach nearby that has the first "all-night" lighthouse in Japan.  Cape Tomyozaki Lighthouse was built in 1648, destroyed in the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and then rebuilt in 1988.  It is actually a wooden lighthouse that was fired by whale oil.  You can see how an earthquake could manage to "shake things up" and burn the house down...

What is more fascinating about the beach is that pottery chunks and sea glass wash ashore in abundance!  We have heard mixed opinions as to why, but I am sure currents have something to do with it.  Regardless, my mom would LOOOOOOOVE this beach and you should bring bags to collect all your beach "trash"!  Dougie did his beach-combing training with the best - Grammie!  He collected an entire bag of treasures while Stefan just put a few rocks in his pocket.

Stefan and his friend Pierce dug pits and built bridges.

Ian thought it was the pits... (ha ha)

We were joined by the Paluszeks and the boys (Alex, too!) were all entertained by a game of "attack the sea serpent" (aka: John Henry)...

Which turned into "how many kids can the air mattress hold"?...

Come on Stefan!

Ian?!?

Alex?!?!?!?

Noooooo...  She is too smart for that!

Back to "attack the sea serpent"

Two down!  John & Ian are in the drink...

Stefan, Pierce and Dougie are victorious - Alex offers to steer and apparently Matthew will be navigating!

It was great, Eileen and I got to stay up on the grass and look out over everyone.  Mikaela and John kept a watchful eye out for Ian.

He failed to do the same...

The family group next to us had a few young kids - Ian's age and younger.  They were playing a game of "hide and seek" - aka: CHASE ME, MUMMY!!! - around the lighthouse.  Ian joined them, doing laps around the little lighthouse and giggling like Tickle Me Elmo

It was a great day to spend at the beach.  Pierce, as always, was great company.  The day was made even better by the addition of the Paluszek's - it is not often the "younger group of kids" get to have their own teenagers to pick-on, play with and try to dunk!  They are great people, great neighbors and great friends!  We are looking forward to more beach days - not something I have traditionally said :)