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There is a saying that if you want to see your neighbors during the summer, just head to the beach. At least that is the thinking of a lot of West Virginia folks.
It's true. Just visit Myrtle Beach, Ocean City, Hilton Head or any other seaside town on the Atlantic Ocean in July, and you will see plenty of West Virginia license plates in parking lots along the beachfront hotels and motels.
There is something about living in a landlocked state that sends Mountaineers to the ocean in large numbers. I know friends and family members who make it a yearly pilgrimage each summer to an oceanfront destination.
I can't blame them. The lure of the great water, the sound of the waves and feel of the sand between their toes is enticing after months of gray, winter skies and feet tucked into fuzzy boots.
We have taken a few trips to various beach towns over the years and always enjoyed most of them. Only a few mishaps at Myrtle Beach that ended in trips to the hospital ER left me avoiding repeat visits there. Other locations have been fun and enjoyable with nothing more than a little too much sun.
Ohio Valley residents are no strangers to water. While we don't have ocean waves crashing at our feet, we do have river and lake waters lapping toward sloping shorelines.
Then there are the many creeks and streams that call us to their cool waters. Some of my fondest childhood memories are when we waded into the creek along Bethany Pike in Woodsdale or when our parents took us out Big Wheeling Creek for a day's worth of fun at the old Hamms' camp.
Out the creek, we explored the water in a row boat or canoe. We waded into the water and fished and searched for minnows as our parents played horseshoes along the creek bank or card games on the deck overlooking the creek. We ate picnic foods that always tasted better cooked over those charcoal grills.
Lately, my husband and I have enjoyed leisurely walks along the Ohio River in Warwood and near the dam. There is always something to see as pleasure boats or barges make their way through the water.
We haven't seen the eagles, although we search for signs of them along the river. Others have reported seeing numerous eagles swooping down into the river south of Wheeling. Seeing that certainly trumps the antics of the seagulls at the beach.
Yes, there is something about water that either we love or hate. Whether it's an ocean or a lake or river, there is something mystical about being near the water. Enjoy what's left of this fleeting summer -- at the beach or at your local waterway. You just might run into someone you know.
Heather Ziegler can be reached via email at hziegler@theintelligencer.net.