This storm has changed the beach, really changed it.  There are stones everywhere — and pieces of concrete and boulders washed down from the cliffs, and huge agglomerations of kelp, and very little sand — or at least, exposed sand.

This photo is taken looking down from the stairway (about 70 steps) that leads to the beach.  You can see that the foam-topped water is right up at the base of the stairway supports.  It was just past high tide; when the waves pulled back, all you could see was stones.  Later in the day when we went for a walk, there was some sand showing, but it was a narrow band, and the surf was encroaching on it, so that we had to skitter up into the rocks.  Speaking of which,  no skitterers in sight.  Where do they go during storms?  Where are their nests? They must have cancelled their town meetings these past few days.

We will be exploring other beach-walking possibilities, unless the state park system does some beach terraforming/transforming.  It is tricky to walk on layers of round, slippery stones.  Wonder how and when the sand reappears, if the rocks get gathered together by the tides and pushed up against the cliffs again…questions!